The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway that takes you to Jaipur is one of the smoothest roads in India – to navigate it, you don’t need a rugged SUV, but a car with good handling and low centre of gravity, a car that can calm you.
Enter the Honda City. As I steered towards Jaipur, I realised that the Pink City can also be experienced by avoiding the city.
Enter Storii by ITC Castle Kanota – a 19th-century fortress, 20 km east of Jaipur, now converted into a heritage hotel.
The road trip
Even as the world is shifting towards SUVs, driving a sedan has its own charm – there is less wind noise because it’s more aerodynamic, there is less body roll because you sit low, and on surfaces where SUVs bounce, a sedan simply glides. Then there’s better fuel efficiency – the City returned 20 km/litre.
The castle
Built in 1872, Castle Kanota is a living museum. While most heritage properties feel like hotels inside old buildings, the Castle Kanota feels like a home with a lot of guests – because the owner’s family lives inside the compound. The hotel is famous for the fact that it was the shooting location of the Hollywood film ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, featuring Judi Dench and Richard Gere.
But the most exotic thing about the hotel is the museum and library – both staggering in their depth. The library contains meticulously preserved diaries of General Amar Singh – a decorated Rajput soldier – who wrote daily for 44 years, providing a granular look at Rajput and British life, and his travels across the world.
The architecture
Just like in the countless palaces in and around Jaipur, Castle Kanota has hidden staircases, ramparts, and open courtyards, making you realise why fight the crowd at Hawa Mahal when you can get a similar, much more private experience on a Kanota terrace. The hotel also captures the essence of Jaipur hospitality, and Jaipur food – especially the slow-cooked Laal Maas and authentic Ker Sangri.
The car
First launched in 1998, the City is one of India’s oldest nameplates. The current City – priced from Rs 11.99 lakh to Rs 16.07 lakh, ex-showroom, and also available as a strong hybrid priced Rs 19.99 lakh – has an elegant silhouette that mirrors the understated luxury of Castle Kanota.
What we didn’t like
Honda City: The infotainment system feels a generation behind its Korean and Indian rivals; the thin tires, while good for efficiency, don’t always feel planted during high-speed cornering; and because of its low ground clearance, you need to carefully navigate speed breakers.
Castle Kanota: Being a heritage structure, I found its electrical layouts a bit quirky, and because it is far from the city centre, you are dependent on the hotel for most amenities.
What is Storii?
Storii by ITC Hotels is a collection of handpicked boutique properties designed for the modern traveller. Each hotel is chosen for its unique narrative – such as history, architecture, location, or food – and the focus is on curated stays and local storytelling.
(Cruising & Cozying is a column in which we explore unique hotels or locations, and try and match the personality of a car/bike with that hotel/location).
