Storii By ITC Hotels, Jawai

A few years ago, an episode of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives introduced me to Jawai – a fact that will, undoubtedly, make wildlife enthusiasts roll their eyes. While I found the show itself questionable,, it left me with an image that hasn’t quite left me since: an open jeep bouncing over giant boulders, in search of a fleeting glimpse of the elusive leopard. That’s part of why I found myself at Storii by ITC Hotels in Jawai in the peak of summer.

Why stay at Storii Jawai?

The moment you enter Storii Jawai, you can see granite formations on all sides, with scrubby greens cutting across the landscape. It's unlike most wildlife destinations you may have seen. There are no dense forests here or dramatic jungle cover. Just rocks. Lots and lots of rocks.

The ruggedness is rather beautiful. Half the fun is just looking around, whether from the open deck of your villa, during a buggy ride, or while wandering around the property. After a while, the idea of a big cat casually lounging on top of one of these boulders doesn’t feel far-fetched at all.
As for the experiences, they’re designed to make the most of the setting. One evening could involve dinner in a private canopy, another in a dining room that’s unapologetically grand. Somewhere in between, there are peacocks to feed and wildlife stories to swap.

What are the rooms like at Storii Jawai?

Spread across 8.5 acres, the boutique resort has only 15 rooms, ranging from garden cottages and deluxe suites to tented safari villas and plunge pool cottages. I stayed in the latter and my days quickly fell into an almost comically predictable rhythm: breakfast, safari, pool, lunch, nap, repeat.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t make use of the sit-out, which also has a swing. Over the three days I was there, I found myself reading a book, sipping coffee or simply sitting with the breeze (only in the early mornings or late evenings, because Rajasthan afternoons are not kind).

Inside, the room is done up in soothing shades of brown and white, with a four-poster bed taking centre stage. But if you somehow forget you’re in leopard country, the décor is quick to remind you. Leopard motifs on the blinds, leopard-print cushions, leopard-inspired rugs, and framed photographs of – you guessed it – leopards. By the end of my stay, I was half expecting one to turn up and ask how I was enjoying the room.

The bathroom is large and well laid out, with separate shower and toilet areas, plush towels, toiletries from ITC’s in-house range, and yet another black-and-white photograph of a leopard keeping watch.

The highlight, though, is the plunge pool. Calling it a pool for swimming would be ambitious, but it’s perfect for cooling off after a safari or dangling your feet in with a book in hand. There are sun loungers alongside as well, though in the afternoon heat they feel more decorative than functional.

What is the food like at Storii Jawai?

Most of your meals will be consumed at Amaraa, the property’s all-day diner, which looks like a colonial-style bungalow from the outside. Indoors is a grand dining room with chandeliers, arches and a cabinet displaying an assortment of curios: an earthenware piece, a lamp and, naturally, a leopard figurine.

One thing becomes pretty clear: the leopard theme is not up for negotiation. Yet again, one is seen prowling across an elaborate botanical mural. The resort really doesn’t want you to forget where you are, in case the landscape outside wasn’t reminder enough. The chairs, meanwhile, continue the theme with black frames, striped upholstery and animal print. It’s a lot, but it works.

Breakfast is available whenever you'd like, which is particularly useful if your holiday schedule involves ignoring alarms. The spread covers everything from poori bhaji, kachori and poha to eggs, pancakes and pastries. Lunch and dinner swing between local favourites and continental comfort food, though the green Thai curry turned out to be a surprise contender.

What you shouldn't miss is the Storii Box, which arrives in a multi-tiered dabba (yes, like those old-school tiffin boxes). Inside is a full Rajasthani spread: laal maas, gatte ki sabzi, ker sangri, daal baati and panchmel dal. Usually, Rajasthani meals can feel heavy, but this one was surprisingly balanced and didn’t send me into an acidity spiral afterwards.

Storii Jawai also has a bar lounge, The Ember Room, which feels like a gentlemen's club fit for royalty. At the time of my visit, the bar licence was still pending, although the space already looks ready for someone to dramatically order an Old Fashioned and discuss drawn-out battles over inheritance.

You can also step out onto the lawns for high tea: sandwiches, cookies and the occasional kachori thrown in for good measure. After all, it’s Rajasthan.

What are the facilities like at Storii Jawai?

There's plenty to do here for all age groups. Ollie’s Corner, a glasshouse-style kids’ club, keeps younger guests occupied with activities and an outdoor mud-play area, so yes, parents do get a break. The pool, set against the rugged hills, becomes the default plan once the sun slips out of sight. And after a morning out in the open gypsy, being tossed around those rocky slopes, the deep tissue massage at K by Kaya Kalp Spa is pretty much all you need to reset everything. There’s also a fitness centre, for anyone still ambitious enough to think a treadmill is a better idea than a safari.

What's the wildlife experience like at Storii Jawai?

Guided safaris head out twice a day (morning and evening) in open gypsies driven by local guides from Jawai, and ‘drive’ is putting it mildly. The terrain is wild enough that at several points you’re basically tilting along granite slopes. There are moments when the jeep feels almost perpendicular, clinging to the rock.

It takes a while just to settle into this landscape. A good 20-minute drive in, you start crossing Rabari villagers herding goats across the road, life carrying on in the middle of all this dust and stone, before the boulders fully take over.

Our driver, Ishwar, made it look annoyingly easy. Alongside us was a Rabari villager with a stick, who accompanied us through this stretch as our unofficial bodyguard.

We kept going, scanning what mostly looked like empty rock until it wasn’t. After a fair bit of boulder-hopping and patient staring into stone, we ended up spotting four leopards over the course of a three-hour evening safari.

For most, the prize is the leopard sighting but there are other stops worth pulling up for. The Jawai Dam, for one, is all green and open water after all that rock — making you reach for your camera before you’ve even fully stopped the jeep. Crocodiles lounge around here too, mostly unbothered, like logs adrift.

And while you’re on this long drive, the team at Storii Jawai packs up high tea or breakfast, so the rumbling in your stomach doesn’t get mistaken for a leopard growl.

What's the service like at Storii Jawai?

It’s not a huge property, which works in its favour, because service is quick and seamless. The staff are warm, always smiling, and seem to know the landscape inside out. Ask them about it and you’ll end up with a few leopard stories you didn’t ask for, but will probably end up listening to anyway. 

Getting there

By air – Maharana Pratap airport, Udaipur (150 kms away), Jodhpur airport (168 kms).

By rail – Jawai Bandh station (about 15 km away) and Falna station (about 50 km away.