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Umaid
Bhawan is one of the largest and grandest private residences in
the world.
The palace was built between 1929 and 1943 and over 3000 artisans
worked over 14 years to create this magnificent edifice.
If there is one palace that combines architectural extravaganza
with aesthetic triumph, it is the Umaid Bhawan Palace. If there is
something that is best experienced than described, it is
absolutely a stay at the Umaid Bhawan Palace.
From the
time of the origin of Jodhpur to the present day, the Rathore
capital suffered severe scarcity of water and drought followed
with unfailing regularity every third or fourth year. A tradition
developed among the Maharajas to alleviate the suffering of people
by creating work. The work usually took the form of building
canals, roads, temples, stepwells and palaces.
Rosita
Forbes, travelling in the 1930s through Jodhpur, experienced
firsthand the severe rainless times in Jodhpur, and described the
goings-on:
'The
scarcity of water in the city has been remedied by the erection of
a reservoir with eight pumping stations. Roads are spreading. Fine
buildings are springing up on the outskirts of the lovely town…'
Maharaja
Umaid Singh conceived the Palace as the centerpiece of his massive
famine-relief scheme. The acclaimed designs of Henry
Lanchester for Cardiff City Hall and Law Courts/Central Hall,
Westminster, impressed Maharaja Umaid Singh, and Lutyen's protégé
was entrusted with the job. 
It took 14
years and 3000 men to give shape to this stupendous expression.
The Palace was designed as a smooth combination of European
classical elements interlaced with oriental ones. Massive
sandstone boulders were cut from a quarry at Surasagar near
Jodhpur and transported by a special narrow-gauge train to the
construction sites. Master masons chiselled these rough stones
into blocks of five and seven tons. The blocks were then fitted in
an interlocking fashion with no mortar or cement being used in the
construction.
Furnished
with fashionable Art Deco interiors by the Polish artist and
decorator, S. Norblin, the palace consumed one million square feet
of the finest marble. The world of Umaid Bhawan Palace contained
everything that the royalty required – a private cinema hall, a
luxurious swimming pool inlaid with tiles depicting the zodiac,
gigantic royal suites, a soaring rotunda, fancy ball rooms, a
majestic durbar hall, billiards room, ballrooms, banquet halls,
libraries, staff quarters, servant quarters….
In 1977,
Umaid Bhawan opened as one of India's grandest luxury hotels.
Indoor pool
with a sun terrace, sauna, private museum, village safaris / camel
rides.
LOCATION : 3 kms. from Airport, 5 kms. from Railway
Station, 3 kms. from Bus Stand.
ACCOMMODATION : Number of Rooms:
Total A/C Rooms 96, Number of Floors:
3
FACILITIES
: Double A/C
63, Double Total 63, Suites A/C 33, Suites Total 33, Total Rooms
96, Centrally Airconditioned, 4, 250, 40, 3, 1, Indian,
Continental, Chinese, Rajasthan, Business Centre, Room Service,
H/C running water, Telephone, CCTV, Mini Refrigerator, Banquet
Facilities, Conference Facilities, Beauty Parlour, Shopping
Arcade, Health Club, Swimming Pool, Tennis, Golf, In House
Theatre, Museum, Palmist Squash. Doctor on call, Laundry, Money
Changer, Safe Deposit, Baby Sitting, Valet, Travel Desk Service
ADDRESS
: Umaid Bhawan Palace,
Jodhpur - 342 006 (Rajasthan)
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