The Best Hotels and Resorts in Asia: The Gold List 2025
"With its dreamy frescoes, Corinthian columns, and Ostler chandeliers, Hyderabad’s storied Taj Falaknuma Palace had been a beloved residence of the ruling nizam—one of whom was famously depicted on a 1937 Time magazine cover as the “Richest Man in the World”—before falling into disrepair for decades. The hilltop aerie has been a fixture of my annual vacations in Hyderabad, from a childhood visit when it was still shuttered and shrouded in cobwebs to countless intimate dinner parties, afternoon teas, qawwali concerts on the gardens at sunset, and a memorable 75th-birthday celebration for my father last winter—complete with a flute serenade of “Happy Birthday” at breakfast under the stained-glass dome of the Gol Bungalow terrace. For the special way it brings Hyderabad’s rich history and traditions to life at every corner, Falaknuma will always have my heart. From $450. —Sarah Khan" - CNT Editors
