Falaknuma, 'mirror of the sky', stands on a hilltop 609 metres above sea level on the edge of Hyderabad. Nawab Sir Viqar-ul-Umra, Prime Minister of Hyderabad State, laid its foundation stone in 1884 and finished it in 1893 to designs by the English architect William Ward Marret. The palace then passed to the Nizams and became the royal guest house of Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan, receiving visitors such as King George V and Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar. After ten years of restoration under Princess Esra, Taj opened it as a hotel in 2010. Italian and Tudor architecture in Italian marble frames Venetian chandeliers, French tapestries, inlaid Kashmiri furniture and frescoes, and the library, beneath a carved walnut ceiling, holds rare books. Guests arrive by horse-drawn carriage. Rooms look over the palace courtyards or the old city, and the grand suites have the widest views. Adaa serves Hyderabadi cooking, Celeste Italian and international dishes and Gol Bungalow a broader menu, and afternoon tea is served in the Jade Room. The J Wellness Circle offers Ayurvedic and international therapies, and the palace sits in 32 acres of gardens. There are 60 rooms and suites, and it holds Three MICHELIN Keys.
- Nearest airport
- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (HYD), 11 Miles / 18 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 60 rooms and suites
Insider tip Try one of the bar's signature cocktails or mocktails, all made with fresh ingredients; the Jasmine Sour Martini and the Strawberry Panna are the favourites.
Why I choose it The Nizams' hilltop palace, restored by Taj, where Hyderabad's royal past is lived in rather than put on show.