Lake Palace Hotel,
Udaipur
Client
IHC Taj
Lake Palace Hotel,
Udaipur
Originally built in 1746 as the pleasure palace of Maharana Jagat Singh II, the Lake Palace is one of the most recognisable hotels in the world due to its serene architecture and spectacular setting.
JPA’s brief was to restore the once stunning interiors and extend the palatial atmosphere throughout the entire hotel while ensuring the guest experience could be enjoyed to the full by unobtrusively integrating all the required modern comforts and conveniences. To ensure our designs were as faithful to the original as possible, members of our team spent time in Udaipur and elsewhere in Rajasthan researching local crafts, skills and artefacts, as well as the architectural vernacular before applying all the knowledge gained to the design process.
The result is that the interiors are rich in authentic detail with decorative plaster-relief friezes, intricate corbels, timber grid ceilings, cast brass bezels, delicate frescoes, paneling and mouldings all accurately reflecting the original aesthetic. In contrast, the furniture is simple and elegant, an approach which ensures that the
interiors remain restful and do not become overpowering.
Jharokha, the hotel’s coffee shop, contains intricately carved marble columns, arches, corbels and coffers, and enjoys some of the finest views across the lake while the equally elaborately detailed fine dining restaurant, the Neel Kamal, enjoys views over the main lily pond courtyard.
Underlying the historical ambience of the guestrooms and suites, new services have been inconspicuously introduced to enhance guest comfort and provide the amenities expected of a hotel of this standing.
Entertainments and amenities are housed in colonial-style armoires, air conditioning grilles are concealed in the plaster friezes and heritage bathroom fittings have been manufactured to the highest, modern
standards.
