Luxury lakeside resort with opulent architecture, lush gardens, spa
HMGC+VVV, Badi-Gorela-Mulla Talai Rd, Haridas Ji Ki Magri, Pichola, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313004, India Get directions
"An opulently designed lakeside property inspired by local palatial architecture, notable for its theatrical setting, top-tier dining, and a consistently helpful staff that enhances the regal ambiance." - Paul Brady Paul Brady Paul Brady is the news director at Travel + Leisure and the brand's expert on cruise travel. He has been covering the travel industry for more than 15 years for outlets including Condé Nast Traveler, Skift, and The Huffington Post. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Overlooking lush gardens and Lake Pichola, this glamorous resort in Udaipur is almost too beautiful to be real. Luckily for us, it is. The 88-foot pool is clearly an architectural work of wonder, sandwiched between views of the garden and ocean, and the beautiful arches and domes of the hotel. While it's open to all hotel guests, there is a secondary spa pool for adults only. The property itself is located on 50 acres of the 200-year-old hunting grounds of the Maharana of Mewar, and boasts a 20-acre wildlife sanctuary."
"Describe this place for us. Of all the Oberois, this is the mothership. Epic in scale, seamless in performance, it's glamorous, heavy hitting, and ethereal at the same time, right on the lake and wondrous to behold. It’s a jolt to the senses, a narrative in marble and sandstone, and reflects the country’s ongoing magnificence. Wow—sounds incredible. Is there a story behind it? There are 32 hotels operating under the Oberoi umbrella, but only four are Vilas properties, conceived by Biki Oberoi at the dawn of the millennium as a new breed of palace-hotel. Traditional in design and decorative detailing, the Vilas showcase Rajasthani craftsmanship with a modern practicality. The Oberoi’s obsession with detail and their guests’ experience cuts right through the corporate gleam. We love that. What can we expect from the bedrooms? Suites are set a little too far back from the lakeshore. Rooms with semi-private pools are less than half the size, but very satisfying, with a half-postered bed, a pretty jharokha (window seat), and Victorian-style tubs. A private courtyard (sealed with solid wooden doors) leads to a patio with views of Udaipur’s pretty lake; broad steps lead directly into a huge pool shared between a few rooms. Pretty nice places to crash, in other words. How about the food and drink? A huge choice at breakfast—Mr. Biki comes round to inspect the color of the yolks, which better be "sunrise yellow." There are just the two interlinked restaurants; dinner-only Udaimahal for regional dishes, while highlights at Surya Mahal include saffron-flavored polenta cakes topped with grilled vegetables and roasted tomato, or pan-fried salmon with saffron beurre blanc. The thali is a plate of succulent cubes of meat and paneer prepared in the tandoor, each little bowl filled with the chef’s choice of tasting samples. Yummy. Anything to say about the service? Highly anticipatory, with staff members encouraged to create unscripted personal additions for guests, such as gifts of metal-wrought tea lights or a pouch for your computer adaptors. Specify a special tea and you will find it waiting for you the next day; an empty toothpaste tube is replaced with the exact same brand. Amazing. What type of person stays here? Well-dressed, sophisticated, urbane. Got it. What’s the surrounding area like? Udaivilas is a pocket of loveliness surrounded by bird-filled trees and nature, although only a few kilometers from the City Palace and markets. The only hotel in Udaipur that competes is Taj Lake Palace, which offers a historic royal palace experience but with design and space limitations by which Udaivilas—built on the maharana’s former hunting grounds—is not constrained. That's quite a leg up. Anything we missed? There's a brilliant spa and an excellent bar, almost country club-like. Nice. And anything you’d change? Build a restaurant with a lake view. Fair request! So, is it worth it—and why? Udaipur is the city to spend time in after a Rajasthan road trip, and Udaivilas has the best location. After a few raw experiences in India’s chaotic cities, it’s like checking into a great restorative embrace." - Pippa de Bruyn
"Located in Udaipur—a city of imposing forts and intricately carved lakeside temples—this lakeside luxury resort was voted the country's No. 2 resort by readers, embodying Rajasthan's tradition of grand palace hotels and delivering high marks for service, hospitality, and an overall regal atmosphere." - Tanvi Chheda Tanvi Chheda Tanvi Chheda is a writer and family travel expert. Her work has appeared in Afar, Departures, Delta Sky,Virtuoso Life, Westways, The New York Times, Ciao Bambino, and Travel + Leisure, where she was formerly an assistant editor. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Set on more than 50 acres along Lake Pichola in central Udaipur, this celebrated luxury retreat (opened in 2002) evokes centuries-old Mewari palaces with tiled open-air corridors, stone pavilions, arched entryways, fountains and 37 domes — including an 18-carat gold-leaf lobby dome and a candle room dome encrusted with 175,000 Thikri mirrors. Landscaped by Bill Bensley, the manicured gardens and ponds host resident peacocks and offer views of City Palace, Taj Lake Palace and Jag Mandir. Accommodation includes 87 rooms and multiple suites with handcrafted furniture, natural fabrics and bright Rajasthani accents; more than 60 rooms have cushioned bay seats and many premier rooms open directly to semi-private pools, while suites (including the Kohinoor Suite) boast private pools, infinity-edge pools, fireplaces and carved marble screens. Dining is centered on two outlets — Suryamahal (international) and Udaimahal (Rajasthani/North Indian) — with nightly live Rajasthani music, inventive, customizable menus from head chef Alok Anand (for example, adding pine nuts to a water-chestnut dish), and options for private dinners. Service is notably warm and ceremonial, from floral welcome rituals and turbans/keepsakes to highly attentive staff who assist with city arrangements; the property suits couples and multigenerational groups and offers sunset boat rides, couples’ massages and private-flute-accompanied dinners. Practical features include wheelchair-accessible ramps and an accessible room, plus sustainability measures such as a 1 MW solar plant supplying roughly 60% of electricity, wastewater treatment for garden irrigation, and a plan to eliminate single-use plastic bottles." - Sarika Bansal
