Polo Palladio in Jaipur is the new incarnation of Rajasthan Polo Club’s 116-year-old members’ club. It’s launched by Italian businesswoman Barbara Miolini, already influential on the local hospitality scene with her existing Jaipur restaurant, Bar Palladio, and hotel outside town, Villa Palladio.
Jaipur club Polo Palladio: ‘old-school yet exuberant’
For the renovation of the club, Miolini tapped her long-term collaborator, Dutch interior designer Marie-Anne Oudejans. ‘Marie-Anne has such a special way of looking at history and heritage. We started to dream together, as our visions were so closely matched,’ shares Miolini.
Oudejans’s magical style embraces vibrant colours, daring geometry and modernised Indian traditional motifs. With Polo Palladio, she and Miolini sought to exude a masculine, old-school yet exuberant look that would honour the traditions of polo and the club’s history. ‘To redecorate the club, I was inspired by Pacho [the state of Rajasthan’s young Maharaja], his horses and his passion for polo. And I added a “Palladio” twist and European feeling,’ says Oudejans.
The restaurant’s colour scheme comprises mahogany brown, forest green and mimosa yellow tones, each having a hidden meaning. The brown of the wooden panels is a tribute to the horses, while green nods to the grass fields of the polo pitch. Yellow represents the sun, a royal emblem in Rajasthan.
These hues are not only incorporated into the furniture’s upholstery but also into the graphical stripes and chevrons all over the space. The wall and ceiling frescoes feature hand-painted brown horses, yellow acacias and green foliage. Meanwhile, a white frangipani painted on the wall adds a touch of freshness to the maximalist interior.
Marble flooring and scallop-edged wooden furniture highlight local craftsmanship.
Lighting was thoroughly considered. ‘We removed some walls and windows and installed arches to create different areas. During the day, all the doors can be opened towards the polo ground, making one feel part of the game. In the evening, candlelight gives a feeling [privacy],’ explains Oudejans.
Guests can learn about the club’s history through showcased memorabilia, such as sepia photographs of the late Queen Elizabeth II, letters, trophies, vintage polo sticks, trunks and more.
Everything comes together to give Polo Palladio a high-end mix-and-match feel, achieved with meticulous care.
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Fort of call: the Rajasthan hotels worth journeying toRajasthan is the jewel in India’s crown, a parched expansive land, home to vibrantly colourful festivals, thrilling wildlife experiences, fairytale palaces and epic forts – many of which have been transformed into modern-day luxury hotels. We take you on a tour of the best Rajasthan hotels to lay your head.
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