The Johri, Jaipur

In short… A homey stay in the center of Jaipur’s walled pink city, occupying a traditional haveli in the Johri Bazar, whose owners are deeply connected within the city’s creative scene and who introduce you to the magic of the city that might otherwise be inaccessible. 

The surroundings… To get to The Johri, you’ll likely be dropped off on Jauhari Bazar Road, one of Jaipur’s busy avenues (the city is arranged in a grid), where members of the hotel’s staff whisk you through medina-like streets of the Johri Bazar, past vendors selling chai, fresh peas, and hand-dyed fabrics as you try to avoid getting beeped by darting mopeds… until you reach the terracotta facade of The Johri. The haveli, which served as a hospital before it was transformed into the 5-suite property, is at the back of the first courtyard—when you enter, you pass a homeopathic shop that has occupied that location for decades, as well as a long-operating jewelry workshop. Continuing on to the guests-only section of The Johri, you pass through their incredible restaurant—popular among locals and guests alike, and which turns out some of the best Indian food in the city—then head upstairs and through a brass-adorned door to the hotel itself. The whole thing feels like a Moroccan riyadh: light pours in from the open roof and all of the rooms are accessed off internal balconies. Or like a jewel box—in fact, each room is named after a precious stone or metal. And good news if you’re wanting to book this tiny but popular stay: three new guest rooms opening within the next few weeks!

The backstory… Conceived and opened by husband-and-wife team Abhishek Honawar and Naina Shah under their Honar Group brand in 2020, The Johri is their second property in Jaipur after the launch of their first guesthouse, 28 Kohti, in 2016. They renovated and transformed the 19th-century home together, creating not only a new center of hospitality in the heart of The Pink City, but also an incredible culinary destination open to those not staying at the hotel. 

The vibe… is bright, cheery, and perfectly timeless. The entire property is filled with natural light, and due to the size and nature of the space, you really do feel right at home. All guests of the Johri are able to linger and have chai or cocktails in the indoor-outdoor lounge area on the ground floor, as well as in the Pukhraj Lounge on the 3rd floor—the property’s guest-only bar space, which is incredibly captivating and quaint, like your own semi-private living room. The staff are very accommodating, kind, and unscripted, and soon come to feel like family. 

The rooms… All 5 suites at The Johri have incredibly generous proportions, each with its own color scheme reflected in its Hindi name, and its own vibe. During our stay we experienced two of the five suites, the first being Sona (gold) and the second, Neelam, meaning sapphire. Sona is a lovely, bright room on the third floor, with beautiful yellow touches throughout. The bed is huge but does not overwhelm the room. All rooms have separate closet/dressing room spaces—a luxury that makes you wonder why you don’t do the same at home—and spacious bathrooms. There’s also separate sitting rooms, with desks and couches where you can enjoy your mid-afternoon chai pick-me-up, or catch up on work. All of the rooms were designed by Naina, and you can really feel her personal touch in the decor. I especially loved the hand-painted flowers in all of the dressing rooms, reminiscent of the beautiful floral motifs in the Rajasthani block-print traditions. From the curtains to the headboard to the brass coasters on the bedside tables, every single element is thoughtful and makes you want to take it home—luckily, the team can point you to the nearby vendors and artisans where you can find very similar pieces. There’s a great effort to support local makers, and everything is indeed made in India, down to the toiletries—both my mom and I loved the body lotion, and I was overjoyed to take home a candle whose addicting smell filled the hotel. I also appreciated their solution to the traditional electrical converter, as the Indian plug system is tricky and so bedside tables have built-in international plugs. 

The food & drink… The restaurant at The Johri was by far my favorite place to eat in Jaipur, and I’m sure I would’ve said the same thing even if I hadn’t stayed here. The room is beautiful, with a captivating atmosphere. The vibe is very different from the hotel itself, with an exciting buzz at all times, compared to the serenity of the next courtyard. The staff are the nicest, and you can feel the pride they take in the restaurant, too. We had lunch and dinner there twice, and each time we tried a different element of the menu—some of my favorites were the dal pakwaan chaat, the baby palak & paan patta chaat, the corn palak & zero sized matar (a spinach and corn dish) made with Jaipur’s famous peas (which were in season!), the dal Johri (the best dal I’ve ever had in my life) and a new favorite discovery: palak roomali, or “handkerchief naan”—so thin you can see through it, plus it folds just like a handkerchief. 

