Last Updated on January 5, 2023 by admin
Udai Bilas Palace in Dungarpur Rajasthan is the perfect getaway for visitors looking for heritage, luxury as well as something offbeat.
Visitors to Rajasthan most certainly visit popular tourist destinations such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur. Sometimes they also visit little offbeat destinations such as Bundi but Dungarpur is not really on the radar of tourists.
Even tourists from Gujarat make quick visits to Mount Abu which is 4.5 hours away from Ahmedabad but Dungarpur which is 3 hours away is not considered. It is time to make small weekends count by taking a luxury staycation near Ahmedabad.
There are many places to visit in Dungarpur, the erstwhile princely state, which can truly make this staycation a great holiday. Being an offbeat destination, one can choose to stay in Udai Bilas Palace, a heritage property situated on the banks of a lake overlooking the beautiful landscape.
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HOW TO REACH DUNGARPUR
Located 120 km from Udaipur and 174 km from Ahmedabad, Dungarpur is connected via trains and roads.
By Road
Dungarpur is situated 20 km away from the NH8, which is why it is very well connected to the North and Western states of India. It is connected to all major towns and cities in Rajasthan via Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) buses as well as Gujarat and MP state-run buses.
By Train
Dungarpur has a train station and there is a train every day between Udaipur and Ahmedabad that connects Dungarpur. From the station, the town is 3 km away.
By Flight
The closest airport is Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur which is 120 km away and has good domestic traffic. However, for international travelers, Ahmedabad Airport is better. From the airport, a private taxi can be hired to Dungarpur. Udai Bilas also offers travel assistance and can book a car for visitors.
ABOUT UDAI BILAS PALACE
Combine old-world charm and heritage with modern amenities and you have a serene property called Udai Bilas Palace. The Udai Bilas Palace has been carefully restored from its origins and woven into a luxury property and has been welcoming guests for over a decade.
Nestled on the banks of Gaib Sagar Lake, this luxurious property is a treasure trove of architectural corners and vintage appeal.
The hosts are the Prince and Princess consort of the Dungarpur Royal family namely Shri Harshvardhan ji and Smt Priyadarshini ji.
Here are all the details about my stay in Dungarpur, Rajasthan.
Booking and Check-in
We stayed at Udai Bilas Dungarpur over the Christmas weekend of 2022 and booked the property over call and got the confirmation over email.
We reached around the check-in time at 1 pm. Mr. Kalvendra Singh ji, the property manager was patiently waiting for us at the gate and with his warm smile welcomed us to the property. We were shown our suite and I was totally bowled over with details!
Rooms and Suite at Udai Bilas Palace Dungarpur
From the parking, we climb 3 steps to reach a huge garden lined with big trees. The rustling of leaves in the winter breeze is the only sound I hear. On one side is a mini bird zoo and on the other, a part of the palace converted into a hotel. There are a total of 22 rooms.
Suite Room
We climb 4 more steps to reach our suite. A huge room with 2 queen size beds and a family seating area welcomes us in a tastefully done room. The wallpaper, the wooden wardrobe, the study area, and the wooden chest are fine examples of exemplary aesthetics. The carpets try to keep the room warm from the cold wind blowing through windows.
As I walk to the bathroom, I notice more antiques that make one feel you are in no ordinary palace. The bathroom has all the modern amenities and still leaves a mark of heritage.
As I close the windows and blind shades to protect me from the cold, I am drawn to another curtain that doesn’t seem to have a window behind it. It in fact opens into another small room. Another fantastic wallpaper, I whisper to myself thinking how the grand suites would be.
Standard Room
There are six standard rooms in the property that offer a peep into the royal lifestyle. Adorned with vintage upholstery and antique furniture, the rooms offer a chance to know the heritage.
Art Deco Suite
This suite has heavy influences from Europe. In this suite, the modern amenities merge seamlessly with antique furnishings to provide comfort to the well-traveled visitor. It opens to an even bigger study area and then a sit-out overlooking the in-house ‘One Pillared Palace’.
The Art Deco Suite has a lovely view of the Gaib Sagar Lake from the window on the other side.
Maharawal Suite
When rich heritage gets a touch of artistic restoration it is indeed a connoisseur’s paradise. The Maharawal Suite displays the very best of antiquities and vintage upholstery from the bygone era and even has ornate balustraded balconies, friezes, and arches. The mirror work is exemplary and nothing like I have seen anywhere. A window opens to the glimpse of the marble temple – Vijay Rajrajeshwer Temple. On the other side of the room, the window opens to the ‘One Pillared Palace’.
