You Can Now Book an Airbnb Stay in Jaipur's Royal Palace
Back in September, England's Highclere Castle was listed on Airbnb for one night only and sent diehard Downton Abbey fans into a frenzy. Now farther east in India, the City Palace of Jaipur, the 300-year-old home of the royal family, has become the latest high profile blue-blooded estate to open to the public for Airbnb bookings—and this time not just for one night.
Starting November 23, the palace's well-appointed one-bedroom Gudliya Suite (which has its own lounge, kitchen, and private indoor pool) will be available to the public for $8,000 a night. Your host? The charming 21-year-old Maharajah Padmanabh Singh, a polo player who escorted Reese Witherspoon's daughter Ava to the Bal des Debutantes in Paris two years ago and was featured in T&C's 2018 list of the world's top bachelors.
The young monarch is philanthropic, too. Proceeds from each booking will go to the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, a non-profit that supports rural women and artisans in Rajasthan. On select dates for the remainder of 2019, the suite will go for $1,000 a night, with Airbnb footing the rest of the bill as a contribution to the foundation. Starting January 1st, the original rate returns.
Besides being the ultimate geotag brag, guests of the Gudliya Suite will be lavished with exclusive perks. A chauffeur pickup from the airport, for instance, and a dedicated private butler who will arrange everything from a lunch on the terrace overlooking the Aravalli hills to afternoon tea in the palace gardens where peacocks roam free. Personal guides are also on hand to arrange off-campus activities, like shopping tours, guided walks, or museum visits.
And to really help you feel the magic of the place, a royal staff member will lead tours of the vast, art-filled, and architecturally significant palace complex, which was built in 1727 by Maharajah Jai Singh II, the founder of the Pink City. Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Oprah, and Jackie Kennedy have all been former guests of the palace. Now you can add yourself to that list.
To book your stay, visit airbnb.com/citypalacejaipur
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