Grand designs – and so much more. Umaid Bhawan Palace isn’t just a majestic sight; it’s a five-star hotel, a museum, and a home for local royalty: the Maharaja of Jodhpur. Set on Chittar Hill, the palace gazes down on the painted houses that help give Jodhpur its nickname of ‘the Blue City’.
The current owner, Maharaja Gaj Singh, turned it into a hotel in 1971, and guests can enjoy its luxurious grounds and gardens, as well as the dramatic, sandstone building, with it’s golden-yellow colour. It wasn’t always this way, however; the palace – which was started in 1929 – was built to help the local community by giving it employment during a time of famine and drought. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people worked on it and it was completed in 1943. You can admire the craftsmanship on a guided heritage walk around the property – though maybe not all 26 acres in one go.
It’s as captivating inside as it is out, and for those who like their terminology, was designed in the Beaux Arts style, also known as Indo-Deco. There are 64 elegant guest suites with gorgeous high ceilings, but the real scene-stealer is the palm court, where the marble is the same as that used for the Taj Mahal at Agra.