Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

Just when you thought Rajasthani palace hotels couldn’t get any more magnificent, Oberoi built the Udaivilas on the western shores of Lake Pichola. Staying here can seem like a transcendental experience.

Set amid verdant countryside, the building was designed as a homage to traditional Rajput splendour, and for once delivers without a trace of pastiche, rivalling its 18th-century forebears for grandeur and opulence. The interiors incorporate a wealth of local craftsmanship – luminous murals, marble inlay, gilt, wood carving and mirror work. If you can, go for one of the luxury suites, which have their own private pools and dining pavilions.

Most lovely of all, though, are outside spaces – a fantasy of rambling courtyards, covered walkways, watercourses and lawns that look especially gorgeous at night, when the domed cuppolas and reflection pools are illuminated by flickering lanterns.

Our opinion

A lakefront hotel offering all the luxury Oberoi trimmings with great views of the Lake Palace and the City Palace complex.

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