Gwalior, North & Central India, India

Located a stone’s throw from Gwalior’s famous Jai Vilas Palace, this elegant Mughal-style mansion served as the Maharajah’s guest wing and has accommodated British royalty, visiting international cricket teams and numerous other VIPs over its 120 years of service. The Taj Group has given the place a major makeover but it has lost none of its charm and now ranks among India’s most glittering five-star heritage properties. Exclusive garden villas are dotted around 9-acres of lawned grounds, which have their own courtyards and private pools, and there’s a stylishly underlit pool presided over by a pair of recumbent lions.