25 Places to Go in 2025 Spotlight: Rajasthan, India

Rajasthan is a window into India’s cultural history. Jaipur, Rajasthan’s capital, is known as the Pink City (pink being the symbolic color of hospitality). The jaw-dropping mountains of the Aravalli Range surround the romantic (and poetically chaotic) municipality that is jam-packed with palaces and forts built under the reign of Maharajas. It seems only fitting when visiting to stay in a hotel that evokes the splendor of the places you’ll be visiting. For this, one of the most chattered about new hotels of 2024, Raffles Jaipur, will do nicely.

The palatial retreat opened in July 2024, and is just a short drive from many main attractions. The hotel group patiently developed this property, and it seamlessly blends into its culture-rich surroundings with hand-cut marble flooring, meticulous craftsmanship, manicured palm and orange trees — seemingly all topped with a lavish smothering of gold. The 50-key hotel has eight categories of rooms, each with a large balcony and either a plunge pool or a soaking tub. Or, if you’d rather, the rooftop pool with its panoramic views of the Aravalli Hills is another dream-like place to unwind with a Raffles signature gin sling after a long day of sightseeing. A splendid hotel for honeymooners, a stay here will have you feeling like royalty while visiting the magnificent state of Rajasthan.