Heritage & Palaces
Royal palaces, havelis and centuries of history.
Best Heritage & Palaces Escapes in the Network
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
One of the world's largest private residences, this Art Deco palace still shares its grounds with Jodhpur's royal family while hosting guests in its own residential wing. Sweeping desert views and a museum of vintage cars add to the sense of occasion.
Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur
Built like a Mewar-era palace on the banks of Lake Pichola, this resort wraps courtyards, domes and fountains around private pool villas. It's regularly ranked among the finest hotels in the world for good reason.
The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
Every room in this resort faces the Taj Mahal, just 600 metres away, across Mughal-style water gardens. Guests can watch the monument change colour at sunrise from a private balcony or the resort's own reflecting pools.
Badrutt's Palace Hotel
A St. Moritz landmark since 1896, this turreted palace hotel overlooking Lake St. Moritz and the surrounding peaks has hosted European royalty for well over a century. Its Renaissance-style tower and ski-in access to the Corviglia slopes keep it at the top of the Alpine grand-hotel circuit.
ITC Grand Bharat
A 300-acre Indo-Saracenic estate folded into the Aravalli hills, this retreat feels worlds away from Delhi despite being under an hour's drive. Guests can play a round on the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, wander nature trails, or simply settle into a private villa pool.
Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
Once the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, this heritage palace pairs manicured Mughal gardens with suites that once housed royalty. Polo lawns, a marble spa and a vintage Rolls-Royce shuttle keep the palace-era theatre alive.
The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata
Known for generations as the 'Grande Dame of Chowringhee,' this restored 19th-century landmark blends colonial architecture with impeccable Oberoi service. Its palm-fringed courtyard pool and central location make it a timeless base for exploring the city's museums, markets and riverside promenades.
ITC Grand Chola, Chennai
Inspired by the grand Chola-era temples of Tamil Nadu, this sprawling city hotel is one of Chennai's most recognisable landmarks. Its scale - multiple pools, a full spa, and several award-winning restaurants - suits both business travellers and families.
Trident, Bhubaneswar
Set within a 57,000-square-metre garden of fruit trees and manicured lawns, Trident Bhubaneswar offers a calm, low-rise retreat close to the city's ancient temple district. Its blend of Odisha-inspired architecture and understated five-star comfort makes it a favorite base for temple-circuit travellers and business visitors alike.
ITC Mughal, Agra
Built around Mughal-style courtyards and water channels on 35 landscaped acres, this resort recreates the grandeur of the era that built the Taj Mahal, just a short drive away. A luxury spa and multiple pools give it a genuine resort feel.
Windamere Hotel
Perched on Observatory Hill since the 1880s, the Windamere is a beloved relic of the Raj era, all wood-fired fireplaces, four-poster beds and afternoon tea served on the lawn. Guests wake to sweeping views of the Himalayan foothills and a sense of stepping back into a gentler, tea-planter age.
The Lalit Grand Palace Srinagar
Once the residence of Maharaja Pratap Singh, this century-old palace hotel sits on Gupkar Road overlooking Dal Lake and an adjoining golf course. Antique-furnished rooms, landscaped gardens and an award-winning spa carry forward a genuine sense of royal Kashmiri heritage.
Stok Palace Heritage Hotel
The summer residence of Ladakh's royal Namgyal family, this 1820s palace above the Indus Valley opens a handful of restored rooms and orchard villas to guests. Morning prayer chants from the palace temple and views over apricot groves make for an intimate, living-history stay.
The Elgin Nor-Khill
Built in 1932 for the King of Sikkim, Nor-Khill is Gangtok's oldest heritage hotel, its name meaning 'house of jewels' in a nod to the valley's natural riches. Sikkimese decor, a fireside library, and walking distance to MG Marg give it an old-world charm rare in the Himalayas.
Hotel Polo Towers Agartala
Tripura's only five-star hotel, Polo Towers rises in the heart of Agartala with a rooftop pool, spa, and multiple dining rooms spanning global cuisines. Its Kunjaban location puts Ujjayanta Palace and the Tripura Government Museum within easy reach.
The House of MG
A restored century-old mansion in the old walled city, this boutique heritage hotel puts guests within walking distance of Ahmedabad's stepwells and stepped mosques. Its rooftop restaurant is a local institution for Gujarati thali.
Jehan Numa Palace
A 19th-century palace built for the commander-in-chief of the Bhopal state army, this heritage hotel sits on a quiet ridge above the city with sprawling lawns and a genuine sense of old Bhopal. Its bar and colonial-era billiards room are local landmarks.
