At this jungle resort, first you play some pickleball, then you see the tigers

Does Sawai Madhopur—home to Ranthambore National Park, one of the world’s most popular tiger reserves—really need a new luxury resort? That’s the question on my mind as we drive from Jaipur airport to the JW Marriott Ranthambore Resort & Spa. For the luxury safari enthusiast, the region already has its share of discreet international chains and luxe homegrown lodges: there’s Aman-i-Khás, Taj Sawai Ranthambore, the Oberoi Vanyavilas and Suján Sher Bagh, which offer luxury glamping experiences. So what, I wonder, could a new entrant possibly bring to the table?

When I visit in early August—a little over a month after its opening—I am surprised to find JW Marriott’s 14-acre, 127-key property already bustling with guests, mostly families. The doorman welcomes me by name as I step out of the car, and I am whisked away for a decadent Rajasthani lunch immediately. I notice the same thing at the restaurant: families, three generations at many of the tables, gathered over shared meals. One group of 40, I am told, is here to celebrate a milestone occasion.

And therein could lie the answer to my question, I think, a question that this spanking-new property too seems to have set out to answer. Perched amidst the Aravalli and the Vindhya mountain ranges, and just 10 minutes from one of the national park’s gates, the value of its location is a given. But there is a lot more to recommend it than just its proximity to the jungle.

“For a long time, luxury safari lodges [in the region] were geared towards the Mr Smiths and Mr Jones,” general manager Vivek Gomes Pereira tells me as I dig into my dal-baati-churma at lunch. “They are now being replaced by the Mr Malhotras and Mr Mariwalas. And while the Indian luxury traveller is discerning, they want a lot more variety.”

“So variety it is” became the guiding principle in planning the experience here. The grounds are home to the largest inventory of keys in Ranthambore, ranging from garden- and lake-view rooms to garden and pool tented villas. There are 16 pools across the property, including the sizeable common pool, while the three-bedroom Presidential Suite comes with private butler service and its own walking track. The villas are cocooned in greenery, with wraparound porches and outdoor showers.

As I step into my garden villa, I expect the usual suspects from the region—block-printed linen, thikri kaam on the walls, and Rajasthani accents all around. What greets me, though, is a contemporary space designed with a thoroughly modern approach. This is true of the entire property—less rustic jungle lodge, more international take on safari getaways. There are no shouty displays of local design. Instead, subtle touches are everywhere: carved wooden columns that were once part of havelis in Jodhpur, marble from Kishangarh, the use of Mandana stone, framed photographs of the local topography clicked by the team, and custom block-print mats and crockery from Jaipur.

Something for everyone

It’s one thing to bring the families in. The more challenging part is keeping every age group entertained. The hotel’s bigger insight is that not everyone in a family comes to Ranthambore for the same reason or is even capable of spending six hours bouncing around a jeep in the jungle, especially children and seniors. So, the hotel decided that the safari—the star attraction for anyone coming to Ranthambore—could not be the extent of its offering.

Which is why there’s a lot to do on site as well. A full-blown gaming arcade with a bowling alley, ball pit, foosball and more is a real highlight. A mahjong table may join the mix soon enough. The pickleball court—the only one among the hotels in its proximity, I am told—is kitted out for enthusiasts, there’s provision for street cricket and archery, too. And then are additional activities like pottery and bangle making, block-printing workshops, sessions with wildlife artist and photographer MD Parashar, stargazing, cooking classes, and a visit to local crafts NGO Dhonk, a gift shop with Rajasthani brands. Every evening, guests can also attend an educational session with a seasoned naturalist, perfect for swapping safari stories with other guests in residence.

What’s a luxury resort without a spa to match? The one here is housed in a dedicated block at one end of the property and comes with six treatment rooms, couple rooms, steam and sauna facilities, a leisure room, and express treatment pods that the hotel expects to be popular during high season. Or you can sign up for daily yoga classes, hit the 24-hour gym or simply walk around the 14-acre grounds to get those daily steps in.

“Many travellers today are creatures of habit. They want to experience new places without disrupting their routines, whether this means getting in their workouts or their very specific meal requirements,” Pereira says, in a telling observation about modern luxury travellers.

Eat your heart out

It is this need for variety that has also shaped the F&B offering. The thinking, I’m told, was to move away from the daily rotating menus and pre-set meals that are often the norm at safari stays.

Roar, the 200-seater all-day-dining restaurant, opens onto an outdoor deck overlooking a stepwell-style venue where folk performances take place every evening. The menu spans continental and regional Indian cuisines, while the weekend buffet is expansive enough to rival those at the group’s city hotels. Breakfast could mean avocado toast and a granola bowl; lunch, a dosa; and dinner might include salads made with fresh produce from the hotel’s garden. Or kachoris and chaat, if you prefer.

Tucked around the corner from Roar is the private chef’s-table dining room, where I enjoyed my Rajasthani thali lunch.

The poolside bar, Élan, is where you want to head for cocktails and gelato. But if coffee is more your speed, JW Market has you covered, with blends from Tiny Tiger Coffee in Chikkamagaluru, another land where tigers once roamed free. The menu spans cold brews and their signature Vietnamese cold coffee, while matcha is apparently on its way due to popular demand.

The most standout part of the culinary offering, however, is Skyloft. Perched 60 feet above ground, the machan-style cocktail bar and restaurant is a destination in itself with its sweeping mountain views. Jaipur’s award-winning Native Cocktail Room has designed the drinks, each garnished with botanicals from JW Garden. My favourite is Shikar, a tequila-based cocktail with a hit of Rajasthani Mathania chilli, perfectly accompanied by missi roti tacos and ker sangri chips. The food at the restaurant next door is by chef Akshraj Jodha, whose ancestry traces back to the founder of Jodhpur. The menu draws from his family recipes, and that includes modern interpretations of local favourites too.

The (not so) little things

The hotel’s local design inspirations may be subtle, but what it does borrow heavily from is Rajasthani hospitality. And I don’t just mean the welcome platter of in-room desserts on arrival, as is de rigueur at most luxury hotels.

The personal touches here include a call before arrival about your dietary preferences. The team addresses you by name the minute you get there. They remember your coffee order and arrange a last-minute visit to the Trinetra Ganesha Temple. There are sweet little surprises in the room throughout the day—a skincare kit with mist and sunscreen by Ayurveda brand Shankara, and a hat before the morning safari; a tiger plushie after the forest sojourn to make up for lean sightings. Spa appointment at 12? The golf cart is already outside your room at 11:50 without having to make a call.

What may sound like small things go a long way in making a stay here memorable. And ultimately, that is the real definition of luxury too.

I think back to the question I arrived with 48 hours ago. What can a new hotel bring to this landscape? A lot, it turns out.