Taj Lake Palace

Udaipur, India

It’s hard to compete against the raw beauty of Udaipur. With its mountain vistas, glittering lakes and ivory-hued architecture, the Rajasthan city inspires visions of a storied romantic past when maharajas and maharanis built the beauty spot. When staying at the Taj Lake Palace, guests become part of the tale. The mesmerising floating hotel glimmers in the centre of Lake Pichola, a wedding cake-white palace of arching windows and domed turrets that shimmer, mirage like, above the water. Built in 1743 as a summer palace for the Mewar royal dynasty, it became a hotel in the 1960s, finding fame (and fortune) in its cameo in the Octopussy Bond film. Guests receive royal treatment at the Taj brand’s lodestar stay. A royal guard-escorted arrival, personalised butler service, a fleet of on-call water taxis and painstakingly preserved Indian elegance in rooms (including hand-painted motifs and textural decadence) are just a few select highlights. The spa and dining offering is some of the best in the state, but hours are just as well spent soaking up this palatial pad’s regal beauty on s stroll through its marble-clad courtyards, corridors and pavilions.

Key Information

• Rooms: 83
• Starting Rate: $397
• High Season: Dec
• Dining: Neel Kamal
• Drinking: Amrit Sagar
• At the Hotel: Pool, spa, yoga, gym, library, lounge, business centre, bike rental, garden, game room
• 912942428800
• Visit Taj Lake Palace's Website

Location

Lake Pichola, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001