Taj Lake Palace
When the palace became a five‑star hotel in 1971, its manager was the latest heir of the dynasty, and the butlers were drawn from families who once served the royal household. Staying here means following in illustrious footsteps: Lord Curzon, Queen Elizabeth, the Shah of Iran, Jacqueline Kennedy and the King of Nepal have all crossed these marble thresholds.
Location
Lake Pichola spans roughly 700 hectares, stretching four kilometres and reaching depths of up to eight metres. One of Udaipur’s seven lakes, it provides the Taj Lake Palace its enviable location, which can only be accessed by the private boat from the shore.
Accommodation
Dining is a pleasure in its own right. Neel Kamal offers fine dining beside a lily pond; Bhairo, on the rooftop, serves breezy contemporary European dishes; and Jharokha, perched over the lake, is informal, all‑day and open 24 hours. The bar, Amrit Sagar – “Sea of Nectar” – pairs cocktails with elegant antipasti. And unlike James Bond’s favourite tipple, you’ll be stirred rather than shaken by Taj Lake Palace.
Experiences
- Join a heritage walk through the palace, hearing lively anecdotes of maharanas, princes and the royal escapades that once animated these marble halls.
- Enjoy a candlelit dinner aboard the Royal Gangaur, the 150‑year‑old hand‑oared ceremonial barge featured in Octopussy, and drift across Lake Pichola in cinematic style.
- Tour Udaipur in one of the hotel’s vintage cars, letting the concierge arrange a glamorous circuit of lakes, viewpoints and historic neighbourhoods.
- Take a hotel boat ashore and explore the City Palace, arriving in under five minutes and stepping straight into Udaipur’s most magnificent landmark.
- Browse the Old City’s bazaars, picking up lac bangles, bandhani shawls, leather goods and fine fabrics along Jagdish Temple Road.
- Unwind with a treatment aboard the Jiva Spa boat, a gently rocking sanctuary offering massages and therapies with a Mewari touch.
- Discover Udaipur’s cultural and natural highlights, from fine Mewari paintings and the world’s largest turban at Bagore ki Haveli to the wildlife‑rich Sajjangarh Biological Park and the atmospheric Monsoon Palace perched above the city.
Staying here turns Udaipur from essential to exceptional, offering the most magical base imaginable for exploring Rajasthan’s lake city. We choose it because it is unique.
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From the Team
“I may feel perfectly at home washing safari dust from my hair after a day of adventure, but I never turn down luxury or an unhurried pace. And truly – who could resist a sensual island drifting on a glittering lake, just offshore from one of India’s most alluring cities?”
Why Plan with Journeysmiths
Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.
Positive Impact
We prioritise working with properties that address location-specific needs from education to conservation and environmental sustainability. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that address location-specific needs from education to conservation and environmental sustainability. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
Great Places to Combine with Taj Lake Palace
Taj Lake Palace works beautifully as part of a wider journey in India. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.Taj Lake Palace works beautifully as part of a wider journey in India. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.
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Our trip to India with Journeysmiths was exceptional, with our contact (Ross) on top of even the smallest detail. The suggested itinerary was perfectly thought out and provided a welcome mix of cultural experiences and natural wonders. Organisation 'on the ground' was seamless, including our transport, guides and other local contact. All accommodation exceeded our expectations and ensured we actively looked forward to returning to our hotel every day, despite the fun we were having.
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