6 royal palaces turned luxury hotels, from Jaipur’s Rambagh Palace that hosted Prince Charles and Jackie Kennedy, to the historic Aman Summer Palace in Beijing loved by a Chinese empress

Sep 1 , 2021

Have you ever wanted to live like a royal? Well, now you can ... for a holiday, at least, at these six hotels that were once palaces like the Taj Lake Palace Hotel. Photo: travelplusstyle.com

Most of us aren’t Meghan Markle and can only dream of becoming a royal … but these hotels in India, Italy, Turkey and China will let you holiday like one, at least

Taj Lake Palace was James Bond’s hotel of choice in 1983’s Octupussy, while Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul was a 17th century Ottoman imperial palace

Most of us have probably dreamt of becoming kings and queens, at least at some point in our lives. While this will almost certainly remain a dream for everyone except for the lucky Meghan Markles of the world, it doesn’t mean we can’t have a taste of it. In fact, we can even sleep like royalty, albeit for a limited time and a handsome price.

Here are some former real life palaces that have been turned into luxury hotels.

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

Catch the breathtaking sunset at Taj Lake Palace. Photo: tajhotels.com

Tired of trying to nab the hotel room with the best view in the house? That won’t be a problem at Taj Lake Palace which, as it name suggests, is a floating hotel in the middle of Lake Pichola. It was built between 1743 and 1746 at the request of Maharana Jagat Singh II, son of former Indian ruler Sangram Singh II.

The interior of Taj Lake Palace is just as stunning as its exterior. Photo: tajhotels.com

It has 83 luxury rooms and 18 grand suites, each with an amazing view and facilities such as a private bar. The hotel also has a rooftop restaurant and a floating spa, and was James Bond’s hotel of choice in 1983’s Octupussy.

Prices start at US$420/night.

Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, India

The Rambagh Palace was often called the “Jewel of Jaipur”. Photo: tajhotels.com