The Oberoi Udaivilas

Udaipur is India's most romantic city, a place of white palaces floating on lakes, and the Oberoi group had the confidence to add to that skyline rather than simply convert an old building. Udaivilas was designed from scratch in the tradition of a Mewar palace: 30 acres of domes, frescoed courtyards, and a private lakefront that once belonged to the royal hunting grounds.

It should feel like a pastiche. Instead, thanks to real craftsmanship, from the hand-laid stone to the gold-leaf ceilings and semi-precious inlay, it feels like the genuine article, only with air-conditioning and a spa.

The Verdict

Proof that a new hotel, built with enough artistry and respect, can earn a place among the icons. For a honeymoon, there may be no more beautiful room on the subcontinent.