Raffles Udaipur Appoints Henna Punjabi as Director of Marketing and Communications

Raffles Udaipur has appointed Henna Punjabi as Director of Marketing and Communications, strengthening the leadership team behind one of India's most distinctive luxury resorts.

In her new role, Punjabi will lead marketing strategy, brand positioning, communications, digital initiatives and strategic partnerships for the Udaipur property. Her mandate will focus on strengthening the hotel's visibility and guest engagement while developing the narratives and collaborations that shape Raffles Udaipur's positioning within India's increasingly competitive luxury hospitality landscape, a landscape where similar leadership moves have recently unfolded, including Bhavana Shah's appointment as marketing director at JW Marriott Bengaluru.

The appointment brings more than a decade of hospitality marketing experience to a resort that is itself entering an important new chapter, following its expansion to 137 rooms and suites across its private island and newly introduced lakeshore experience.

Who Is Henna Punjabi?

Henna Punjabi brings more than a decade of experience in marketing and communications, with a career spanning some of the world's best-known luxury hospitality groups.

Her previous experience includes roles across Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, giving her exposure to different expressions of international and Indian luxury hospitality, a sector where senior leadership changes happen frequently, as seen when Didier Jardin took charge as general manager at Four Seasons Maldives.

Her expertise encompasses brand strategy, integrated marketing, digital communications, media engagement, partnerships and hospitality storytelling.

At Raffles Udaipur, Punjabi will apply that experience to building the property's profile while creating campaigns and partnerships designed to deepen its connection with existing and prospective guests.

What Will Henna Punjabi Lead at Raffles Udaipur?

As Director of Marketing and Communications, Punjabi's responsibilities will span five principal areas:

Brand positioning, strengthening how Raffles Udaipur is presented within India's luxury hospitality market.

Marketing strategy, developing integrated campaigns supporting the resort's commercial and brand objectives.

Communications, shaping the stories, media relationships and narratives surrounding the property.

Digital initiatives, expanding engagement with luxury travellers through contemporary digital channels.

Strategic partnerships, developing collaborations capable of introducing the Raffles experience to relevant new audiences, building on the template set by Tarun Tahiliani's couture campaign shot at Raffles Udaipur.

For a destination resort, these disciplines increasingly overlap. Modern luxury-hotel marketing is no longer simply about selling rooms, it involves establishing a distinctive cultural, culinary, wellness and experiential identity around the property itself.

Raffles Udaipur Welcomes Its New Marketing Director

Commenting on the appointment, Gurnoor Bindra, General Manager of Raffles Udaipur, said:

"We are delighted to welcome Henna to the Raffles Udaipur family. Her extensive experience in luxury hospitality marketing, combined with her strategic vision and collaborative approach, makes her a valuable addition to our leadership team. We look forward to her contribution in further strengthening the brand and elevating the guest experience."

Punjabi described joining the property as an opportunity to further develop the presence of a hotel associated with timeless elegance and exceptional hospitality.

"I look forward to working with the team to further enhance the brand's presence, foster meaningful partnerships, and create impactful experiences that resonate with guests," she said.

The Appointment Comes as Raffles Udaipur Expands

The timing is particularly relevant because Raffles Udaipur itself has evolved beyond its original private-island proposition, a journey the resort has marked publicly, including through its second anniversary celebration looking ahead to future growth.

Set amid Udai Sagar Lake and the Aravalli hills, the resort now comprises 137 rooms and suites.

Of these, 101 rooms and suites occupy the private island, while 36 additional accommodations have been introduced along the lakeshore.

Guests now begin their experience at Raffles Lakeshore Udaipur before travelling by boat across Udai Sagar Lake to the island, creating an arrival sequence that turns the transition between the two parts of the resort into part of the stay itself, an experience of serenity the property has cultivated through occasions such as its festive celebrations staged across Udai Sagar Lake.

The expanded property gives the marketing and communications function a considerably broader story to tell.

Two Distinct Expressions of Raffles Udaipur

The lakeshore and island experiences have been conceived with their own identities while remaining part of the same resort.

At the Lakeshore, an infinity-edge swimming pool visually merges with Udai Sagar Lake, creating a contemporary waterside retreat.

Across the water, the original island features an open-air pool bordered by private cabanas and surrounded by the property's gardens and natural landscape.

Connecting them is the lake itself.

That unusual geography is one of Raffles Udaipur's strongest differentiators: rather than existing as a single hotel building, the property unfolds as a journey across water and landscape, a positioning reinforced by the resort's recent Green Key certification recognising its eco-luxury credentials.

Wellness Rooted in the Aravalli Landscape

Wellness forms another important part of the resort's identity.

