Taj Lake Palace

arguably the most iconic hotel in India

Set on an island on Lake Pichola in Udaipur in Rajasthan, Taj Lake Palace is an iconic and relatively upmarket palace property.

This fabulous palace, whose local name is Jag Niwas, was built by the local royal family in 1743.

Although the building is often said to ‘float on the lake’, it most definitely doesn’t, it is set on an artificially created island. But when the light is right and the water is still, it does appear to magically float above the surface.

The hotel famously featured in the James Bond film ‘Octopussy’, which brought it world renown. It is now very much a ‘trophy hotel’, but one which is so beautiful that it may well be worth including in your trip.

There is also an extensive spa facility, including a spa boat experience.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Taj Lake Palace is in 83 rooms (65 rooms and 18 suites), all with air-conditioning. They come in eight specifications …

• Select Single Room : 15 sqm : 1 adult
• Luxury Twin Room with Garden View : 22 sqm : 2 adults
• Luxury Twin Room with Lake View : 24 sqm : 2 adults
• Palace Room with Lake View : 34 sqm : 3 adults
• Historical Suite with Lake View : 52 sqm : 3 adults
• Basant Bahar Royal Suite : 56 sqm : 3 adults
• Sajjan Niwas Grand Royal Suite : 85 sqm : 3 adults
• Grand Presidential Suite : 161 sqm : 3 guests

Activities

Taj Lake Palace provides access to a range of activities …

• historic city tours
• markets and bazaars
• rural landmarks

The Rajasthan region is usually explored as a private-guided overland safari, starting and ending in Delhi.

We often start these trips by flying from Delhi to either Udaipur or Jodhpur in the south, which are more rural and relaxed, before weaving a route north by road back to Delhi

In this case, Taj Lake Palace usually features as the first stop, flying in from Delhi and departing by road to Jodhpur/Jaipur/Ranthambore.

Seasonality

The best time of year to visit the Udaipur area is generally considered to be during Oct-May, although there are considerable seasonal variations within that period …

October is the transition period between the end of the monsoon rains and the start of the cool dry season. During the month daytime temperatures usually rise to around 33C/91F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up around 16C/61F. However the rainfall usually drops away to around 25mm (1”). Sunshine is around 9 hours per day (around 80% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Nov-Feb is the main cool dry season. During this period the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 25C/77F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 7C/45F. There should be virtually no rainfall. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 80% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Mar-May is the hot season, the often uncomfortable build-up to the main monsoon. During this period the daytime temperatures can climb steeply to around 37C/99F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures are up around an uncomfortable 20C/86F. Rainfall usually remains almost negligible. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 75% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Jun-Sep is the main monsoon season and is generally considered to be the least favourable time to visit. During this period the daytime temperatures drop off slightly to around 35C/95F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up at a stifling 24C/75F (made all the more uncomfortable by the increased humidities). Rainfall climbs to around 175mm (7”) per month. Sunshine drops to around 5 hours per day (around 40% of daylight hours), meaning that skies can remain overcast.

Getting there

The Udaipur area is usually reached by road, connecting into trips as follows …

• Delhi : 600 km to the northeast
• Jaipur : 350 km to the northeast
• Agra : 550 km to the northeast
• Ranthambore : 320 km to the northeast
• Jodhpur : 200 km to the north

rather mainstream and definitely premium-priced