Dev Mahal

# Dev Mahal, Jaipur

Dinner at Dev Mahal comes with a fort attached. The rooftop restaurant of this converted haveli in Bani Park looks straight out at Nahargarh Fort on its ridge above Jaipur, and the kitchen's stated philosophy is that great cooking starts with great ingredients, and great ingredients start with great farmers. It is a strong finish to a day in the Pink City, and you do not have to go anywhere to get it.

Fifteen rooms in a former haveli

Dev Mahal is a haveli transformed into a boutique hotel of just 15 rooms, split across three categories: Luxury, Upper Luxury and Suite Luxury, with the suites adding separate living spaces. The conversion kept the bones that make havelis worth staying in. Ornate jharokha balconies still gaze onto the street, lattice screens filter the sunlight, and the courtyards remain, while the bathrooms have gone the other way entirely, all smooth marble, chrome and artistic tiling. Antique furniture sits against contemporary finishes rather than museum clutter, which is the balance most heritage conversions promise and few manage.

Jharokha balconies on the street side, Nahargarh Fort from the roof.

Bani Park as a base

The location is practical rather than romantic, and that is a compliment. Bani Park puts you near Collectorate Circle, with the railway station and bus depot about a ten-minute drive, and Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Jal Mahal a quick drive away. After the forts, the in-house Ayurvedic spa and a meditation session are the recovery plan; a lavish buffet breakfast, minibar, concierge desk, airport transfers and 24/7 in-room service round out the practical side.

The same family of properties extends beyond the city, with a resort at Kukas and a retreat near Sariska, but the haveli is the heart of it. For a first stay in Jaipur we would take the room with the balcony, and book the rooftop table for the hour before sunset.