Most hotels are reached by car or on foot. The Taj Lake Palace can only be reached by boat.
It might sound like a minor logistical detail, but it’s the key to what makes this hotel so extraordinary.
The hotel sits on its own island in the middle of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, and the crossing itself — water on all sides, the white marble palace growing larger as the boat approaches — is widely considered one of the most cinematic arrivals in luxury hospitality.
From Royal Summer Retreat to Palace Hotel
The original structure, known as Jag Niwas, was built between 1743 and 1746 on the orders of Maharana Jagat Singh II, the 62nd custodian of the House of Mewar, as a summer retreat for the royal family.
For more than two centuries it remained a private royal residence. Then, in 1963, Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar decided to turn it into a luxury hotel, launching a meticulous restoration aimed at preserving every detail of the original.
Today the Taj Lake Palace has 65 rooms and 18 suites, set around interior courtyards, fountains, and gardens.
The design throughout draws on the classic architecture of Mewar’s palaces: domed pavilions, intricately carved balconies known as jharokhas, and the distinctive thikri work — a decorative technique native to Rajasthan in which small mirrors are embedded into the walls, scattering light in every direction.
Built entirely of white marble and set right on the water, the palace appears to float — the illusion that made it famous around the world.
An Experience Designed to Feel Royal
Beyond the architecture, the hotel has built much of its identity around recreating the lifestyle of the Mewar aristocracy.
It all starts before you ever step onto the boat. On request, the hotel can arrange vintage-car transfers from the airport to the jetty, so you’re transported to another era the moment you arrive in Udaipur — not just when you cross the lake.
Dining is spread across three restaurants, each with its own character: Neel Kamal specializes in Rajasthani and other Indian cuisine, Bhairo takes a European approach, and Jharokha serves international dishes around the clock.
For cocktails, there’s the Amrit Sagar bar. And then there’s an experience you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else: moonlit dinners aboard the Gangaur, the royal barge the ruling family once used to cross the lake.
For wellness, the hotel offers the J Wellness Circle spa, whose treatments blend Ayurvedic tradition with contemporary techniques, plus a heated outdoor pool and yoga classes.
One Thing Worth Knowing Before You Go
Lake Pichola — never particularly deep — has seen its water level rise and fall sharply in recent years. At times, drought has left much of the area around the palace as dry, grassy ground instead of the mirror-like water you see in photos.
The level shifts with the monsoon rains, so it’s worth checking conditions before you book so you know what kind of view to expect. It doesn’t detract from the stay itself, but it does change the scenery.
Getting There and What to See Nearby
Udaipur is served by Maharana Pratap Airport, roughly 50 minutes by car from the jetty where guests board the boat to the hotel.
The Taj Lake Palace offers guests door-to-door transfers. Once you’ve settled in, the hotel’s island setting makes it a natural base for exploring the city’s top sights.
These include the City Palace — the largest royal residence in Rajasthan, visible from several of the hotel’s rooms — and Jagmandir, another island palace on the same lake. Also within reach are Gangaur Ghat, one of Udaipur’s most picturesque ghats, and Sajjangarh — the Monsoon Palace — perched on a hilltop with panoramic views over the city and the lake below.
Nearly three centuries after it was conceived as a summer retreat, the Taj Lake Palace — with its royal history, its marble architecture, and a boat arrival that stays with every guest — remains one of the most recognizable — and most photographed — hotels in India.