Heritage Hotels of India - Umaid Bhavan Palace Hotel, Jodhpur

It was 1953, as a child, I still remember with nostalgic feelings my first school outing to the majestic "Chittar Palace" in Jodhpur. I was too small to understand the architecture or the grandeur of the imposing palace at that age. For me the scale of size was very different at that time. The gardens were huge, simply unimaginable. The building looked as if one was experiencing a dream, tall ceilings, imposing stone clad central dome, and the immaculately polished marble floors. It was all too much for a child to absorb and understand. However, it was an experience that I remember narrating to friends and family members repeatedly to the best of my understanding.

25 years later, I had the chance to visit the palace again. This time as a qualified hotelier to sort out some issues with the local management. The palace was operating as a heritage hotel by the same company that I was working for. This was a real experience. I could now understand the real beauty of the palace. It was known as the Umaid Bhavan Palace Hotel. Large, luxuriously furnished rooms and suites, Italian furniture, antiquated art effects and rich drapes and fabric. The palace is a statement of the lavish life style of ex rulers of Indian states. Today all this is available to the travelling public as a luxury heritage hotel.

The palace was built as a drought relief measure by the then maharaja to create employment to its subjects. The construction took almost 15 years and was completed in 1943. The construction technique is unique. No cement or mortar. The building is made of stone blocks joined together by interlocking technique. The stone walls and ceilings are designed to maintain a comfortable 20 to 25 degree temperature year-round.
Henry Lanchester designed the palace with the help of his Indian counterpart Budhmal Rai and the interiors and fit outs were done by one Stefan Norblin of Poland. History has it that the original interior decorators of the palace were Maples of London but as the ship carrying the furniture sank because of German attack, the Maharaja was forced to introduce the services of Norblin.

Today the palace is divided into three areas, a luxury heritage hotel operated by the Taj Group, the private residence of the erst while maharaja and a museum. The hotel offers a rich experience of the royal lifestyle of Maharajas in the same ambiance and atmosphere. This hotel has luxury rooms and suites, a stylish bar called the Trophy Bar, a fine dining Indian and continental cuisine restaurant serving an a la carte menu and choicest of wines. The Palace also has an all day dining restaurant with a stunning view of the Fort, the city and the gardens of the palace. There are enough banqueting and meeting facilities in the palace. The palace is equipped with all other facilities that are required in a luxury hotel like the business centre, health club and spa, laundry and dry cleaning and even interpreter services.

What a treat it is to be able to relive the past. To experience the royal life of yester years. Heritage hotels offer truly an amazing experience.

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Ram Gupta is a professional hotel and resort consultant with over four decades of experience in Asia, Far East, Middle East and Europe. He has been associated with over two dozen hotel and resort projects. His web site can be viewed at http://www.bcgglobal.com/ and can be contacted at ramgupta@bcgglobal.com