Rambagh Palace

Rambagh Palace

Courtyard

The Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan is the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur and now a hotel, located 5 miles (8.0 km) outside the walls of the city of Jaipur on Bhawani Singh Road.

History

The first building on the site was a garden house built in 1835 for the wet nurse of prince Ram Singh II.^[1] In 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh, it was converted into a modest royal hunting lodge, as the house was located in the midst of a thick forest at that time. In the early 20th century, it was expanded into a palace to the designs of Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob.^[2] Maharajah Sawai Man Singh II made Rambagh his principal residence and added a number of royal suites in 1931.^[3] After India became independent and the princely states united, the Palace became the Government House. By the 1950s, the royal family felt that the upkeep of the palace and its 47 acres (190,000 m²) of gardens was becoming very costly. Therefore, in 1957^[3] they decided to convert it into a luxury hotel.^[3]

Awards and recognition

• Sep 2009 it was rated as the best hotel in the world by Conde Nast Traveller magazine.

Notes

1. Crump, Page 144.
2. Michell, in 1925, page 42
3. Crites, page 41

References

• Crump, Vivien; Toh, Irene (1996). Rajasthan (hardback). London: Everyman Guides. pp. 400 pages. ISBN 1-85715-887-3.
• Crites, Mitchell Shelby; Nanji, Ameeta (2007). India Sublime – Princely Palace Hotels of Rajasthan (hardback). New York: Rizzoli. pp. 272 pages. ISBN 978-0-8478-2979-8.
• Badhwar, Inderjit; Leong, Susan (2006). India Chic. Singapore: Bolding Books. p. 240. ISBN 981-4155-57-8.
• Michell, George, Martinelli, Antonio (2005). The Palaces of Rajasthan. London: Frances Lincoln. pp. 271 pages. ISBN 978-0-7112-2505-3.
• William Warren; Jill Gocher (2007). Asia's Legendary Hotels: The Romance of Travel (hardback). Singapore: Periplus Editions. ISBN 978-0-7946-0174-4.

External links

• Rambagh Palace, Jaipur