Just last week, I wrote about how Aeroplan is now letting you book lap infant seats online on their website. It’s a great development and is bound to reduce wait times for many travelers who had to reach an agent in order to book tickets. I just finished finalizing my booking and I’m excited to check off one more item from my bucket list.
Bucket list item – where am I heading?
Growing up in India, I spent a lot of time traveling across the vast expanse of the country, immersing myself in its cultural diversity. Be it the towering snow capped mountains of Himachal Pradesh, the backwaters of Kerala or the stunning beaches of Goa – I experienced it all. However, one particular destination and property was always on my list of things to explore. I’m now looking forward to spending 3 nights at the Taj Lake Palace Udaipur.
The Taj Lake Palace Udaipur
Udaipur is a city in the state of Rajasthan, famous for its lakes, ancient architecture, grand palaces, forts and temples. The Taj Lake Palace Udaipur is located on Lake Pichola. The Mewar Royal family built the palace between 1743 and 1746 and used it as a summer retreat. In 1963, Maharana Bhagwat Singh converted it into a heritage hotel.
In 1971, the Tata group, which own Taj Hotels, took over the management of the hotel. In addition to 65 luxurious rooms, the hotel also boasts of 18 suites.
In popular culture
Many Hollywood and Bollywood movies have prominently featured the Taj Lake Palace Udaipur. James Bond fans may remember scenes from the film Octopussy, shot at the Lake Place in Udaipur.
In addition to featuring in films, the hotel has also won several awards. Condé Nast ranked it at 3 in their list of the Best Hotels in the World in 2019. Moreover, Lonely Planet Magazine also awarded it the title of the best Luxury Hotel in India back in 2015.
Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts
I booked the hotel using Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts portal. With my platinum card, I’ll be getting the following benefits during my stay:
- Noon check-in (subject to availability)
- Guaranteed 4 PM check out
- Daily Breakfast for 2
- Room Upgrade (subject to availability)
- Complimentary Wi-fi
- Experience Credit: Complimentary lunch or dinner, once during the entire stay
I used my Amex Platinum Card in order to make the booking. I booked a three night stay and was able to snag a luxury room with a view of Lake Pichola.
Since the hotel participates in Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts program, my purchase immediately triggered the $200 hotel credit that the Amex Platinum card offers. Inclusive of taxes, each night at a Lake View Room at the Taj Lake Palace Udaipur amounted to $736. Having booked three nights, my total came to $2,208. Thanks to the $200 hotel credit, that amount was reduced to $2,008.
The Pundit’s Mantra
The last couple of years have been really disruptive for all things travel. As things stabilize on the travel front, I’m now looking to gradually scale up my pace of travel. I’m sure many frequent travelers will also be chomping at the bit to tick off items from their bucket lists as well.
Which destination is next on your travel bucket list? Tell us in the comments section.
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Would have helped to see the menus and food presentation.