A ‘heritage hotel’ in India refers to the numerous restored palaces, forts, havelis (private mansions) and hunting lodges, particularly in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, which have been converted into hotels. Many of these fabulous and evocative buildings are still managed by the former princely families, who treat visitors as their guests.
These hotels range from the fabulously luxurious to quirky faded grandeur, but they all have character in spades and seem to shout of timeless India. It is worth bearing in mind that due to their age, some of these buildings may have quirky architecture, erratic plumbing, low doorways or unguarded drops. Heritage hotel management differs from that of conventional hotels and service may be idiosyncratic, although it is almost always friendly.
There is something completely magical and uniquely Indian about these hotels and we thoroughly recommend experiencing one of these places for at least part of your stay. The term ‘Heritage Hotel’ has become something of a catch all in India, and the quality of the experience differs widely. We tend to steer clear of places that are used for group tours, as this makes for a very different sort of atmosphere and we think that the personal and exclusive feeling is what our independently minded travellers are looking for.
Talk to us and we’ll make suggestions that we think will suit you.
