Taj Lake Palace

You arrive by boat to the 83-room Taj Lake Palace, the glittering white-marble extravaganza that seems to be floating in the middle of Lake Pichola like an apparition, its cupolas silhouetted against the sky. Guests of these centuries-old Taj Grand Palaces in Rajasthan, which also include Umaid Bhawan Palace and Rambagh Palace, quite literally walk, dine and sleep like royalty, because they are in the homes of the maharajas. The palaces, have been restored, but retain their cathedral ceilings, scalloped archways, latticework, colonnades, inlaid marble floors, intricate craftsmanship, opulent furnishings and soaring domes.

The Standout: Taking in lake views over dinner by flickering lantern light **Don’t Miss:**An excursion around Lake Pichola and past City Palace on the 150-year-old Royal Gangaur, a barge once used for official ceremonies

• Arriving by boat to the palace, which looks like a mirage
• Visiting the nearby village of Molela and learning about its tradition of creating prayer tokens from clay
• The Mewar Khas treatment at the spa, a pre-bathing treatment that uses cardamom

The tale of this whitewashed palace hotel in the middle of Lake Pichola begins with then-prince Maharana Jagat Singh II. The young prince had been enjoying the company of ladies of the Zenana on the lake island palace of Jag Mandir until his father got word of what his heir was up to. As it goes in royal families, the prince then decided to build his own pleasure palace, which became the Taj Lake Palace in 1971.

Just as the prince did, this is the kind of place to while away the afternoon on lounge chair on the terrace, meandering through corridors, watching the lake lapping three feet below as you have lunch in an outdoor nook in the restaurant. Admittedly, rooms, especially the luxury category, will feel small, but what the palace might lack in space it makes up for in serenity. All rooms, however, come with the works in terms of amenities: from butler service to a pillow and quilt menu and bathtubs in the suites.

The property is quite close (by the hotel’s private ferry) to the city’s major attractions, including the City Palace, Jagdish Temple and miniature art galleries. Spend the day around town and consider one of the spa’s excellent Indian therapies upon return.

Those who want an intimate property with soulful details. The property is well-suited for couples, but families might face some challenges with young children.