Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur named Best Hotel in the World

First Indian hotel to be named Best in the World in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2016

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur has been named as the Best Hotel in the World by the world’s largest travel site, TripAdvisor, in their annual Travellers’ Choice Awards. It is the first time that an Indian hotel has been named best in the world. Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur also ranked high on the lists of Top 25 Hotels in Asia and India.
 
Perched high above the desert capital of Jodhpur, Umaid Bhawan Palace, the last of India’s great palaces, was also one of the largest royal residences in the world when it opened its gilded doors in 1943. Designed by the well-known Edwardian architect, Henry Vaughan Lanchester, Umaid Bhawan Palace is perhaps one of the largest and best-preserved showcases of the Art Deco style, built entirely in golden yellow sandstone.
 
This splendid palace has a private museum, its own post office and an elegant wood-panelled library.  The palace also offers recreational facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, a billiards room, four tennis courts, two unique marble-floored squash courts and fifteen acres of gardens. Guests can stroll through the private museum, dine in the candlelit palace grounds or put their skills to the test on the marbled squash courts. Venturing out beyond the palace gates, visitors have the option to explore the city in a vintage car drive accompanied by their royal butler or go further afield to dine under the starry night sky in the Thar Desert.
 
Celebrating this proud moment, Mr. Vincent Ramos, General Manager, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces said:
 “We are extremely proud to have been recognized as the best hotel in the world. Rajasthan’s rich regal history is a completely unique experience for traveller’s world over and we are proud to work with the royal families including those of His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh as custodians of these exceptional landmarks of our heritage. My colleagues and I value each and every guest’s comments and endeavour to provide impeccable experiences with warmth and sincerity that the Taj is known for.”
 
Eight other iconic Taj hotels were recognized as among the best in the world and in the region:

• Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur ranked 3rd in the Top 25 Hotels in India and 14th in Asia; 2nd in the Top 25 Hotels for Service in India and 18th in Asia; and 5th in the Top 25 Luxury Hotels in India
• Rambagh Palace, Jaipur ranked 15th in the Top 25 Luxury Hotels in the World, 7th in Asia and 2nd in India; 7th in the Top 25 Hotels in India; and 13th in the Top 25 Hotels for Service in India
• Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Maldives ranked 6th in the Top 10 Hotels in Maldives; 9th in the Top 25 Hotels for Service in Asia and 2nd in Maldives; 11th in the Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Asia and 3rd in Maldives
• The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, Taj Exotica, Goa, Taj Cape Town, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences and Vivanta by Taj – Bentota, Sri Lanka featured on the list of Top 25 Luxury Hotels in India, Top 25 Hotels in India, Top 25 Hotels in South Africa, Top 25 Hotels in the United Kingdom and Top 25 Hotels in Sri Lanka, respectively