The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, India’s only pure play luxury hotel brand, today announced the signing of a management agreement with The Godwin Group for The Leela Jaisalmer, marking its foray into Rajasthan’s fabled desert capital, the Golden City. Spread across 30 acres of desert landscape, this 80-room luxury Desert Resort and Spa is slated to open in 2026, further expanding The Leela’s footprint across India’s most captivating leisure and cultural destinations. The signing marks a significant milestone in The Leela’s strategic growth journey reflecting its commitment to expanding through a balanced portfolio of owned and managed assets, while maintaining its hallmark of luxury and service excellence.
Nestled in the storied Thar Desert, strategically located near the majestic Jaisalmer Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Leela Jaisalmer will offer an oasis of bespoke luxury and calm in the heart of Rajasthan’s golden sands. The resort is well connected to Jaisalmer Airport and easily accessible from Jodhpur, creating seamless connectivity for domestic and international travellers. Conceptualised as a luxury desert retreat, the resort will feature elegantly designed rooms and tented villas, an expansive spa, a salon, a dedicated kids’ club, a swimming pool, multiple dining venues, a large man-made lake, a pillarless ballroom, and generous outdoor lawns and courtyards ideal for destination weddings, milestone celebrations, and curated experiential gatherings.
With this signing, The Leela further enhances its footprint across Rajasthan’s high-demand leisure circuit while also creating synergistic itineraries with The Leela Palace Udaipur and The Leela Palace Jaipur, strengthening the brand’s presence across India’s premier tourism state.
Over the next few months, the property will see the implementation of signature Leela brand touchpoints and programming and will be branded as The Leela Jaisalmer in 2026 ushering in a new era of luxury desert tourism in India. With its evocative architecture, refined interiors, and thoughtfully designed experiential programming that brings the desert’s timeless allure to life, the resort will be a celebration of Rajasthan’s regal heritage and The Leela’s signature expression of luxury with purpose.
The Leela currently operates 13 properties with 3,544 keys across 11 cities in India. With 10 hotels in the pipeline, The Leela is on track to expand to 23 properties with over 5,000 keys over the next three years in high-growth markets including Agra, Ayodhya, Bandhavgarh, Mumbai, Ranthambore, Sikkim, Srinagar, Dubai and now Jaisalmer.
The Leela Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer, India
