Udaipur’s Leela Palace is a Great Introduction to India’s Mystique and Beauty

India is full of unique hotels with reputations for outstanding service. Many of the maharajas in Rajasthan and other parts of India lived in forts containing ornate palaces to house the members of the royal family and their servants. When these principalities agreed to become part of India in 1947, the rulers lost their authority to govern but retained their properties. Today, most of those palaces have been turned into museums or renovated into heritage hotels which offer guests a chance to enjoy the perks of royalty for a brief stay. Udaipur has several heritage hotels on the city’s famous lake, but several of India’s leading hoteliers have built modern palaces using the architectural style of the Mughals. 

Amenities

One of Udaipur’s best hotels which is frequently listed as one of Asia’s top resorts is the lakefront Leela Palace.   The hotel is known for its welcoming ceremony which starts with a chauffeured drive from the airport to the lake, continues with a 15-minute boat ride across the lake to the hotel’s pier, and ends with the hotel’s staff greeting you in traditional Rajput attire in the lobby with musicians and a tossing of rose petals.

Once in your room, you look out across the lake at the real City Palace which is five times the size of the White House. The lake is also surrounded by hills on three sides which generate the water to fill the lake except in periods of extreme drought. In addition to the view, the Leela Palace has an excellent dining room which offers a huge breakfast buffet and meals featuring either Indian or continual cuisine. There is also an elegant pool located in a relaxing garden with gazebos and fountains.

Area Activities

There is plenty to do in Udaipur for a three to five day visit and much of it centers around the lake.  Another great feature of the hotel is its excellent concierge service which will arrange for a sunset cruise around the lake, a reasonably priced tour of the city, or excursions with private guides to nearby temples and historic sites such as Chittorgarh.  The City Palace tour features some unique collections of the Maharana’s family such as their classic cars, sword collection and paintings of generations of ancestors and the recently married prince.

Location

Udaipur is in the southern part of Rajasthan and is generally reached by flight from Mumbai or Delhi airports.  It can also be reached by a six-hour drive from Jaipur or Agra along NH48 and NH58 which are two of India’s more modern roads. A car service is strongly recommended for a road trip along with a stop at one of the historic sites along the way.