"Also in Rajasthan, Raffles Udaipur sits amid sculpted gardens on its own 21-acre island in Udai Sagar Lake, reached on a battery-powered boat. Architecturally, the property marries the Rajput and Mughal cultures, with the region’s iconic jali panels, local artisan work, and in some cases vivid murals in the 101 guest rooms. At Sawai Kitchen, chefs reinterpret Rajputana dishes using seasonal, regional ingredients. Every dish comes with a history lesson, such as the Mewari warrior delicacy Rajputana Kheeri Nalli (goat brain, lamb shank, and Bhavnagiri chiles). The nearly zero–waste Writers Bar, which serves champagne and caviar and classic cocktails, is lined with dark paneled wood and some 1,000 books, while the white and pink spa soothes with treatments inspired by the region’s ancestral healing techniques." - Kathryn Romeyn