It is difficult to fathom that something as commonplace as educational coaching centers can virtually change the skyline of a city. I was struck by this striking reality when I visited the city of Kota in Rajasthan after a gap of several years.The city has become such a major destination for teens studying for the IIT-JEE, India’s premier engineering institutions that in the last few years it has become a bit of a boomtown, with bike shops, restaurants and hotels opening up, as well as the launch of the first commercial flights.
My interest in Kota though lay in its many forts and palaces, old temples and nature parks. One of the common threads that binds the lifestyle of the erstwhile rulers of Rajasthan is the magnanimous palaces and forts these Maharaja’s built for their stay. While most of these palaces were built in the fine Rajasthani architectural style, the place where I stayed in Kota, the WelcomHeritage Umed Bhawan Palace is surprisingly built in the Indo-Sarcenic style. The difference lies in the unique design that incorporates all the clean-cut solidity of the Victorian influence mingled with subtle Rajasthani trends as well.
I had travelled to Kota travelling by bus from Jaipur which is the nearest airport that has flights from all major cities in India. From Jaipur it is a 5 hour ride in a luxury bus.Alternatively, there are overnight trains to the Kota railway station from other major cities.
The grand palace has 32 air conditioned rooms including suites and I had chosen to stay in the deluxe room that cost me 6000 rupees for a 3 day(2 nights) stay.
The rooms were amazingly spacious with the highest ceilings i had ever seen, since the hotel is converted from a Palace. The large room had a wooden flooring with the added luxury to change clothes in an adjoining dressing room, which is quite spacious. It has a royal wooden coat hanger stand with small drawers for cufflinks, tie-pins etc. The adjoining bathroom is super large with top of the chart fittings. The toiletries provided are of premium herbal brand Biotique. Other amenities included color TV with satellite channels, mini-bar, telephone with international direct dial, running hot and cold water in the bathroom.24 hour room service,broad band internet service, meeting and banquet facilities are added amenities that ensure that you do not miss out on anything.
The in-house restaurant served a wide variety of mouthwatering Indian, Continental and Chinese delicacies.And whenever I felt too lazy to leave the room, the room service laid out the food in style. Eating in the large quite room is also a treat you enjoy while watching the TV. At other times, it was a pleasure to walk through the lush green gardens and the marbled corridors with artistic paintings that add to the regal atmosphere of the hotel.
The Umed Bhawan Palace is ideally located to explore some of the unique sites nearby prominent among them being the City Palace and Fort, Royal Cenotaphs, the national chambal wildlife sanctuary, sorsan grasslands, the Taragarh fort at Bundi, the 8th century Bardoli temples and the Ahlniya rock shelters with prehistoric paintings. There is a virtually a treasure trove of ancient heritage sites around Kota that makes staying at Umed Bhawan the perfect choice for travelers who wish to explore beyond the mundane.
The elegance and grandiosity of Umed Bhawan palace, the exotic food, royal hospitality and the enriching excursions – all come together to provide a rare and fulfilling experience to be cherished for a long,long time.
