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4 boutique hotels in India where kings and queens once lived

These hotels offer luxurious stays that blend historical charm with cultural insights into the country’s royal heritage

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Jambughoda Palace in Gujarat, India, is located next to a wildlife sanctuary. Photo: Jambughoda Palace

Published: 6:15pm, 19 Mar 2025Updated: 7:08pm, 19 Mar 2025

India was once a land of kingdoms ruled over by nawabs and maharajas. After independence in 1947, the royal families had to cede power to the national government, but managed to retain their prestige – as well as their palaces and forts.

Many have now turned to tourism, opening up their properties to paying guests. Here are some of the most notable boutique hotels run by Indians of royal lineage.

1. Karan Mahal – Srinagar, Kashmir

Karan Mahal in Srinagar, Kashmir, in autumn. Photo: Karan Mahal

This seven-guest room villa overlooks Srinagar’s Dal Lake and the surrounding mountain ranges.

The residence of the former royal family of Jammu and Kashmir, the European-style villa, constructed in the 1920s, was restored by its current residents, husband and wife Yuvraj Vikramaditya Singh and Yuvrani Chitrangada Raje Singh, who has her own royal bloodline, her father, the late Madhavrao Scindia, having been the titular maharaja of Gwalior, in central India, as well as a politician.

The Imperial dining room of Karan Mahal, in Srinagar, Kashmir. Photo: Karan Mahal

The interiors feature Kashmiri antique carpets, handcrafted wooden ceilings, crystal chandeliers and art deco furniture.

Walking trails meander through its private cedar, fruit and walnut orchards, and produce from the estate is included in the Dogra, Nepalese and Kashmiri specialities on the restaurant menu.