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The Leela Palace Jaipur is all set to up the ante for 2026. The crowning jewel of The Leela Hotels, Places and Resorts, the palatial address in the Pink City, is sharpening its focus on elevated dining experiences. The hotel has unveiled four refreshed dining destinations where beloved classics like Sukh Mahal and Mohan Mahal return with a chic new look and thoughtfully reimagined menus, while Aravalli Terrace and Peacock Lounge make a striking debut as entirely new spaces.
The Peacock Lounge is easily the cosiest of the lot. Reserved exclusively for villa guests and private members, it feels like an intimate, club-style dining salon complete with a sleek high bar and a distinctly refined mood. Open for all three meals, the experience here is thoughtfully different. Breakfast skips the palace’s usual buffet in favour of individually served, made-to-order plates. Afternoons are relaxed and flavour-forward, with a menu of small plates inspired by Mediterranean classics, drawing from Turkey, Morocco, Sicily and Rome.
As evening falls, Peacock Lounge transforms into a fine-dining destination that still feels warm and lived-in. The décor is understated yet elegant, brought to life by mirrored coffered ceilings, embroidered tapestries treated as art, and softly glowing lighting that sets a mellow tone. The cocktail programme is a standout, with the Casablanca and Santoori being must-try signatures.
Jamavar, formerly known as Mohan Mahal, remains the palace’s signature Indian fine-dining restaurant and one of Jaipur’s most Instagram-worthy addresses. The setting is largely unchanged and still breathtakingly atmospheric, illuminated solely by candlelight and the glow of over 350,000 hand-cut Thikri mirrors inspired by the Sheesh Mahal. Gold-leaf ceilings, intricate jaalis, graceful arches and classic motifs continue to define the space.
The menu, however, has moved away from a Rajasthani thali format to a broader representation of royal cuisines from across India. Dishes such as Gucchi Mutter Masala, Kofta-e-Jamavar, Dal-e-Jamavar, and Gosht ki Galouti are some of its new additions inspired by shikaar cuisine and ceremonial banquets of regal houses. The food plating draws inspiration from Parchinkari, the Mughal inlay craft, and is as intricate as the art itself.
The Amber Terrace is a new open-air dining and bar area flanked by the Aravalli Range. The space is dotted with chhatris, jaalis, and jharokhas, which are also found throughout the palace. Its name and colour code come from its neighbour, the Amber Fort, as an ode to sharing the same hillocks as the historical landmark of the city. During the day, the atmosphere is calm with soothing light music, but it becomes groovier in the evening.
The cocktail programme at Amber Terrace leans heavily into serious mixology and a touch of science. Its philosophy, called Root to Fruit, draws from traditional Indian herbal practices, with each drink spotlighting a different part of a plant, from bark and stems to leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Expect flavours that feel unexpected, such as the Peepli Picante, Ker Sangri Gimlet, and even a Mung Dal Halwa cocktail, which somehow works far better than you’d imagine. The bar is also among the few in India equipped with a rotavap, a specialised evaporator that extracts delicate flavours at low temperatures, unlocking nuanced notes rarely found in cocktails. The food menu complements this inventive bar style perfectly, offering a Pan-Asian and Spanish mix with sushi, dim sum, robata grills, teppanyaki, and gyozas all making an appearance.
The Aravali Dining Room is designed as an all-day dining space that feels like a lived-in palace dining hall, welcoming and sunlit by day, intimate and atmospheric by night. The experience begins at the Threshold of Bloom, a floral walkway with ceilings of blossoms and soft drapery that gently sets the mood. Inside, the space is segregated into thoughtfully curated zones: the Chamber of Grace for durbar - style gatherings, the Treasure Vault for private dining, and the Shadow Garden for that quiet me time. The cuisine here spans the globe, offering a broad, international dining experience with flavours from across continents.
The new spa menu follows Aujasya by Leela, the brand’s signature wellness philosophy inspired by ancient Indian wisdom and designed for modern lifestyles. Rooted in the idea of ojas, or vital life energy, AuJasya is less about rigid rituals and more about feeling good in a natural, intuitive way. The experience is shaped around six pillars: rest and renewal, good energy, emotional ease, optimal movement, elevated appearance, and mental clarity.