Rambagh Palace Turns Jaipur's Former Royal Residence Into the City's Grandest Stay

Rambagh Palace began as a modest garden residence in the 1830s, built for a royal handmaiden, before it was expanded through the early twentieth century into a full palace and eventually became the private residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Man Singh II. It was converted into a hotel in the 1950s, and its public rooms, courtyards and grounds still carry the scale of a residence built for a ruling family rather than a purpose-built hotel.

Gardens laid out for a residence, not a hotel

The formal Mughal-style gardens surrounding the palace, with their symmetrical lawns, fountains and hedged pathways, were laid out while the building was still a private residence, and give the property a scale and openness that is unusual for a hotel inside a dense city. Peacocks, descended from birds kept on the grounds historically, still move freely across the lawns.

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Interiors that stayed close to their royal use

Rooms in the palace's original wings retain period detailing, from painted ceilings to furniture and artwork dating to the building's residential decades, rather than a wholesale modern refit. The Suvarna Mahal dining room and the Rajput-style Verandah Bar are among the interiors most associated with the palace's royal-era use.

A short drive from the City Palace and Pink City

The property sits a short drive from Jaipur's City Palace and the walled old city, letting guests base themselves in the palace's grounds while still reaching the Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal and the bazaars of the Pink City within a normal day's sightseeing.

Traveller tips

• Jaipur International Airport is roughly 15 to 20 minutes from the property by car, traffic permitting.
• Rooms and suites vary considerably in size and view; check specifics before booking if garden or courtyard views matter.
• Summer afternoons in Jaipur run hot; the gardens and outdoor pool areas are best enjoyed early or late in the day.
• The palace's public dining rooms and bar are open to non-resident diners with a reservation, a useful option for visitors staying elsewhere in the city.