Jag Niwas was built in white marble between 1743 and 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II, the 62nd custodian of the House of Mewar, as a summer retreat on an island in Lake Pichola, facing east so that its residents could greet the sunrise. In 1963 Maharana Bhagwat Singh turned it into Udaipur's first hotel of its kind, and it has since appeared on countless postcards and in a James Bond film. The palace seems to float on the water, and courtyards, fountains and pillared terraces gather around a lily pond. Rooms have wooden lattice and araish-work ceilings, Indian silks and dark teak furniture, with views over the lake or the Lily Pond, and palace butlers look after every guest. Neel Kamal serves Rajasthani dishes beside the Lily Pond, Jharokha offers dining at any hour beneath scalloped arches over the water with views of the City Palace, and the rooftop Bhairo serves European food in the open air from mid-October to mid-April; Amrit Sagar is the bar. The J Wellness Circle draws on Ayurvedic and modern therapies, and there are outdoor and heated pools.
- Nearest airport
- Maharana Pratap Airport, Udaipur (UDR), 13 Miles / 21 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 83 rooms, including 18 suites
Insider tip Arrange drinks and dinner aboard Gangaur, the old royal barge, for an evening out on Lake Pichola.
Why I choose it The marble summer palace of the Maharanas of Mewar, reached by boat, with one of the great hotel arrivals anywhere.