Recreational Activities within Leela Palace Jaipur
What I liked most about Leela Palace Jaipur is its secluded calm location in the lap of Aravalli Hills. I do worry though how long is it going to remain so with Jaipur City developing and expanding at a fast rate. Though a little away from historic tourist destinations, there are enough local experiences Activities within Leela Palace Jaipur for its guests.
Visit to Hathi Gaon Jaipur
Rajasthan was once ruled by mighty kings whose army always consisted of hordes of elephants. Today those kingly armies don’t exist anymore. However the locals have continued to maintain elephants. With the latest ongoing drive by government and local responsible citizens elephants are now rehabilitated and protected. The change cannot be overnight but I saw the efforts by locals in Hathi Gaon (which translates to village for elephants).
Elephant ride has been the source of income for several locals, asking them to give up their only source of bread and butter needs good forethought. Overnight things cannot improve. Therefore it is so good to see at least steps have been taken in the right direction. They are kept in natural surroundings which is a big relief from standing on hard rocky surfaces in forts. Food and water is provided in abundance. Check here: Entry Fee to Hathi Gaon Jaipur.
Tandoori Chai in Sikora Jaipur
Agreed tea at Marriott is GOOD but if you are still craving for the local tea flavours just ask the staff of Leela Palace. You will be whisked to not just one but a couple or more places to have the full bodied flavored teas. Have you had tandoori chai (Tea baked in clay oven.) before? Though Jaipur is not the place of Tandoori Chai’s origin you can quench the thirst for this special variety in a tea shop called Sikora (earthen vessel). Tandoori Chai first originated in Pune Maharashtra.
I saw the whole process of how mud tumblers are first heated in red hot tandoor (oven). This tumbler is then filled with previously prepared tea. This hot tumbler is placed in a bigger container to prevent wastage because the mud tumbler sometimes tends to crack. Once the tea has soaked in the complete smoky aroma of tandoor it is mixed with one or 2 more cups of tea depending on the strength of flavor desired. Kadak (strong) tea would the one straight from tandoor. I suggest you take the milder version which has a good mix of aromas of tandoor and masala. And all this for Rs.25!
Here is a small video on making of Tandoori Chai.
Visit to Other Local Attractions in Jaipur
Guests can visit Jaipur’s many architectural gems like the historic forts, shop locally made handicrafts and also have delicious local foods. The resort organises excursions to various tourist attraction in and around Jaipur. For the spiritually inclined there are ornate temples in Jaipur like the Birla Mandir and the Galtaji Temple.
Recreational Activities within Leela Palace Jaipur
Alternatively if you don’t wish to venture out the resort can provide good recreational Activities within Leela Palace Jaipur, the property itself. And they cater well to all age groups.
Swimming pools
There are outdoor temperature controlled swimming pool, kid’s splash pool and whirlpool. Summers can never be boring here.
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- Pool from roof top of JW Marriott Jaipur
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- whirlpool 3.5ft
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- pool
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- pool side
Kid’s Club
Happy kids mean happy parents; Leela Palace Jaipur seems to know this mantra well! They have a fun and interactive place for the young guests to hang out. Kid’s club is equipped with the latest video games, a cute play house and a well stuffed library. Additional to these are the various exciting activities like canvas painting, storytelling, book reading and movie time. How well planned! These are sure to keep the youngest guests entertained and engaged. I was told activity managers are there to oversee activities and ensure the safety of children.
Spa
Spa by The Leela Palace offers a variety of experiences, from express treatments to full-service indulgences. I am one happy satisfied recipient of their services. They have tailored various treatments to help you rejuvenate. Simply unwind yourself at the masseurs’ expert hands.
Fitness Activities within Leela Palace Jaipur
For those keen to keep fit there are several fitness options to choose from. You can try their aqua aerobic lessons, swimming coaching and attend fun Zumba classes. Besides the resort have amenities for guests to enjoy a fun game of badminton, croquet, table tennis. Another novel they have is the cycling lane to explore their 51,000sqft stunning property.
However the activity that interested me the most was their yoga and meditation session. I participated in a good one hour yoga session there under supervision of their Yoga Guru Nikhil. Here is a video of me doing suryanamskar in the sprawling lawns of Leela Palace Jaipur.
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All opinions are my own and reflect my own personal experience. I was on invite for a stay by The Leela Palace ( earlier known as JW Marriott Resort and Spa) at this hotel. You can save this pin for later.
The tandoori chai looks exciting. It should go into my wishlist. Will keep in mind your recommendation of the milder one.
I so enjoyed that video. Thank you.
Great hotel. Cool pics, Indrani.
Fun and meaningful activities make holidays memorable.
Tandoori chai is totally a new item for me, good to go through the making.
Hathi gaon is very interesting.
Looks wonderful!
This looks amazing place for stay at jaipur. I loved the proprty and the addition tandoori chai would love to give it try.
Amazing discription and lovely write up
Tandoori chai is a recent introduction in Jaipur. Personally, I didn’t enjoy it much. It was more of a hype-creation. I will stick to the regular & popular Chai shops in jaipur
wow Tandoori chai. That’s a real “KADAK” chai
This sounds like an awesome place. But the bit about tandoori chai has me drooling all over it. I want to get to Sikora to try that. Or maybe even Pune because that is much closer!
This place seems like an absolute bliss to stay in. Not too sure of the Haathi Gaon but I am all thumbs up for that tandoori tea. I have never had one before. And the spa and pool look perfect in the property.
Ohhh, Hathi Gaon Jaipur looks like the perfect place to relax and re-charge. I would like to experience its outdoor swimming pool and do some yoga, too!
I’m a HUGE tea gal and would most definitely love to try the tandoori chai. The process is so interesting too and I bet witnessing it makes the tea taste that much better too. Will definitely have to look into spending a night here if I’m ever in the area!
I’d never heard of tandoori chai before — it sounds so interesting! Does it have more of a smoky taste? And do they still put tons of sugar in it? I can imagine the strong version would be overwhelming.
I love the swimming pools. Very luxurious! There’s even a whirlpool! How classy! This is a great post for people looking for accommodations in Jaipur.
That is a royal stay. Marriott tops it all with their world-class hospitality.
The JW Marriott Jaipur is such a beautiful hotel! I’m loving those inviting sun chairs by the pool! It looks as though there is no shortage of things to do in and around the property. Very fascinating about how the Tandoori Chai is made using the clay pots and oven. It sounds very labor intensive, but well worth the effort. While I disagree with the elephants being in captivity at Hathi Gaon in order to provide rides to tourists, I can understand the predicament of the locals that need to feed their families. It is my hope that the government continues to work with the locals to continue the improvement of the welfare for the elephants.
Wow. Now I know where I will stay in Jaipur. That’s a very comprehensive guide indeed. Now its easy to choose from the wide range of hotels in Jaipur. Seems amazing!
It’s fantastic that they are at least taking a step in the right direction at Hathi Gaon I saw the elephants at the fort when I visited and I must say that they didn’t look happy.
It’s good that the government is also getting involved in protecting the elephants. as well. They are amazing animals.