MUMBAI: The 300 year old City Palace of Jaipur, home to Jaipur’s Royal Family, has played host to numerous guests over the centuries. From November 23, 2019, the Gudliya Suite at the City Palace will become accessible to outside guests, and will be able to be booked for the first time ever on Airbnb, with His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh becoming the first Maharaja to offer a stay at his palace on Airbnb, in order to help support the women’s empowerment initiatives of the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation.
Steeped in history, and located in the heart of Jaipur, capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan, the City Palace is one of India’s most iconic buildings. Guests will be able to book and stay in the luxurious Gudliya Suite, located within one of the private sections of a royal palace that, until now, has been used for the royals and their special guests. The Suite includes its own lounge, kitchen, luxurious bathroom and private, indoor swimming pool.
Guests will truly get to experience what it’s like to live like royalty. A practical and down-to-earth modern Royal, the host is the dapper, polo-playing 21-year old Maharajah, Padmanabh Singh, who succeeded his grandfather in 2011 as the Maharaja of a land his ancestors have ruled for nearly a thousand years.
Built in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of the city of Jaipur, the City Palace exemplifies the best of 18th century Rajput architecture with and other architectural influences of later periods. The interiors contain ornate chambers, large and airy reception halls, crystal chandeliers, gilded wall decorations, intricate carvings and in addition to the royal residence, the sprawling palace complex houses a large, internationally recognised museum. Notable visiting dignitaries have included Bill Clinton, Prince Charles and Jackie Kennedy, among others.
Guests of the Gudliya Suite at the City Palace will be provided an inspiring journey into the rich history, cultural heritage and artistic traditions of Jaipur’s royal family. Guests will be looked after by a private butler and guide who will arrange curated city experiences including shopping tours, guided walks through local museums and other excursions. Authentic Rajasthani meals may be enjoyed on a terrace offering an amazing view of the surrounding Aravalli hills and forts overlooking the palace, and peaceful afternoon tea can be had in the company of the resident peacocks who live in the Palace’s lush gardens.
Along with this, Airbnb in collaboration with the City Palace of Jaipur launched a video which captures His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh welcoming guests to his home to experience royalty like never before. The campaign film beautifully captures the essence of the opulent City Palace of Jaipur and the ancient traditions of the royal family. The new digital campaign film by Airbnb highlights the brands commitment and emphasis on constantly redefining the way people travel. Offering 7+ million unique places to stay including over 4000 castles, Airbnb has pioneered experiential travel creating magical stays for over half a billion guests. Additionally the brand has associated with leading Hindi Cinema celebrities such as Karishma Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra, Gauri Khan and Mandira Bedi along with a few luxury Influencers.
Storyboard: The new digital film is a reflection of an inspiring journey into the rich history, cultural heritage and artistic traditions of Jaipur’s royal family. The film beautifully captures a glimpse of Jaipur’s most treasured architectural icon, the city palace complex which is designed with a seamless blend of Rajput, Mughal and European architectural influences. The film shines the spotlight on a crimson-yellow façade, manicured lawns make way for ornate dining halls, sandstone walls painted in gold dust, intricate carvings and a museum dedicated to the family’s private collection of handmade carpets and treasured manuscripts. The video unfolds with His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh inviting guests to experience the 300 year old City Palace of Jaipur on Airbnb and dive into the stories that each corner of the palace has to share. Airbnb’s brand philosophy of ‘Belong Anywhere’ coincides with the riveting stories of the royal family who have inspired many, this collaboration specially focuses on supporting women’s empowerment with the proceedings of the bookings going to the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation.
“I am thrilled that my family and I are partnering with Airbnb to bring the splendour of Rajasthan to life for travelers from around the world. My own travels with Airbnb have made me feel very welcome in new cities and cultures, and I am happy that the experience of quintessential Indian hospitality will be shared with others.” stated His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh.
The Palace has never been available to be booked by outside guests before. Proceeds from each booking will go to the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting rural women and artisans in Rajasthan. For the remainder of 2019, the Gudliya Suite, priced at $8,000 per night, will be available to book on select nights at a special inaugural offer of $1,000 USD per night, with Airbnb paying the balance amount for each booking as a contribution to the Foundation. From January 1st onwards, the Suite will be available for guests to book at the full $8,000 USD rate.
The Gudliya Suite will be available for stays starting November 23. To make a booking, guests can visit airbnb.com/CityPalaceJaipur as of now.
