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Once seen as postcard-perfect monuments to a bygone era, royal residences have become the coolest way to experience the country’s cultural heart. More and more travellers these days are looking for exclusive stays that offer something more than luxury – the idea of living like a royal. And palace hotels are offering exactly that. Across India, a handful of palaces still stand as living legacies of a regal past, restored into extraordinary hotels that allow travellers to inhabit history itself. India’s palace hotels are living museums of hospitality, art, and legacy. Staying in one is about continuity, about sharing space with a history that still breathes through silk curtains and sandalwood air. From lakeside marble marvels to working palaces in the Konkan, these nine hotels prove that heritage is India’s most exciting new way to stay.
1. Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Built in 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II as a summer retreat, this floating marble marvel on Lake Pichola remains one of the world’s most romantic hotels. Run by the Taj group, it’s a vision of latticed balconies, hand-painted walls, and candlelit dinners adrift on the water.
2. Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
A masterpiece of sandstone symmetry, Umaid Bhawan was commissioned by Maharaja Umaid Singh during the 1930s as a drought-relief project. Today, it remains part royal residence and part Taj hotel, still home to the Jodhpur royal family, and a testament to Indo-Deco design.
3. Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
Once the home of the Maharaja of Jaipur, Rambagh Palace is now synonymous with timeless Rajasthani grandeur. Its Mughal gardens, peacock-lined courtyards, and marble verandas have hosted everyone from British royals to Hollywood stars.
4. Fateh Prakash Palace, Udaipur
Part of Udaipur’s City Palace complex, this HRH Group property overlooks Lake Pichola and still hums with royal energy. Antique furniture, crystal chandeliers, and the famed Durbar Hall make it feel less like a hotel and more like a chapter from Mewar’s living history.
5. Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur
An 18th-century Indo-Saracenic palace once home to Jaipur’s prime minister, Jai Mahal is now a Taj heritage gem surrounded by 18 acres of manicured gardens. Its archways and frescoed ceilings bring to life the Jaipur of court poets and pink sunsets.
6. Laxmi Vilas Palace, Bharatpur
A Mughal-inspired palace that once housed the Bharatpur royals, this 19th-century property is known for its domed architecture and gracious old-world service. Perfect for those who prefer understated heritage over spectacle.
7. Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
Suspended 2,000 feet above Hyderabad, this was once the residence of the Nizam, then the richest man in the world. The marble staircases, Venetian chandeliers, and 101-seat dining table remain as extravagant as ever.
8. Lalitha Mahal Palace, Mysuru
Built in 1921 by the Wodeyars of Mysore for the visiting Viceroy of India, Lalitha Mahal is South India’s grandest palace hotel. Its domed architecture, sweeping staircases, and ballroom grandeur evoke the city’s royal past.
9. Sawantwadi Palace, Maharashtra
Still home to the royal family, this Konkan palace invites guests into a slower rhythm of life, filled with traditional Ganjifa art, home-cooked royal recipes, and stories told by Yuvraj Lakham and Yuvrani Shraddha Bhonsle themselves.