Sometime in November, to beat the Diwali frenzy and Delhi's pollution, we decided to visit Kukas, a small village in Rajasthan located around 23 km away from Jaipur. It took us around four and a half hours from Delhi to land in the midst of sheer greenery, luxury and tranquillity all enveloped by fresh air.
Brij Bageecha, Kukas is a one-of-a-kind resort stay away from the city's hustle bustle that is all about offering fine living. The entire property is nestled in 11 acres of greenery surrounded by water bodies, fruit orchards, organic vegetable farms and manicured gardens with pathways winding throughout — perfect for a stroll any time of the day. The property comes with 20 villas in total all lined up with a stunning man-made lake flowing throughout the length of the property making waking up early in the morning to sit on the patio and sip your hot cuppa joe, while watching the sun glisten on the lake one of the best parts of the stay.
Each villa either comes with an indoor heated plunge pool or a private pool just beyond the patio. What we love the most is that the water bodies within each villa offer a sense of utter calmness and wellness that is accentuated by tasteful interiors and high-slanted ceilings that have a very cottage-core vintage charm to them.
On our three day, two night trip, it would be an understatement to say that our stay wasn't full of relaxation, fun, luxury and serenity. Be it sitting on the patio early in the morning, unwinding in the heated plunge pool with a glass of wine, or even taking a walk through the amla orchard! My stay at Brij Bageecha, Kukas was one that I'll remember for a long time.
On our first day, our arrival began with a welcome ceremony in their baithak (library area), from where we were taken to our villa. Lunch was served at their stellar multi-cuisine restaurant, Sangri, which is also where we had the rest of our meals for the entirety of the trip. What we loved the most about the restaurant was that they served everything from a traditional Rajasthani Laal Maas to a scrumptious Thai Curry. The chef was accommodating, friendly and just as excited to have us try their food as we were to eat it! They also have a sunset lounge, Rang, which is perfect to unwind in the evenings with a drink.
The evening of day one was full of entertainment where a bangle maker, a puppeteer, and a potter visited the premises and we got a chance to get first hand experience on how traditional lac bangles are made along with making diyas in the spirit of Diwali! It ended with a wholesome puppet show, which filled us with nostalgia.
Day two began early with a walk around the property taking in all the clean, fresh air. Breakfast was served outdoors (upon request) to soak up all the sun. We drove into the city that day where we visited the Jaipur Cottage Industry in Amer. Post that we visited a Blue Pottery Shop too! Needless to say, much shopping was done, with us returning fully content, and even happier to be back at the villa to resume relaxing. Day three was quiet and spent mostly by the pool in the sun. All we could hear were the birds or nothing at all, which was music to our ears.
All in all, our stay was memorable, steeped in luxury, and reflected volumes when it came to the care, thought, and hospitality of the staff — who were super attentive, helpful, and ensured that we had a gala time.