As I breathe in this royalty, I walk to the big study area with plush comfortable sofa chairs.
Parallel to the study is a passage room to the bathroom with a floor seating area. The highlight of this room is that the ceiling and flooring are full of mirrors.
Food at Udai Bilas Dungarpur
Udai Bilas Dungarpur offers a Buffet option for the meals. Since guests mostly spend their days on the property or traveling to nearby places it is best to go for a full board plan (breakfast + lunch + dinner buffet).
The meals are a divine gastronomic blend of homemade Rajasthani cuisine. Quality ingredients are picked, fresh vegetables are harvested from the in-house organic garden, and comfort food is served at picturesque locations on the property. The entire menu and food preparation are overseen by the Yuvrani herself which assures the best quality of food that is not too heavy in masalas and oil.
The lunch is served near the lake in a small garden. It is a 3-course meal wherein soup is served on the table and the rest is a buffet. We had Dal-Bati-Churma in one of the lunch meals and it was delicious. There is a bar in case one wants to order some drinks before their meal.
Hi-tea is served around the swimming pool. Sipping hot tea in the cool breeze while biting into steamy pakoras is a lovely way to spend the evening. The locally famous Hing Samosa is also sometimes served along with gud ki gajak, cookies, and finger sandwiches.
The dinner at Udai Bilas Palace is something not to be missed and the best way to experience royalty. Dinner is served at Jenana Chowk, a courtyard with a long marble dining table. This dining table has a water pool in the middle and inlay work along the edges. The dining table is further decked up with rose petals, candles, and fairy lights making visitors ‘wow’ at first sight!
The meals are traditional Rajasthani items with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Dahi wale aloo, laal maas and gatte ki sabji are on the menu along with bajri ki puri. The dessert is Ras Malai followed by Paan, the mouth freshener after such a scrumptious meal.
The next day breakfast is served on the table adjacent to the marble table. This area has colorful glass chandeliers from the previous century. Breakfast is a mix of Gujarati + North Indian or South Indian snacks like khakhara, poha, idli sambhar, or aloo paratha. There is a live omelet counter as well as juices and fresh fruits.
UDAI BILAS PROPERTY TOUR | THINGS TO SEE
This is a perfect staycation option as there are many things to do and see in the property itself and one does not need to go out to get entertained.
Ek Thambia Mahal
Literally meaning a single-pillared palace, the structure was built using white marble and the locally available pareva and balwariya stones overlooking the Gaib Sagar Lake.
The palace features intricate sculptured pillars and panels, spectacular arches, ornate balconies, bracketed windows, beautiful arches, and a frieze of marble carvings, a notable marvel of Rajput architecture. The palace is divided into three parts viz Udai Bilas, Raniwas, and Krishna Prakash.
All other parts of the Palace were slowly added as an extension to Ek Thambia Mahal Dungarpur.
Ek Thambia Mahal is visible from Art Deco Suite and Maharawal Suite and can be passed while going to Jenana Chowk. It is possible to go up the ladder in Ek Thambia Mahal and see the sculptures up close and personal. Just request at the reception and someone will open up the door.
It is lit up in the evening and looks equally mesmerizing in dark.
Dungarpur Mews
This 19th-century Udai Bilas Palace boasts an elegant mew, which has been converted into a vintage car museum and is a must-visit for anyone who loves cars. A horse stable and a storage yard later, the mews house 40-odd cars from all the well-known brands.
A 1947 Packard Clipper Deluxe, a 1939 Fiat 7-seater saloon, a 1942 Willys MB Jeep, a 1952 Willys CJ3A, a 1950 Cadillac Series 62 convertible, a 1949 Standard Flying 14, a 1966 Volkswagen Beetle, and a 1975 Land Rover are some of them on display and all of them still in working condition. There is a scaled-down replica of the DH-5 aircraft.
Garage Bar
After heartily looking at each car and taking picture of it and it, there is a small door that leads visitors to the Garage Bar. literally meaning a bar in the garage. It houses all the possible car accessories, trinkets, murals, souvenirs, paintings, and quotes about motor vehicles.
There are tire-shaped bar stools, sofa upholstery with car prints, and glass globes containing miniature cars that dangle from the roof. Every inch of the interior has a perfectly placed frame or accessory making it extremely aesthetic.
To give it the perfect garage feeling, the entire bar actually sits on a hydraulic pump and goes 2 meters above the ground. Talking about being on cloud 9!
