GILDED GLORY

Grandeur, opulence, and romance are pillars of the hotels around the Subcontinent

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At India's palace hotels and royal-style resorts, the architecture is grand, the service is immaculate, and the air rustles with stories. Jodhpur's Umaid Bhawan Palace-home to the former royal family-exudes elegance through Art Deco-inspired rooms, horse stables, and a vintage-car collection, while the contemporary Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur captures Rajasthan's fairy-tale romance with Mughal- and Mewari-inspired design (domes and mirror mosaics) and a Lake Pichola location. The Leela Palace New Delhi is a modern interpretation of North India's majestic palaces, replete with chandeliers and silk furnishings. The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai remains a hallmark of sumptuous hospitality and a symbol of resilience after the 2008 terror attacks. But grandes dames can also reinvent themselves: The Oberoi, New Delhi reopened in 2018 with updated rooms and dining venues, including the revamped hot spot 360°. SAUMYA ANCHERI

INDIA

1 Umaid Bhawan Palace,  Jodhpur 99.54

2 The Leela Palace New  Delhi 99.53

3 The Oberoi Udaivilas,  Udaipur 99.47

4 The Taj Mahal Palace,  Mumbai 99.23