Taj Lake Palace
A white-marble summer palace on an island in Lake Pichola, run as a hotel by Taj since 1971.
The photograph shows the region, not the hotel.
- Built
- White marble, around 1743 to 1746, under Maharana Jagat Singh II (Wikipedia also gives a 1362 date for the lake and palace and does not reconcile the two)
- Original use
- A summer palace, first called Jagniwas or Jan Niwas
- Site
- The island of Jag Niwas in Lake Pichola, Udaipur
- As a hotel
- Maharana Bhagwat Singh turned it into Udaipur's first luxury hotel; Taj took over management in 1971 and added 75 rooms; a second restoration took place in 2000
- On screen
- Fritz Lang's 1959 films and Octopussy (1983)
- In our itinerary
- Two nights in the India route, priced at US$266 a night
What it is
The Lake Palace is a summer palace of white marble on an island in Lake Pichola. Wikipedia dates it to about 1743 to 1746, under Maharana Jagat Singh II, and says it was designed to look as if it were floating on the lake. The page also gives an older date, 1362, for the lake and palace, and it does not explain how the two relate, so treat the building's history with a little caution.
It became a hotel in the twentieth century. Maharana Bhagwat Singh decided to open it as Udaipur's first luxury hotel, with Didi Contractor as a design consultant from 1961 to 1969. In 1971 Taj Hotels took over management and added 75 rooms, and the palace was restored again in 2000.
A palace on an island
The setting is the whole point. The hotel occupies the island of Jag Niwas in Lake Pichola, on a foundation of about four acres. A stay here means being on the water rather than in a building on the shore.
The practical consequences follow from the island. Our itinerary describes it as reached only by boat, so ask how guests get to and from the hotel, what time the last boat leaves and what happens to a late dinner in the city.
On screen
The palace has been a film location. Wikipedia lists Fritz Lang's 1959 films The Tiger of Eschnapur and The Indian Tomb, and the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy. If you recognise a corridor or a courtyard, that may be why.
Rooms and the rate
Wikipedia does not give a total room count. It mentions only the 75 rooms added in 1971. The rate in our India itinerary is US$266 a night, the figure listed on a comparison site, and the page we read does not show the dates it applies to. Rooms facing the lake and the suites cost more, and the gap between categories is larger than the gap between months.
Who it suits
It suits travellers who want one night or two in a palace on the water, especially as a high point in a Rajasthan route. Two nights give time to see the lake from the water and the city by day.
It is a poor fit for anyone who wants to walk out into a busy neighbourhood in the evening, or who is looking for a quiet, low-key stay. An island hotel is a destination in itself, with the trade-offs that come with that.
| Rate | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Room, per night, as used in our India itineraryA listing figure on a comparison site. The dates and room category are not shown on the page we read. | US$266 | momondo, Taj Lake Palace |
Published prices read on 11 October 2026. They are not quotes: rates change by date, room and availability, and may exclude taxes and service charges. Ask us for a quote for your dates.
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- How do guests reach the hotel, and until what time do boats run?
- Which rooms face the lake, and what is the price difference?
- How many rooms and suites are there today, after the 1971 and 2000 changes?
- Is the hotel open to non-guests for dinner, and does that affect the lake views?
- What are the current rates for our dates, with taxes and service charge?
This page is compiled from the sources above. A detail they did not give is left out, not guessed.
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