The Boutique at Amanbagh
Where? In luxury resort Amanbagh, which can be found on a vast desert expanse that once served as a tiger-hunting ground for the maharaja of Alwar. While many guests plan to visit the pink city of Jaipur two hours away, the majority are more than satisfied with this treasure trove, located just steps from the pool and adjacent to a well-stocked bar.
Who? The boutique is the style child of Paris-based Vera Santo Domingo, mother to socialite Tatiana Santo Domingo, who scours obscure tribal outposts across India and up-and-coming designer ateliers to stock her boutique with the best local finds.
Fashion finds: check out Delhi designer Malini Ramani's modern embroidered frocks, favoured by India's wandering classes. Mallika Mathur turns sari fabrics into unexpectedly sexy dresses while Bina Ramani reworks antique Varanasi silk brocade as elegant coats equally suited to women and men. Accessories include oversized Rajasthani Banjara bags, arm-loads of lakh bangles made from painted sand and glass bangles studded with tiny shisha mirrors. For something more sedate, slip on a tunic or beach cover-up made from Lucknow pure cotton kadhai decorated with white-on-white embroidery depicting mangoes or flower covered vines.
The vibe: a shopping oasis, this cool marble-clad duplex offers well-lit cases filled with Jaipur's best gems. Male spectators can lean on antique carved silver walking sticks from the maharaja's own collection or sink into cushioned chairs while their wives spend their money.
The crowd: Aman junkies who have already shopped their way through India's hotspots and upwardly mobile locals who often remark that it takes a foreigner's eye to recognise the best of India.
Extras: grab a Mughal-inspired diamond-pattern pashmina, known as 'the jewel of Kashmir', or a Rajasthani wedding blanket and climb aboard one of the resort's camels for a sunset tour of nearby villages.
