4. Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur

Towering above the Blue City, the home of Jodhpur’s erstwhile royal family is an imposing sight on Chittar Hill. Umaid Bhawan Palace is among the largest private residences in the world, formerly home to Maharaja Gaj Singh and his family. Touted as one of the most dramatic and visually inspiring palaces in India, it features a soaring 105-foot dome and vaulted banquet halls, an opulent Durbar Hall, as well as gleaming granite and marble floors, oozing withArt Deco splendour. Umaid Bhawan is part museum and part hotel, managed by the Taj group. Travellers to Jodhpur can live like royalty in this grand golden sandstone palace that dates back to 1943. Between interiors dressed in Burmese teak and gardens where peacocks roam free, there’s no shortage of photo-worthy spots in this lavish abode.