Cover Live like a royal in one of these palaces (Photo: Tharun Thejus / Unsplash)
Live like a royal in one of these palaces (Photo: Tharun Thejus / Unsplash)
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Around the world, opulent palaces have been reimagined as luxury hotels, offering guests a taste of royal living
Ever dreamed of waking up in a royal bedchamber, sipping tea where emperors once lived or strolling through gardens that have witnessed centuries of intrigue? These days, opulent palaces have become impractical. So, what are enterprising palace owners to do? They transform the palaces into luxury hotels, inviting guests to immerse themselves in regal splendour.
These palatial hotels don't just offer a place to rest—they provide an experience steeped in history, luxury and unparalleled service. Prepare to step into a world where every detail is designed to make you feel like royalty. After all, who says fairy tales are only for storybooks?
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1. Taj Lake Palace (Udaipur, India)
Floating serenely on Lake Pichola like a marble mirage, the Taj Lake Palace was built in 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II of Mewar as a summer retreat. Its gleaming white façade has served as both royal residence and cinematic backdrop. Now, it’s an exclusive hotel offering butler service, rooftop dining under Rajasthani canopies and panoramic views of Udaipur’s palaces and temples reflected in the water. As far as former palatial homes go, you don’t book a room here—you claim a throne.
2. Çırağan Palace Kempinski (Istanbul, Turkey)
Once a 17th-century Ottoman palace that hosted sultans and soirées, the Çırağan Palace oozes imperial gravitas. Destroyed by fire in 1910, it was restored and reborn as a five-star hotel in the 1990s. With hand-painted ceilings, crystal chandeliers and views of the Bosphorus, guests sip Turkish coffee where pashas once plotted. The Sultan’s Suite remains one of the most expensive hotel rooms in the world because decadence isn’t dead.
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3. Rambagh Palace (Jaipur, India)
Nicknamed the “Jewel of Jaipur”, this grand palace was home to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and his glamorous wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi, who was once considered one of the world’s most beautiful women. Originally built as a garden retreat in 1835, the property evolved into a royal residence and now a Taj hotel. Think peacocks on the lawn, four-poster beds, polo grounds and high tea on the veranda. Jaipur’s pink sandstone never looked so chic.
4. Villa d’Este (Lake Como, Italy)
The House of Este owned numerous palaces, but this is perhaps the most popular. Built in 1568 for Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio, this Lake Como estate later became a playground for European aristocracy and Hollywood royalty. Queen Caroline of Brunswick once took up residence here, and the villa’s Renaissance charm remains untouched by time. With sculpted gardens, private boat docks and a floating pool, it’s where old-world elegance flirts with la dolce vita.
5. Gritti Palace (Venice, Italy)
This 15th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal was once the private home of Doge Andrea Gritti and later the preferred haunt of Ernest Hemingway. Today, it’s a luxury hotel where guests dine on foie gras beneath hand-blown Murano glass chandeliers. Stay in Hemingway’s suite, order a Bellini at the Club del Doge and enjoy the kind of canalside drama only Venice can serve.
6. Umaid Bhawan Palace (Jodhpur, India)
One part sandstone behemoth, one part Gatsby fantasy, Umaid Bhawan is still partly occupied by the Jodhpur royal family. Commissioned by Maharaja Umaid Singh during a famine to provide jobs, this Art Deco marvel boasts 347 rooms, peacock-filled gardens and a museum that reminds you of the family who still lives upstairs. Built between 1928 and 1943, it’s one of the world’s last great palaces.
7. Palace of Versailles (Versailles, France)
While you can’t exactly check into Marie Antoinette’s boudoir, Versailles has opened part of its hallowed halls to guests via the Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle. Think 18th-century wallpaper, but with a Dyson hairdryer. You’ll dine like Louis XIV, explore the gardens after hours and perhaps declare, “Let them eat cake”, over your morning croissant.
8. Palácio Príncipe Real (Lisbon, Portugal)
Many palaces are actually large homes, such as this one. Tucked away in a leafy Lisbon neighbourhood, this 19th-century noble residence is now a boutique hotel with painted ceilings, carved woodwork and an honour bar that seems almost too democratic for such an aristocratic setting. With just 28 rooms and a pool nestled in citrus trees, it’s like being handed the keys to someone’s (very luxurious) ancestral home.
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