Kanota Ghar is a castle belonging to the Thakurs of Kanota, a small town off the Jaipur-Agra highway about thirty minutes by road from Jaipur. Still, the family’s residence, this heritage castle built in 1872 is ideal for customised activity-based programs. Set in an eight-acre estate, Castle Kanota offers 23 beautiful rooms and suites that open to the lush gardens and lawns of the estate. A few years ago, a museum was painstakingly curated by the family with the help of V&A London to display the exhaustive personal collections and diaries of Thakur Amar Singhji – the grandfather of the current scion of Kanota. Find books, maps, photographs and memorabilia, adequately sign-posted so that one may walk through history. Travellers can visit the museum on request as an excursion from Jaipur, or while on their way to or from Agra, as a part of a brief and informative tea break.
The castle shot to fame for its impressive facade, where a scene for the iconic Hollywood movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was shot. An elegant estate with influences of Indian, Muslim and Colonial styles of architecture, the main building of the Castle houses the Durbar Hall and several impressive dining and lounge areas designated for events, weddings and dinners. On the other hand, the suites at Kanota with attached bathrooms are furnished in soft pastels, with walls and ceiling embellished with delicate floral patterns by local Rajasthani artisans.
Being the residence of the family itself, Castle Kanota is personal and leisurely with a dining experience that delves into the family’s recipes guarded over centuries. A signature spirit of the Kanota family is ‘Chandrahaas’ – a heady blend of over 80 herbs which is renowned across the world for its flavours.
For when you wish to pamper yourself and live the royal life, Castle Kanota is a great option. It still clings on the old world charm of the 1870s, helps you experience the life of Maharajas and you can also opt for various activities like horse-riding, camel and jeep safaris, puppet shows and more to keep yourself occupied.
Price: Starting at INR 3,500/night.