The cocktails are another level here, being some of the most interesting and delicious I’ve had in a while. My favorites were the Nazariya, a riff on the classic Negroni with the twist of clarified watermelon—not as strong as the original, but much smoother with more complex sweetness. My other favorite was the Piquant, which reminded me of a spicy margarita, using a spiced agave liquor, tamarind and jaggery (a form of cane sugar produced in India). You could drink copious amounts of this one…and I did. If you’re more of a classic cocktail person, they do that incredibly well, too. My mom’s go-to is a VERY DRY gin martini with a twist (a drink which, believe it or not, I’ve seen messed up many a time to her dismay). Thankfully, the owner and pulse behind The Johri, Abhishek, has similar tastes, and has made sure that the bartenders know how to make a damn good gin martini, which were given the stamp of approval night after night by Yolanda herself. 

And finally, breakfast. A meal often overlooked at hotels, as we have been conditioned to mediocre pots of yogurt, stale pastries and boring scrambled eggs. But at The Johri, breakfast is delicious with ever-changing options. I started every morning with an incredible masala chai—no better way to integrate into a place than committing to the rituals. They of course have classics which are always on the menu, like The Johri omelet (using incredible local eggs, cilantro, tomato and local cheese), as well as a rotating series of Indian specials. On my first day I had the paneer bhurji, which was basically a riff on traditional scrambled eggs but with paneer, meaning filled with protein and delicious. My favorite breakfast, however, was the puri bhaji, a potato curry that came with the most amazing fried bread puffs. I am still thinking about it! They also do a really lovely “High Chai,” which we had just before our departure on our last day, with masala chai and incredible high-tea snacks, but Indian streetfood edition—all delicious. 

The wellness… While there is not a spa on property, guests can book into services at their sister hotel, 28 Kothi, a guesthouse with a completely different vibe in a residential area, which was more akin to an oasis/artistic retreat a peaceful distance from the busy-ness of the city center. 

Is it kid-friendly? While there weren’t any families with children during my stay, The Johri has no age restrictions and the entire vibe is welcoming to all. If you’re traveling with younger kids who need a bit of space to run around, I would definitely recommend staying at 28 Kothi, which has a large front garden and more open space better suited to those looking for more room to roam.

Extra tip goes to… The entire team. Every time we walked in we were greeted with a smile and a genuine attention to detail that really made us feel taken care of. By the end of the trip, we knew everyone’s names and really felt at home—not just a testament to the staff, but also to the management. 

Be sure to… Have dinner at The Sarvato! Opened by Abhishek and the Honar Group in 2025 in partnership with Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh—more affectionately known as “Pacho”—Sarvato is located within Jaipur’s City Palace and overlooks the private residence of the Royal Family. The meal is a modern Indian tasting menu inspired by the local cuisine, crafted by Abhishek and his team of incredible chefs, and it really is such a treat. The food is inventive yet classic, and their cocktails are deliciously complex. It’s also a real pinch-me moment to be having dinner after hours in the palace, long after the crowds have left, so you really feel like you’re having a VIP experience. This is a total don’t miss if you’re travelling to Jaipur, and I’m still thinking about the mouthwatering slow-roasted lamb and naan taco.

Parting words… It’s rare to feel so connected to a property: after spending just under a week here, The Johri is one of my favorite hotels ever. To be totally taken care of in a city you’ve never visited is both a luxury and a privilege, and that act of care is simply second nature for the staff—unscripted luxury in the best way, as you can go as off-piste as you wish, or play it safe and still have a real home to arrive back to in the evening—with your favorite cocktail waiting for you. 

Date of stay… January 17-23, 2026