Hotels run by the former rulers of Rajasthan range from ultra-luxurious palaces to cozy homestays. Outfitters such as Wild Frontiers can create a customized itinerary for travelers interested in experiencing them. Here are 10 amazing places to stay across India:
1. UMAID BHAWAN
The world’s sixth-largest private residence is part lavish hotel, part home to the royal family. The sandstone fortress is set on 26 acres on the edge of Jodhpur. —From $350
2. RANVAS NAGAUR
Owned by the Maharajah of Jodhpur, Ranvas, where 18th-century maharajahs’ queens lived, is set within the walls of Nagaur Fort. The 27 guest rooms all have their own colonnaded courtyards. —From $232
3. The Farm
An imaginative rebirth of a Rajasthani palace that was dismantled for a dam project, The Farm cleverly incorporates reclaimed wooden beams and original doors into its six rooms and eight cottages. —From $165
4. SUJÁN RAJMAHAL PALACE
The palace on the outskirts of Jaipur, built in 1729 by the city’s maharajah, remains a retreat for the royal family, but now it’s also a high-design, 14-suite hotel. —From $553
5. ROHET GARH
This manicured 17th-century retreat has an inviting garden, an excellent chef who cooks regional dishes (sometimes from family recipes), and a flock of peacocks that wander the sprawling grounds. —From $140
6. RAJ NIWAS, DHOLPUR
Famous for its red sandstone exterior, the 19th-century palace was built to house British royalty; interiors showcase its colonial past with an eclectic mix of Dutch ceramics and Rajasthani motifs. —From $180
7. RAVLA BHENSWARA
A stay at this Rajput-style retreat, set in a village along the Aravalli Range, is entertaining, in part for its leopard safaris, but especially for the effusive host himself. —From $70
8. SHAHPURA BAGH
Shahpura Bagh’s garden overflows with the orange pompoms of marigolds. The comfortably worn rooms draw British guests prone to taking their sandwiches crustless and their gin and tonics poolside. —From $208
9. RAMATHRA FORT
The 350-year-old citadel deep in the countryside near Karauli took Thakur Brijendra Raj Pal 15 years to renovate; part of the 110-room fortress remains in romantically evocative ruins. —From $225
10. PRITHVI VILAS
The maharajah and his wife greet guests with fresh juice and floral necklaces. Hallways are filled with antiques and taxidermy trophies, and guest chambers are decorated with Edwardian furniture and family photos. —From $80
>>Next: In Rajasthan’s Palaces-Turned-Hotels, You Can Sleep Like a King
