Umaid Bhawan Palace

Description:

• Situated on another raised outcrop, with sprawling grounds creating an almost rural ambience, this splendid palace was built by Maharaja Umaid Singh (the current maharaja's father) as a poverty-relief exercise to aid his drought-stricken subjects. With 347 rooms, including a cinema, it was at the time the largest private residence in the world -- a vivid reminder of the decadence the Rajput rulers enjoyed during the British Raj. Designed by Henry Lanchester, a great admirer of Lutyens (the man who designed New Delhi), it was commenced in 1929, took 3,000 laborers 13 years to complete, and remains one of the best examples of the Indo-Saracenic Art Deco style, topped with a massive dome which rises 56m (184 ft.) high, beyond which the buildings are perfectly symmetrical. If you don't choose to overnight here, you should still visit -- if only to sip coffee at The Pillars, from where you enjoy a spellbinding view of the fort in the distance (note that non-staying guests are technically required to pay a cover charge even when dining at The Pillars; to avoid disappointment, try acting the part and say your keys are at reception, or else cough up the dough). There is also a museum that features photographs of the construction and a model of the building, as well as items collected by the maharaja's ancestors; it's not quite what you want out of a palace visit.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010