The Aranya Hotel

Jaipur has no shortage of heritage hotels. Havelis converted by committees, rooftop bars grafted onto Mughal archways, lobby chandeliers that have no relationship to anything beneath them. The Aranya group acquired a mid-century property on the city's western periphery with none of the obvious assets and a clear instruction: do not pretend to be something you are not. Build something that belongs to now while knowing exactly where it stands.

The building's 1960s concrete structure became the asset rather than the liability. We exposed the coffered ceiling of the main lobby rather than concealing it behind ornamental plasterwork, applying a limewash in deep ochre that references the city's sandstone without impersonating it. Rajasthani craft is present throughout but never decorative: hand-blocked linen on every bed, blue pottery commissioned from a cooperative in Sanganer for all bathroom ware, and hand-knotted wool carpets whose patterns are derived from the geometric irrigation channels of the Jaipur district. Guest rooms were given single-material bathrooms, each in a different stone sourced from Rajasthan. No two rooms are identical. The pool courtyard was planted with desert species only, removing the maintenance burden of tropical plants in an arid climate and creating a landscape that becomes more beautiful as it matures.

The Aranya opened to 94 percent occupancy in its first quarter and has maintained above 80 percent through its first full year. It ranked in Condé Nast Traveller's top 20 new hotels in Asia for 2024. The average guest stay is 3.4 nights, against a Jaipur hotel average of 1.8. The owners report that 60 percent of bookings now come through direct referral.