Best location in Udaipur overlooking Lake Pichola and next to the City Palace and museum, gorgeous indoor and outdoor public areas and gardens, grand vintage architecture, private pass allowing off-hours access to the city palace grounds, grand swimming pool, hidden-away bar overlooking the lake, charming and cozy dining room for all meals, delicious gourmet food beautifully prepared and served, very professional staff at the bar and restaurant, and at the front desk who took care of me whenever I needed something out of the ordinary, like protecting my valuables after I forgot to empty my safe when I checked out.

My room only opened onto a tiny enclosed patio with no other windows. The room felt monastic with few of the vintage touches I was expecting when compared to other heritage hotels I’ve stayed at in Rajasthan….perhaps other rooms are better. Strange electric outlet setup that made charging iPhone/iPad impossible when I turned out the room lights, even after I fiddled with all of the various on/off outlet switches that are common in India.

The Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel provided us with a tranquil and peaceful experience. Every staff member we encountered demonstrated professionalism, friendliness, and helpfulness, going above and beyond. Situated within the palace, the hotel boasts an ideal location. The reception area, restaurant, bar, pool area, and grounds are impeccably presented and maintained. We were fortunate to stay in a terraced suite with a picturesque view of Lake Pichola. While the suite itself was spacious and once grand, it requires renovation, particularly the bathroom, falling short of a 5-star standard. Despite this, the housekeeping staff ensured its cleanliness.

It's regrettable that the room hasn't kept pace with the rest of the hotel's excellence. We hope they address room upgrades soon to align with the overall quality and the price paid. Nevertheless, this wouldn't deter us from staying again.

All very good: the room, though it seemed a little small, the location, the courteous staff, the breakfast and the ambience. I particularly liked the location because of its rich history. I appreciated their respecting my request for a disabled friendly bathroom and a wheelchair for my wife. Assistance was always available for the wheelchair. On the whole it was a very good and enjoyable experience

The bed was a bit small for a couple, especially an elderly one like us. It could be because of the room being a bit small. But that can't be helped because it is an old heritage building. Still the width of the bed can perhaps be increased by 6 inches. The drainage in the bathroom (#23) was faulty, which needs immediate attention. I told the staff, who did the room, about it. The part of the city next to the Palace is very congested and choked with vehicles. It will be nice if it can be conveyed to the district administration that restrictions on entry of vehicles should be imposed on this older part of the city. This will make the movement of tourists safe and comfortable and will also help in keeping the area clean.

The overall experience was truly remarkable, although I had certain expectations considering the property's affiliation with the City Palace. I had hoped that the rooms and other amenities would match the grandeur of the palace, but it turned out that the prices were on the higher side in comparison to what was offered. The rooms themselves were quite basic, and it's essential to have realistic expectations about the premises. However, there were some exceptional aspects that deserve appreciation. The Snooker room, for instance, captured our attention with its well-preserved historical charm, seemingly untouched for decades, possibly dating back to the British era. The marble swimming pool was a true delight, with its crystal-clear waters adding to its allure. The Bar room was a must-visit destination for our family, providing a wonderful setting for quality family time. The interior design was simply exquisite. Additionally, the Dining room was exceptional, offering a delightful culinary experience. One of the highlights of our stay was the staff. They went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and truly treated us like family. Their warm and welcoming hospitality added immensely to our overall enjoyment. Although the food selection was somewhat limited, the quality was excellent, and it was more than sufficient to satisfy our tastes. Despite the room's simplicity and the higher cost, I would highly recommend visiting this place for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

All mentioned above.

This was a pricey suite which I booked but for that we expected an exceptional stay and were not disappointed. Friendly, clean, scenic inside and out. The hotel is literally a wing of the historic city palace dating from the british times. Stylishly set around a small pool for morning swim and high above the bustle of the street. There’s excellent safe food from the restaurant range of international and Indian. Of the Indian highly recommend the Murgh malai tikka which was not at all spicy and quite exceptional.

Booking.com description of the room was misleading but hotel was able to rectify to be close ish to what I’d paid for so no harm done on this occasion.

This property was the best I have stayed in India. friendly staff with excellent location and it comes with the perks of walking around the palace at night, truly privilege. You can do everything at a walking distance which saves the traveler from a lot of hassle. The decor is very antique style which is quite unique as well and will definitely make your stay unique.

The property needs some maintenance as it’s a bit rundown. The bathtub could not be used as the drain was broken. It didn’t affect me as I didn’t use it but if you are looking for a romantic stay it might be a bit of a turn down.

fabulous reception staff, incredible position of the hotel, in fact if you do not choose this one or the nearby taj you will not enjoy the real taste of udaipur tried also the restaurant at the swimming pool, excellent service and one of the best chefs and food I encountered in India congratulations to the manager for running so well this difficult hotel

It was the most amazing experience I had ever had. I felt like I was in a storybook back in time. The staff from the time off my arrival till the day, I left were more than wonderful. As for the staff in the restaurant at the hotel they were beyond expectational. In general, I had a wonderful time. I will definitely return one day. The chef had excellent presentation skills he knows how to use the spices. I enjoyed all the dishes. I recommend the fish dish with vegetables. This was my favorite travel experience. The ambience was just what I needed.

Frankly speaking, I didn't find anything at this hotel that I didn't like. I would recommend this hotel to anyone if they ever travel to Udaipur, India. Great Staff

Location, location, location. Who would not want to stay in a king’s palace. Beautiful historic hotel in the City Palace complex. A haven of calm and tranquillity in the heart of the city. The staff cannot do anymore to make your stay memorable.

Very little to improve upon really. We had a bit of drama when awaiting our airport pick up… but that was to do with the congestion around the palace complex rather than the hotel itself.

Our stay at Shiv Niwas was incomparable to anywhere we have ever stayed. The old grandeur mixed with excellent hospitality, and our incredible room with a lake view and terrace made it incredibly memorable. Breakfast was excellent with a variety of fruit, eggs made to order and a range of fresh Indian breakfast options. Our butler Pushka was especially helpful and made us feel very well looked after. I would highly recommend staying here and would absolutely stay here again!