Outdoor / Indoor Games
A tennis court and table tennis table ensure the visitors are not bored. Also, there is enough space to play football and cricket.
Spa
The property offers carefully designed spa experiences that refresh and reinvigorate. There are three types of massages offered with different durations that are perfect for the body to relax and detox.
Swimming Pool
A swimming pool sits facing the Gaib Sagar lake, with stone-carved statues of elephants and crocodiles on its edge. It is designed in the infinity pool style overlooking the lake and marble temple.
Boating
Visitors staying at Udai Bilas Palace can go on a boat ride in Gaib Sagar Lake. Watching the sunset while paddling the slow boat is a great way to enjoy the evening. If you chose to go boating in the morning, there are ample birdwatching opportunities around the lake.
Birdwatching
The lake offers a perfect refuge to make species of endemic and migratory birds. Come winter and the lake is full of flocks of ducks and geese. There are even a few resident crocodiles that can be seen basking in the sun from the property.
There are many benches around the property overlooking the lake that is perfect for a bird-watching sit-out. Don’t forget the binoculars and camera.
PLACES TO VISIT IN DUNGARPUR
If you want to step out of the property and see the town, then there are many options to amuse you. Some of them are
Juna Mahal
2 km away from Udai Bilas through the rickety roads, lies the much-dilapidated structure of Juna Mahal. It looks more like a fort than a palace with a fort wall behind it.
With two stories in the basement and five above, this seven-storied palace was made as a safe point from enemy attack in the 13th century. It is known to be the longest continuously inhabited palace in India as the royal family lived here from the 14th century to the early 20th century.
What makes this palace unique is that each king who ruled here added art and made the interior unique. With narrow stairways up to the upper floor, it is a slow climb to discover what each floor unearths for visitors.
The first is the Darbar Hall, which holds the throne and a row of carpets leading to the throne from the bygone era. The entire hall is full of marble pillars, colorful glasswork, and painted ceilings.
The Fateh Prakash Mahal is done up with mirror inlay motifs of flowers, birds, and animals, whereas the Jaali ka Mahal lives up to its name with exquisite latticework letting in breeze and sunlight. The Sheesh Mahal has some of the best Rajasthani mirror work I have seen. It surely reminded me of the one in Amer Fort, Jaipur.
Each floor is a revelation of miniature paintings, murals, and mirror work, some of which are fading with time and begging for attention.
The topmost floor offers lovely views of Dungarpur town.
Shrinathji Temple
One of the places to visit in Dungarpur is Shrinathji Temple. A marble temple nestled on the banks of Gaib Sagar shines even at night from the Palace.
A big complex with many smaller shrines leads to the main temple. Shrinathji Temple houses life-size idols of Lord Shrinath and Goddess Radhika. Adjacent to this temple is two other temples – one dedicated to Lord Ram and another dedicated to Shri Banke Bihari Ji.
Badal Mahal
Badal Mahal is one of the popular tourist spots in Dungarpur for the locals. Overlooking the Gaib Sagar Lake and the artificial fountains, Badal Mahal is a big area that houses a palace-like structure that is now converted into a museum. Locals enjoy their picnic and snack time here during sunset.
Dungarpur War Museum
A war museum is created to give information about Indian Armed Forces including the army, navy, and air force. The foundation dates, important events, and uniforms are displayed in this small museum.
This museum surely reminded me of my visit to National War Memorial, Delhi.
FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT UDAI BILAS PALACE DUNGARPUR
Although a palace, this elegantly designed and aesthetically pleasing luxurious stay has a warm, homely feeling. I can safely say that it is a royal ‘homestay’ that radiates charm, warmth, and grace. The hosts and the staff is friendly and one can easily pick up a conversation with them. The warm hospitality is a warrant I would love to come back and stay here.
I had the perfect weekend getaway from Ahmedabad.
Already been to Dungarpur? Here are some other options for Weekend Destinations from Ahmedabad.
Book Udai Bilas Palace here
Contact and Bookings: Udai Bilas Palace
Address: Chamanpura, Dungarpur, Rajasthan 314001
Contact no.: +91 2964 230808 or +91 9314653967
Email: [email protected]
Click here to book a room for yourself!
Disclosure – I was a guest at Udai Bilas Palace. However, all opinions in this post are unbiased and my own.
Disclaimer – This post may contain affiliate links. It means it adds no extra cost to you if you book through the link but I get a referral bonus which helps me earn a little to keep this website up and running.
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