Built in 1746 as the pleasure palace of Maharana Jagat Singh II, the Lake Palace occupies its own four-acre island on Lake Pichola — which means you arrive, properly, by boat. From the water it appears to float: white marble walls rising straight out of the lake, the Aravalli hills folded behind, the City Palace watching from the shore.
The theatre never slackens inside. Courtyards of lotus ponds, a lily pond the original builders used for moonlit gatherings, butlers descended in some cases from original palace retainers. It remains the single most requested address on our Rajasthan journeys, and it earns the requests.
Why We Place Guests Here
- The boat arrival is the finest hotel entrance in India — we time check-ins for late afternoon, when the light turns the marble gold.
- Lake-facing heritage rooms and the historic suites hold the magic; we guide every guest through the categories honestly.
- Dinner on the Bhairo rooftop, under the stars with the City Palace illuminated across the water, is a journey highlight in itself.
The Table
- Bhairo — rooftop European fine dining over the lake
- Neel Kamal — royal Mewari and Rajasthani cuisine
- Amrit Sagar bar — cigars and rare whiskies
The Elevated India Signature
Sunset shikara✦shikaraThe gondola-like wooden boat of Kashmir's Dal Lake and, by extension, the light canoes poled through Kerala's narrower canals — the quietest way to…Read in the glossary ↗ cruise around the palace before dinner, arranged privately.
Questions, Answered
How do you reach the Taj Lake Palace?
The palace stands on an island in Lake Pichola and is reached by the hotel's private boat from its jetty at the City Palace complex in Udaipur — around a ten-minute crossing.
Is the Taj Lake Palace worth staying at?
For most travellers to Udaipur, yes — it is India's most iconic palace hotel experience. Elevated India recommends at least two nights, with a lake-facing room or heritage suite for the full effect.
Journeys That Take You There
Heritage & Horizons: Royal Estates & Lake Palaces
13 Days / 12 Nights
Grand Rajasthan: Royal Palaces & Desert Estates
19 Days / 18 Nights
Explore the destination guide: Udaipur, Rajasthan ↗