Villa Palladio Jaipur | Marie Anne Oudejans

Villa Palladio Jaipur is a house of many great enchantments, an intimate dreamland, an exploration of fantasy. Villa Palladio Jaipur marries rococo exuberance with the decadence of the maharajas in a uniquely joyful style, both equally at home in Italy as it is in India. Opening in September 2022, Villa Palladio (VP) comes from the imagination of Italian- Swiss entrepreneur Barbara Miolini, together with Dutch designer Marie- Anne Oudejans, the same duo behind the electric blue Bar Palladio Jaipur (2013) & pastel-hued Caffe Palladio Jaipur (2017).

Nestled within the Aravali Hills on the banks of Lake Kanota, Villa Palladio is a boutique collection of nine-rooms, located 20 minutes from the city of Jaipur. Modeled after the 19th century concept of the “Grand Hotel,” VP attracts a clientele of cosmopolitan vagabonds, fashionistas and all those who value informal intimacy, exuberance, exclusivity and of course... beauty.

Hidden behind fort-like walls, Villa Palladio, with its painted verandahs and scalloped arches, opens onto lush Mughal gardens of red roses, strict geometries and central water fountains.

“I wanted to create a hotel that felt like a home. That was wild and wonderful, tranquil and homely. I have always imagined it as a countryside home of a cherished aunt or fairy godmother. I wanted there to be a feeling of excitement, surprise and secrecy. Hotels are often too big or too grand; I knew Villa Palladio should feel like a home. Regarding the Red, I find it to be seductive, but never overwhelming. There are so many shades of red and so many different motifs and patterns and things to discover. I believe our guests feel like children when they reach, wanting to explore and see and dream in each corner. Villa Palladio represents the heart I have always sought to bring to living and entertaining”
Barbara Miolini, owner

Canopied beds, embroidered bedsheets, inlaid marble floors and hand-carved marble latticed screens in the nine uniquely decorated rooms and suites further enhance the sense of exquisite craftsmanship (the entirety of VP furnishing was fabricated bespoke in Jaipur). Signature amenities such as block-printed bathrobes and bath products from Kama Ayurveda were selected to match the décor. The four Torre Belvedere (standard rooms) are situated in the property’s former watchtowers and feature octagonal bedrooms, soaring ceilings and private terraces; these guest favourites (perfect for solo travellers) add to the other worldly feeling of make believe.

Hidden behind hedges of blossoming hibiscus , a slate black swimming reflects the Mughal arched pool house & the candy striped sun-beds. mirrors the candy-striped daybeds. At poolside, pavilion bar serves Campari-based cocktails playing on the property’s red theme. Amenities also include a spa offering purifying, nourishing and grounding rituals, a garden-side meditation and yoga room (il eremo), alongside a scarlet library, a cheeky boutique stocking holiday essentials & designer threads, as well as a stable of six Marwari horses.
Dining at Villa Palladio is a movable feast— breakfast in the delicately painted floral Breakfast Balcony, sandwiches & snacks served in the striped Pool House, with lunch and dinner hosted in the Garden Verandah with its floor to ceiling mirrors and painted garlands of ripe pomegranate. The menu champions the robust flavours of Southern Italy’s home cuisine (“just like nonna made”) together with a nightly selection (thali) of subtly spiced Rajasthani classics. Breakfast features a tempting array of home- made breads and pastries, as well as the best scrambled eggs in Rajasthan.

From the extravagant breakfast that Miolini spent months perfecting, which guests enjoy on the first-floor balcony with views out onto the surrounding hills, to the Italian and Rajasthani-inspired lunch and dinner menus served on the covered veranda overlooking the landscaped gardens, food at the Villa Palladio is meant to be savoured languorously embraced by nature – just another way that the hotel encourages guests to step into “an imaginative fantasy of each person’s own making”.

Designer: Marie Anne Oudejans
Landscape Architect: Aude de Liedekerke