Rambagh Palace was initially built in 1835 to serve as a garden house for the wet nurse of Prince Ram Singh II, and continued to fulfill that purpose for over 50 years. It would only be during the reign of Maharaja Thakur Sawai Madhu Singh in 1887 that the property was converted into a royal hunting lodge, given its proximity to a nearby forested area. By the 20th century , the property was converted again, this time into a royal palace as designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob in 1905 and constructed from 1909 to 1916 by Chiman Lal and Bhola Nath. It is this structure that remains today.

Over the following years, the hotel managed to survive various events, such as both World Wars, the independence of India, its transition into a republic, and the loss of ruling status for people like the Maharajas, who made the hotel their primary residence in 1925. The then-sitting Maharaja, Sawai Man Singh II, had envisioned the property as a fully developed and renovated palace complex for decades, and in 1957, he decided to convert it into a public accommodation as a palace hotel under his family’s ownership and management.

In 1972, the property was acquired by Taj Hotels and Resorts, which has remained its owner up to the present. Since then, it underwent further development to better serve the needs of visitors, with several phases of renovation implemented between 2001 and 2014. Its efforts have led it to obtain multiple awards, such as the Favorite Indian Heritage Hotel by Conde Nast Traveller and Heritage Hotel of the Year by the Economic Times in 2023; Leading Wedding Hotel/Resort Gold Winner by the South Asian Travel Awards in 2024 and Best Leisure Hotel by the Anarock Showcase Hospitality & Travel Awards for both 2023 and 2024.

Design and Architecture

Rambagh Palace serves as an elaborate showcase of Indo-Saracenic architecture , as designed by architect Samuel Swinton Jacob. The Indo-Saracenic features are readily apparent with the use of arched passageways and doorways for terraces, balconies, and entrances. Other indicative elements of this style include the presence of decorative frescoes and naturalistic patterns on external support pillars, chhajja overhanging eaves , recessed iwan entrances , and open pavilions. 

In terms of interior spaces, similar styles can also be observed in both communal spaces and rooms, which are all lavishly decorated with geometric and naturalistic patterns on various surfaces, side-by-side with frescoes, paintings, and other artifacts. In terms of furnishings and furniture, the motif of traditional Indian patternings remains consistent, being largely wooden or wood-toned, alongside distinct Indo-Saracenic features like hand-carved jalis and marble domes.

Accessibility features** include lowered sinks, raised toilets, grab rails, bathroom emergency cords, and wheelchair accessibility. All these allow guests to have a comfortable, luxurious, authentic, and safe hospitality experience throughout their stay.

Guests at Rambagh Palace have five dining venues to choose from. All of these venues are open daily, and only ask guests to wear smart casual clothing:

Polo Bar

Designed for sophistication and charm, containing various images and souvenirs from the property’s past, this venue provides guests with a selection of fine wines and spirits to enjoy in comfort. This selection includes beverages such as cocktails, whiskeys, single malts, cognacs, wines, and other liquors, with a selection of Cuban cigars.

Serving hours: 12:00 PM to 11:45 PM

Suvarna Mahal

This restaurant is designed to give guests a grand royal dining experience by choosing among four special two or three-course (appetizer, main course, and dessert) meals that feature Rajput, Awadhi, Punjabi, and Hyderabadi cuisine. 

Serving hours: 7:00 PM to 11:45 PM

Steam

This special venue provides guests with a special dining experience that sees them savor their meals inside a fully restored train station with a refurbished steam train. Visitors can choose to either have their meals inside the modified station, al fresco right next to the train, or even inside the train cars themselves. The cuisine offered is a mixture of both Western, Eastern, and Indian dishes.

Serving hours: 7:00 PM to 11:45 PM

Rajput Room

This establishment gives visitors a regal and elegant dining environment, blending Indian and Western features not only in the design of the venue with its chandeliers and extensive natural or geometric patterns, but also in its culinary offerings.

Serving hours: 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM (breakfast), 12:00 PM to 11:45 PM (lunch and dinner)

The Verandah

This venue specializes in providing a selection of both Western, Eastern, and Indian cuisine, including light snacks, meals, and beverages, while in a palatial al fresco setting.

Serving hours: 12:00 PM to 11:45 PM

On the other hand, there are seven outdoor venues:

Sunken Lawn
Guest capacity: 110-200 guests

Panghat Lawn
Guest capacity: 150-350 people.

Naksha Garden
Guest capacity: 1,500-2,000 people

Oriental Terrace
Guest capacity: 32-50 (Terrace) and 80-150 (Garden)

Mughal Terrace
Guest capacity: 70-120 people

Mughal Garden
Guest capacity: 350-1,000 people

Cultural Events and Experiences

Rambagh Palace offers various luxury and wellness amenities, including a swimming pool and fitness center, for guests who wish to exercise or relax. For outdoor features, visitors may enjoy a Royal Carriage Ride, where they can go around palace grounds and experience part of the lifestyle of the maharajas. Playable outdoor sports and activities include tennis, croquet, patang baazi kite flying, yoga, and many others. Other experiences, such as cookie baking sessions, peacock feather collecting, and blue pottery making, are also available for interested guests.

J Wellness Circle is a luxury spa that features a whole range of Indian healing methods meant to help and rejuvenate visitors with traditional techniques. Among the Ayurvedic and regular therapies provided are the nidra, shodhana, svasthaa, trupti, vishrama, sushupti, pehlwan malish, pada mardana, and champi treatments. Body wraps and scrubs include vishuddi, posha, and aksha products.