Taj Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan

One of India's most lavish hotels, Rambagh Palace is exquisite. The former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, it is the perfect blend of history and heritage with modern luxuries and five-star dining. Covering 47 acres its manicured grounds are perfection, with countless peacocks strutting about the place. Despite Rambagh's epic proportions, there are just 78 rooms, so even the standard rooms are enormous. An antique lover's dream they are brimming with hand-woven carpets, ornate Indian silks, polished mahogany, and marble to spare. The JIVA spa is similarly sprawling with indoor and outdoor pools, a whirlpool, steam-rooms saunas, plenty of treatment rooms, plus there's a gym, yoga pavilion, croquet lawn, and a putting green. Naturally. Breakfast and hightea (an Indian version of a British classic) are served in the Rajput Room or you may choose to dine in an old converted train carriage, at Steam, for a memorable evening. Dress up for dinner at Suvarna Mahal, the most opulent operation in town. Dine on a carpet that took seven years to complete, and under chandeliers the size of a small life raft. The food, not to be overwhelmed by the décor, is superb: subtle Indian flavours and white glove service. Rambagh Palace: unabashed royal treatment with a price tag to match.