Tree of Life

Facilities

• Dining: Breakfast is included in the room rate; other meals are à la carte. The restaurant serves delicious Rajasthani and Western cuisine, though most guests prefer to eat bespoke 4-course menus in the privacy of their villa or garden. All-day room service is available
• Communal areas: Seven acres of landscaped gardens overflow with indigenous trees and flowers (except during the dry season of mid-summer, which is best avoided). An open-air gallery houses the founder’s collection of Ganesh statues. There is also a small, air-conditioned library room, and a small bar area
• Internet Access: Free WiFi in all villas, but with 18 inch-thick walls, the signal can be slow and patchy. More reliable are the free laptops provided in the library
• Swimming Pool: A large, blue-tiled infinity pool, surrounded by comfy cushioned loungers, perches on a hill at the heart of the resort. Five of the 14 villas feature private plunge pools
• Spa Treatments: Each villa has an outdoor 'spa area' with his-and-hers massage tables, a foot bath and a shower. In addition, Ekam, the resort’s couples’ spa, offers high-end treatments: body polishes, scrubs and wraps, hot stone therapy, oil massages, facials, and hand and foot care. There is a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi
• Recreational: A gym, yoga lessons on request, and mountain bikes to borrow. A detailed menu of tailored excursions is available and Himmat can provide insider’s tips for local sightseeing and shopping
• Weddings and Celebrations: Ideal for weddings (though the resort sleeps only 18 couples plus kids), anniversary celebrations, or a renewal of vows. Ceremonies can include a priest chanting from the Veda around a ‘sacred fire’, followed by a couples’ spa treatment and candlelit dinner
• Max. Wedding Guests: 50
• Meetings/Functions: Staff can set up loungers in the Ganesh Abode - an open-air statue gallery devoted to the elephant god - for a truly unique, not to mention spiritual, meeting place
• Disabled Access: There is 1 disabled-adapted villa, adjacent to the reception area - visitors need only negotiate a short, flat walkway and one wide step to reach the villa’s front door
• Pets: Pets are welcome at no additional charge
  
• Languages Spoken: English, Hindi

Also...

• The small on-site shop offers a selection of décor items featured at the hotel as well as local souvenirs

Environmental Policy

The resort was built using lime and local stone, with limited use of cement and steel. Modern and traditional methods of rain harvesting systems have been implemented. Local drought-resistant trees and flora have been used for landscaping. Pathways were made from waste from the construction of the resort. Air conditioners have 5-star energy ratings. Waste water is treated in an STP tank and used for irrigation purposes. All bulbs used are CFL with minimum wattage. Public area lights are dimmed to 50% after midnight and to 25% once the guests are asleep. There is an electricity cut-out card in each villa. Linens are only changed every 3 days. Waste is separated and recycled where possible.

Social Responsibility

Staff are almost exclusively local - you’ll see village ladies, their heads covered in neon-pink scarves, working the gardens, and the relationship between the resort and the surrounding village is a close one; Tree of Life actively supports the school and has instituted a scholarship to assist in the education of underprivileged girls.

When to go?

The resort is open all year round. October to April is peak season, featuring bright days and often chilly nights. July to September is the monsoon: typically rainy and lush, though quite hot. The scorching mid-summer months of April, May and June are best avoided.

Author's tips

If it’s shopping you’re after, be sure to pick up a copy of Fiona Caufield's fabulous guide book ‘Love Jaipur, Rajasthan.’ Following her advice, I scooped up a handful of wooden camel nose pins (they make perfect ring stands!) in a tiny shop in Tripolia Bazaar. Caulfield will point you to the very best designers, crafters, and sellers in all of Jaipur - and recommend a spot for a tea break, too!

Features include:

• Restaurant
• Room service
• Bar
• Vegetarian menu
• Garden
• Guest lounge
• Library
• WIFI internet
• Guest computer
• Outdoor pool
• Spa treatment rooms
• In room treatments available
• sauna
• Jacuzzi/hot tub
• Steam room
• Gym
• Bicycles available
• DVD library
• Concierge service
• Available for exclusive use
• Disabled access
• Pets welcome by arrangement
• Off street parking
• Airport Transfers