AR from the maelstrom of India, seemingly lost in time, is a palace in Mewar, Rajasthan. This is no ordinary edifice. How many princely clans can trace their roots to the sun, or the moon? The Taj Lake Palace Udaipur, now an internationally acclaimed heritage hostelry, impeccably pickled circa 1740s, is a marble monument set atop the mirror-smooth Pichola Lake, looking out to the city and its ring of royal buildings along the shoreline.

One of the best Rajasthan palace hotels, this is without any doubt, a true taste of history for connoisseurs of the Indian experience. Where a young prince once entertained maidens in moonlight soirees on Jag Niwas Island, the cognoscenti now revel in luxury rooms starting at 300sq ft in Rajasthani décor with period wooden furniture, frescoed walls, a pillow menu for purists, a standalone bathtub for deep desert-cleansing soaks, WiFi, plasma TV, DVD, and 24-hour butlers.

Royal Suites with their arched alcoves and four-poster beds stretch living space up to a generous 650sq ft while top-of-the-line Grand Royal Suites serve up 1,200sq ft of eye-popping maharaja amenities. But why stop here? Go for a 1,734sq ft Grand Presidential Suite and literally live like a king. The Jiva Spa, and Jiva Spa Boat are on hand to pummel and massage tired limbs. Who wouldn’t need a good rubdown after a day packed with shopping, silver, camels, elephants and hallucinogenic Rajasthani colours?

Dine in private to say a “I do” before lugging out that rock for her hand. Opt for the Mewar Terrace with striking views of the City Palace, or sail off into the sunset on a 150-year-old ceremonial boat, Gangaur. And corporates with a penchant for the unusual could stage a small meeting for up to 70 theatre style in the Mewar Mahal equipped with an overhead projector, cordless microphones and whatever you may need to impress your CEO. Just need a tan? That’s fine too.