Samode Palace
Hotel · Jaipur ·
Heritage palace offering royal suites, spa, pools, and fine dining
Information
Tehsil, Village Samode, Chomu, Rajasthan 303806, India Get directions
Heritage palace offering royal suites, spa, pools, and fine dining
Tehsil, Village Samode, Chomu, Rajasthan 303806, India Get directions
"Stepping into Samode, 45 kilometres from Jaipur airport in India, feels like entering a half-remembered epic. First the cobbled street of an old village, then four domed gateways, and suddenly, a palace with the Aravalli mountains rising behind it. Each doorway frames the one across from it, creating a hypnotic progression through centuries. Outside it may be the 21st century, but at Samode you are in the era of Rajputana royalty, and that mood carries through everything: the service, the cuisine, the architecture, the decor. What began as a 16th-century fort evolved over generations into a palace. The family still runs it today, and their touch is palpable, from the warm welcome by staff who anticipate needs before they are spoken. Like in all great palaces, intrigue lingers in its details: hidden alcoves, scalloped arches, carved parapets, frescoes of a faded Durga on her tiger, a centuries-old miniature of Radha, and ceilings painted in indigo and rose. The Sheesh Mahal dazzles most dramatically, where 250-year-old Belgian glass mosaics glimmer across vaulted ceilings. The palace has its enchantments, but the kitchens are where the alchemy really happens, recipes tested over centuries: lamb in gently spiced curry, locally grown greens, wines from a cellar stocked with improbable vintages. There are two restaurants at the palace, but the true joy is in its movable feasts—a dinner in the Durbar Hall, lunch at the Sheesh Mahal, a tea in the garden, or supper on the pool deck under the stars. Everything here feels unstaged, unfiltered, and regally authentic. Just as it should be." - CNT Editors
"Stepping into Samode, 45 kilometres from Jaipur airport in India, feels like entering a half-remembered epic. First the cobbled street of an old village, then four domed gateways, and suddenly, a palace with the Aravalli mountains rising behind it. Each doorway frames the one across from it, creating a hypnotic progression through centuries. Outside it may be the 21st century, but at Samode you are in the era of Rajputana royalty, and that mood carries through everything: the service, the cuisine, the architecture, the decor. What began as a 16th-century fort evolved over generations into a palace. The family still runs it today, and their touch is palpable, from the warm welcome by staff who anticipate needs before they are spoken. Like in all great palaces, intrigue lingers in its details: hidden alcoves, scalloped arches, carved parapets, frescoes of a faded Durga on her tiger, a centuries-old miniature of Radha, and ceilings painted in indigo and rose. The Sheesh Mahal dazzles most dramatically, where 250-year-old Belgian glass mosaics glimmer across vaulted ceilings. The palace has its enchantments, but the kitchens are where the alchemy really happens, recipes tested over centuries: lamb in gently spiced curry, locally grown greens, wines from a cellar stocked with improbable vintages. There are two restaurants at the palace, but the true joy is in its movable feasts—a dinner in the Durbar Hall, lunch at the Sheesh Mahal, a tea in the garden, or supper on the pool deck under the stars. Everything here feels unstaged, unfiltered, and regally authentic. Just as it should be. From $340. —Shunali Khullar Shroff" - CNT Editors
"Offering outdoor pool and a spa and wellness centre, Samode Palace is located in Jaipur. Free Wi-Fi access is available in public areas and the business centre. The property is 45 km from City Palace and 50 km from Amber Fort. Jaipur Airport is 56 km awat and Jaipur Railway Station and Jaipur Bus Stand are 44 km away. Rooms here will provide you with a flat-screen TV, air conditioning and a minibar. Featuring a shower, private bathrooms also come with a bath and free toiletries. You can enjoy a mountain view from all the rooms. Extras include a seating area and cable channels. At Samode Palace you will find a restaurant and a fitness centre. Other facilities offered include meeting facilities, a games room and a tour desk. The in-house restaurant serves Indian, Continental and Italian cuisine. Room service options are also available." - My Boutique Hotel (en)
"If you get the feeling that you’re wandering through a movie set whilst at Samode Palace, that’s probably because you are. This 150-year-old Rajasthani abode has been the backdrop to numerous Bollywood movies, as well as Raj-romance classic, ‘The Far Pavillions’. The building stands in serene, sprawling splendour on a hilltop at the end of a dusty road, an hour's drive from Jaipur. A magnificent example of Rajput-Mughal architecture, it boasts some of the finest frescoes and mirror-work in Rajasthan. We came for rest and recuperation and found ourselves on our own Royal Progress through endless wings, terraces, courtyards and levels, marvelling at lavish creations like the extravagantly painted Durbar Hall and breathtaking Sheesh Mahal. Twisting staircases and painted corridors open up to spacious rooms and suites, which have a timeless, elegant charm. After a day's sightseeing, you can explore the tranquil garden, unwind with an Ayurvedic massage in the spa, or sink a sundowner by one of the 2 pools. At dusk, the twinkling palace lights illuminate the darkness and inject plenty of romantic appeal to alfresco dinners in the flower-scented courtyards or feasts in the fine-dining restaurant. Wander through the manicured ground or peruse an impressive classic car collection: if you've ever wanted to play out childhood fantasies of living like a king or queen, Samode Palace is the place to do it. Highs The palace has been meticulously restored to accentuate the wonderful architecture and grand scale, with amazing mosaics and frescoes Camel safaris in the bush at sunset are an unforgettable experienceThis is an ideal place to rejuvenate and relax, with Ayurvedic treatments, Balinese massages, a sauna and a steam roomThe wine list is superb, and the terrace by the rooftop infinity pool is a magical place to savour a drink Honeymooners will adore the sumptuous Royal Suites, with their private balconies, dining rooms, and outdoor Jacuzzis Lows Visiting groups and gala dinners can make it feel impersonal at times, though non-guests can't use the rooftop pool or the fine-dining restaurantThere’s nowhere else to visit in the area, and some of the extras seem expensiveSome of the Deluxe Rooms can be dark - opt for a suiteSome consider it to be more commercialised than other heritage hotels, and we've heard reports of staff encouraging guests to buy their families' wares" - Nadine Mellor
"As Indian royal fantasies go, it doesn’t get much more classic than this. The Samode Palace, in the rocky hills an hour or so from Jaipur, appears more or less unchanged over the course of its four-hundred-year life — in its new life as a luxury hotel, even the modern additions, such as they are, stick to the extravagant style of the original." - Tablet Hotels