Raffles Udaipur offers open-air yoga, guided meditation and bespoke wellness rituals at the Raffles Spa, using the surrounding natural environment as part of the experience rather than treating wellness as something confined to treatment rooms, an approach echoed elsewhere in India by properties such as Six Senses Vana in the Himalayan foothills.

The property is home to rich native flora and fauna and attracts more than 100 species of birds throughout the year, alongside butterflies and migratory species, a naturalist appeal shared by other Indian luxury retreats including Aramness in Gir with its wildlife-focused escape.

Meandering pathways through landscaped gardens encourage guests to explore the estate at a slower pace, reinforcing the sense of retreat created by its island setting.

It is an expression of luxury increasingly relevant to contemporary travellers, where privacy, nature, silence and wellbeing can carry as much value as conventional material opulence.

Ten Restaurants and Bars Across Island and Lakeshore

Raffles Udaipur's expanded hospitality proposition now includes ten dining and bar experiences.

Six are located on the island and four on the lakeshore, giving guests a broad culinary programme without leaving the resort, one that regularly extends into celebration-led collaborations such as its Father's Day celebration held in partnership with L'Occitane, and specialist appointments behind the scenes, including when Surendra Singh joined the property to redefine its beverage programme.

Celebrations and destination events are supported by six event venues, including the particularly unusual option of an intimate island temple, positioning the resort strongly within India's thriving wedding market alongside destinations covered in a roundup of India's best hotels for a lavish destination wedding.

Additional facilities include tennis, children's activities and personalised service through the signature Raffles Butler experience.

Raffles Udaipur at a Glance

• Property: Raffles Udaipur, located on Udai Sagar Lake, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
• Total rooms and suites: 137, comprising 101 on the private island and 36 at Raffles Lakeshore Udaipur.
• Dining and bars: 10 experiences in total, six on the island and four on the lakeshore.
• Celebration venues: 6, including an intimate island temple.
• Wellness: Raffles Spa with open-air yoga, meditation and bespoke wellness rituals.
• Pools: A lakeshore infinity pool and an island open-air pool with private cabanas.
• Nature: More than 100 bird species recorded through the year.
• Experiences: Boat transfers, tennis, children's activities, nature experiences and Raffles Butler service.
• Director of Marketing and Communications: Henna Punjabi.
• General Manager: Gurnoor Bindra.

Why the Appointment Matters for Raffles Udaipur

India's luxury hospitality market is entering a period in which exceptional hardware alone is no longer enough to distinguish a hotel.

Palaces, private pools, spas and spectacular locations increasingly compete for the same affluent domestic and international traveller, a dynamic visible even within Rajasthan itself, where properties such as the Leela Palace Jaipur have built their own distinct luxury identity.

The differentiator becomes the story surrounding them, the experiences a property creates, the cultural relevance it establishes and the emotional relationship it builds with its guests.

Raffles Udaipur already possesses an unusually strong physical narrative: an arrival across water, a private island, the ancient Aravalli landscape and an expanding lakeshore resort. Its sister property has demonstrated how that narrative can translate into recognition, as seen when Raffles Jaipur was named among Asia-Pacific's finest new hotels by Travel + Leisure, and through Raffles Jaipur's own visionary partnership bridging luxury and the arts.

Punjabi's appointment places an experienced luxury-hospitality marketer in charge of translating those elements into a coherent global brand story, a challenge other Accor properties in India have approached similarly, including Abishek Chandran's promotion to cluster marketing director at Hilton Goa, and as newly appointed general managers elsewhere have also signalled, such as Biswajit Chakraborty's appointment as general manager at Four Seasons Bengaluru.

For Raffles Udaipur, the next phase is therefore not simply about becoming larger. It is about making the expanded resort more distinctive, part of a broader resurgence that has also seen luxury destination weddings return strongly across India and continued interest in India's grand palace properties as fairytale wedding destinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new Director of Marketing and Communications at Raffles Udaipur?

Henna Punjabi has been appointed Director of Marketing and Communications at Raffles Udaipur in August 2026.

What will Henna Punjabi be responsible for?

She will lead Raffles Udaipur's marketing strategy, brand positioning, communications, digital initiatives and strategic partnerships.

Where has Henna Punjabi previously worked?

Her luxury hospitality experience spans brands including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts.

How many rooms does Raffles Udaipur have?

Raffles Udaipur now has 137 rooms and suites, comprising 101 on its private island and 36 along the lakeshore.

Where is Raffles Udaipur located?

Raffles Udaipur is set on and around a private island in Udai Sagar Lake, Udaipur, surrounded by Rajasthan's Aravalli hills.