Rambagh Palace

Rambagh Palace, once the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, is the city's most storied hotel: 47 acres of manicured gardens, marble corridors and resident peacocks, lovingly run by Taj. Calling it a hotel almost undersells it, this is living royal heritage.

The 78 rooms and suites are restored with period furnishings, hand-painted detail, colourful mosaics and Italian marble bathrooms. The grandest suites were once the private chambers of the royal family.

Dining is an event. Suvarna Mahal serves royal Indian cuisine beneath gilded mirrors and Florentine frescoes in a former ballroom; the Rajput Room offers all-day multi-cuisine; the Polo Bar pours rare whiskies and signature cocktails; and Steam, a lounge bar set in a restored vintage railway carriage, is a Jaipur landmark in its own right.

The Jiva Grande Spa brings ancient Indian wellness therapies, while the grounds offer heritage walks, vintage car rides, horse-drawn carriages and access to the Rambagh Golf Course.

For travellers who want not just luxury but a genuine sense of Jaipur's royal past, Rambagh Palace is unrivalled, the standard against which every other hotel in the city is measured.