Hotel Maurya Patna
Bihar's first five-star hotel and a fixture of Patna hospitality since 1978, Hotel Maurya pairs a landmark address with multiple dining rooms and understated, contemporary comfort. It remains the default choice for visiting dignitaries and business travellers exploring the state capital.
Nimmu House
A 115-year-old Ladakhi mansion turned heritage boutique hotel, set in the orchard village of Nimmu near the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers. French-curated interiors, a small spa and a rooftop terrace pair traditional architecture with quietly contemporary comfort.
The Naini Retreat
Once the residence of the Maharaja of Pilibhit, this heritage hotel sits on the Ayarpatta slopes with bay-window rooms looking straight down onto Naini Lake. Its blend of colonial-era character, garden terraces, and lake views makes it a favourite for travellers seeking old-world Kumaon charm.
Ranjit's SVAASA
Reputedly among the oldest surviving buildings in Amritsar, this 250-year-old haveli has been run for three generations by the Mehra family, who once hosted British-era officials here. Colonial-style rooms open onto old lawns and ancient trees, with an Ayurvedic spa pavilion built into the original brickwork.
Radisson Blu Hotel Amritsar
Set on manicured grounds opposite Amritsar's international airport, this business-friendly hotel offers a complimentary shuttle straight to the Golden Temple. Expansive lawns, multiple restaurants, and the city's largest ballroom make it a favorite for both travelers and celebrations.
WelcomHeritage Baradari Palace
Once the royal guesthouse of Patiala's Maharajas, this 19th-century palace now welcomes guests into 75 acres of gardens and regal, name-bearing suites. Its colonnaded pavilions and cricket-field history make it one of Punjab's most evocative heritage stays.
WelcomHeritage Fernhills Royal Palace
Once a summer retreat of the Mysore royal family, this 150-year-old palace sits on 50 wooded acres above the town, its interiors lined with teakwood panelling and period furnishings. Only a handful of rooms are offered, keeping the stay intimate despite the grand setting.
BrijRama Palace
Rising directly from the ghats on the Ganges, this early-19th-century palace took nearly two decades to restore and now blends Maratha-style architecture with river-facing rooms overlooking the daily aarti ceremonies. Its vegetarian dining room and ayurvedic spa lean into the ghat's spiritual, alcohol-free atmosphere.
The Elgin Fairlawn
Housed in a colonial-era building dating to 1783, this family-run hotel is filled with decades of memorabilia and retains a distinctly old-Calcutta character, from its garden patio to its terrace dining room. Its central Sudder Street location keeps the Indian Museum and Park Street within easy walking distance.
Hotel Chanakya
Established in 1981 in the heart of Patna, Hotel Chanakya has long been an upmarket anchor for the city, offering comfortable rooms and reliable multi-cuisine dining within easy reach of Patna's government and commercial districts. Its long-standing reputation makes it a dependable choice for the region.
Chanakya BNR Hotel
Born as a Bengal Nagpur Railway hotel over a century ago, this heritage property still carries its colonial-era Heritage Wing of British-style rooms with wide verandahs, alongside a modern wing added after restoration. Set on a 5.5-acre estate, it's a rare railway-heritage stay in the region.
The Classic Hotel
Manipur's first three-star hotel looks directly across at the historic Kangla Fort, once the seat of the region's ancient kings. Spacious grounds and a range of room categories make it a comfortable, centrally located choice in Imphal city.
Amet Haveli
Built in the mid-1700s by the same Maharana credited with the Lake Palace, this lakeside haveli offers heritage-styled rooms with unbroken views across Pichola to the City Palace and Jag Mandir. Its Ambrai restaurant on the water's edge has been a local dining fixture since the late 1990s.
Hotel Sonar Tori
Billed as Agartala's first three-star hotel, Sonar Tori combines a rooftop banquet space with an in-house bakery and multi-cuisine restaurant near the city's Fire Brigade crossing. It is a comfortable, well-located choice for exploring Agartala's palaces and museums.
Palace on Ganges
A short walk from Assi Ghat, this heritage property sets each of its rooms around a different regional theme drawn from across India, giving the hotel a museum-like character alongside its Ganges-facing terraces. It's a smaller, more personal alternative to Varanasi's bigger riverside hotels.
Amrutha Castle
An unusual departure from Hyderabad's Nizami architecture, this centrally located hotel is built in the style of a medieval European castle, with turrets and stonework framing nearly 100 rooms and suites named after historic kings and queens. Its central location puts Birla Mandir and the Hussain Sagar lakefront within easy reach.
Hotel Suba Palace
A compact heritage-style boutique hotel tucked into a quiet Colaba side street, just steps from the Gateway of India and the Causeway's markets. Its small garden courtyard and old-world lobby offer a calmer counterpoint to South Mumbai's busier waterfront hotels.
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