Umaid Bhawan Palace – Jodhpur
Maharaja Umed Singh of Jodhpur travelled to England in 1925, in search of an architect for palace and commissioned the London firm Lanchester and Lodge to build the same. The blue prints of the palace were approved and the foundation stone was laid in 1929. About 3000 people were employed for 15 years to complete this sandstone palace. After the withdrawal of Title, Privileges and Privy Purses from the former rulers of the States by the Government of India in 1971, it became difficult to maintain the palaces. The young Maharaja Gaj Singh started looking and exploring the possibilities of turning a part of the palace into a hotel. In 1977 a contract was signed with ITC Welcomgroup and Umed Bhawan was opened into the finest luxury hotel in India. It has 95 rooms and suites with telephones, attached baths, video, television, refrigerators, channel music etc.
