Location

Mysuru, Karnataka

Built a century ago as a guest house for the Maharaja’s British visitors, this white colonial-style hotel in located in the city center, close to Mysore Palace. The elegant lobby has arched transom windows, high ceilings, chandeliers, antique furniture and tiled floors, with a sweeping curved staircase and large windows that frame views of the gardens. The property is built around a lush open-air courtyard strung with twinkling lights.

Spacious guest rooms have king beds, traditional colonial-style furnishings, ceiling fans and Wi-Fi, while en suite tiled bathrooms have clawfoot bathtubs. Large private balconies face the central courtyard and feature wood-beamed ceilings, wrought iron railings, colorful tiled floors and decorative wooden corbels. In the gardens, mature palm trees shade lounge chairs surrounding a round, blue-tiled swimming pool, while a covered terrace with vaulted wooden ceilings and woven furniture provides a cool, breezy setting for breakfast and high tea.

Beneath mango trees in the wide courtyard, an open-air Indian barbecue restaurant serves kebabs and other regional dishes. Indoors, a pastel-yellow dining room with chandeliers and stately stained-glass windows specializes in Indian cuisine, including lamb marinated with yogurt and regional spices. Darjeeling and masala teas are served at high tea on the garden terrace. A fitness center is also available. To reduce single-use plastic waste, the hotel harvests rainwater and provides filtered water in glass bottles.