the newly released the second best exotic marigold hotel is every bit as starry as the first film, with judi dench, bill nighy, maggie smith and richard gere at centre stage but india plays its supporting role with equal charm and grace painted elephants, marble palaces, magnificent forts, wandering cows, pale pink turbans and flickering candles tell of the noise, smells and rich colours of this flamboyant country a city of colours and sounds: jaipur is the spectacular setting for the second best exotic marigold hotel  filmed in rajasthan, the film is based in its capital, jaipur but ask any resident of the city about the film and you will be met with a blank stare our wonderful guide, rajendra, was aware of it only because a client had pointed out 'the apparently very famous judi dench' in the rambagh palace hotel bollywood, not hollywood, still rules the screens here while it might be too late to see richard gere in the crowded alleyways of the bazaars, you will spot plenty of other desirable items jaipur is a shopper's paradise and indians flock here for silks and the region's hand made, block printed cottons this is also considered the place to come for jewels the stones are not mined here, but cut, polished and set better than anywhere else visit the iconic jeweller of jaipur, the gem palace, one time court jewellers to the mughal emperors and run by the kasliwal family since 1852 classic glamour: judi dench (left) stars in a movie which shows off jaipur (right) at its most evocative  here are ruby chandelier earrings, enamel rings with floral mughal designs and moonstone necklaces you can watch them being worked on in their basement workshop, using skills that have been passed down the generations for inexpensive sparkle, head to bangle lane (maniharon ka rasta) in the old city, where you can choose from a multitude of colourful lac bangles for a handful of rupees made from resin produced by the female lac insect, they are embedded with mirror pieces, stones, beads or painted for fashion, hot pink is the most sophisticated venue, with high collared men's waistcoats and moccasins in all hues, as well as kaftans and shawls the best block printed fabrics, a craft that dates back to the 1700s, are at riddhi siddhi, where cloth is piled from floor to ceiling wander, too, through the spice market, past paan wallahs filling betel leaves and the flower market, where scented roses, fragrant jasmine and marigolds are made into garlands to offer to your favourite deities magical moments: 'the second best exotic marigold hotel is every bit as starry as the first film' the pink city is so called for its coloured wash, intended to replicate indian sandstone, a more noble material than the lime and mortar of which the buildings are actually made with its city gates and crenellated walls, it makes for a striking sight there are iconic landmarks, such as the five storey, 18th century palace of the winds, with its latticed screen facade allowing street life to be viewed by the veiled ladies within before 1727, when sawai jai singh ii created jaipur, the city of victory, neighbouring amber, was the capital the magnificent amber fort, to which you can ride on an elephant, offers panoramic views over maota lake and the ornamental gardens that seem to float within the 16th and 17th century interiors impress with their exquisitely carved silver doors, ceilings of alabaster and an indian version of the hall of mirrors with mirrored fragments embedded in vaulted ceilings glinting between arches today, the jaipur royal family live in the city palace, where rooms are open to the public gone is their rambagh palace, which became india's first palace hotel in 1957 (do try its suvarna mahal restaurant) but their newly elegant rajmahal palace has recently been re opened dating back to 1729, this was once the british residency and later home to the polo playing maharaja sawai man singh ii, who entertained the queen, lord mountbatten, prince charles and princess diana, and jacqueline kennedy a vision in pink: the palace of winds is one of jaipur's   and rajasthan's   most iconic structures  their names adorn some of the 14 suites in the palace's new chapter as a hotel managed by sujan luxury the decor, by acclaimed designer adil ahmad, offers vivid turquoises and shocking pinks, gilded mirrors and sweeping marble staircases   but, sadly, not richard gere abercrombie & kent (01242 851 868, wwwabercrombiekentcouk) offers three nights' b&b in jaipur at the rajmahal palace with city tour, trip to the amber fort, transfers and flights via helsinki with finnair from £1,775 per person, based on two sharing a double room
judi dench maggie smith india rajasthan jaipur the second best exotic marigold hotel richard gere
jaipur is the setting for new movie the second best exotic marigold hotel  the city is one of the most alluring destinations in india's rajasthan  the film stars the likes of judi dench, richard gere and maggie smith 