Fodor's Expert Review Fateh Prakash

Part of the haughty City Palace complex, this 19th-century retreat on the eastern bank of Lake Pichola looks across the water at the Lake Palace, and oozes stateliness and history—royal portratits, antiques, chandeliers, ornate ceilings and an abudance of crinkled-edged arches set the tone. The standard rooms are spacious, with marble floors, furnished with silks and period furniture; some have window seats and great views. The dining spaces of this hotel are equally memorable—you can opt for lake garden breakfasts or a sunset terrace tea. The royal family of Udaipur, the erstwhile maharanas of Mewar, headed by Arvind Singh Mewar, runs Historic Retreat Hotels which operates their palace-converted hotels, and this is one of their prettiest properties.