Taj Usha Kiran Palace, Gwalior

Recently renovated heritage hotel. Very clean and full of charm. The staff were attentive and welcoming, but sometimes fell a little short of what you would expect from this 5 star chain of hotels. For example, one day we returned after a full day exploring the city and our room had not been cleaned. One evening we ate in the restaurant and ordered two dishes, but only one arrived. One evening we went to 5 o’clock cocktails but there was no bartender in the bar. And the first morning we had breakfast we were told it was buffet only; I asked if there was any a menu and was told no, only to realize later that there was in fact a menu full of delicious options. This hotel has potential to be amazing but it needs to pay attention to the details.

This was a gorgeous palace and grounds with such an amazing staff. Soumya, Riya, and Sanny were some of the most helpful people ever and made my stay stress free :) They were always there when I needed help I will definitely be back here for any excuse.

Renovation of this 180 yr history tracing heritage property neared completion a few months back and we decided to try what the Taj group had in offer for their guests . Verdant greens greeted us at the outer gates even as a royal welcome with blowing of traditional horn and “ Aarti” awaited at the steps leading up to the grand entrance and lobby. Riya, supervising the front desk team, then took charge to ensure we got the best this Palace could offer throughout our stay right upto a rare warm send off - embodying Taj hospitality in the truest sense. All other members of staff who we interacted with, were also warm, friendly and welcoming - Ishika & Muskan, Dhruv, Sanny among others. Once inside, the property transported us to a royal past through heritage furnishings, murals, paintings, filigree work, stone corridors and courtyards, marble pillars, et all. A blue tiled large, pool with arched bridges leading to tent styled decks in the middle, situated in the centre of a manicured expanse of garden was a feast for the eyes. Taj have erected a few luxurious tents at one side of it , adding to the heritage look. Need one add that all this is accompanied by state of art modern comfort and amenities. All other facilities like a regular swimming pool, gym, spa, restaurant, a royal bar with resplendent furnishings exist to meet all your demands. Of course rooms and suites for all tastes and budgets exist done up with care to minimise any compromise with their heritage design and layout. Few minor fault lines may be encountered in a corner or two, but maintenance of a heritage property in its original look is difficult, and managerial team are willingly open to guests’ suggestions. Overall a wonderful experience! Go ahead and enjoy some royalty yourself, courtesy Taj.

We stayed at the Taj Usha Kiran Palace to celebrate a milestone birthday. Right from the point where the Ridhima from the sales team called us to quickly close the room reservation, till the point we left the property, everything was extremely well taken care of. The room, the amenities, the service given to us, everything exceeded our expectations. The best part was the small special touches done by the hotel - Towel art every morning and evening to make animals and birds in our rooms, which delighted us and the kids, very artistic leaf and flower art on our beds everyday, leaving a warm foot soak tub in our living room ***** with foot salts in the evening and so on. Special thanks to Sunny and Dolly, who were the artists who created these everyday and to Vishambhar for taking care of housekeeping. We also want to recognize the efforts of Dhruv, who helped us plan the special evening event on the terrace with live music and decor. It was flawlessly planned and executed and he was there all through our stay to help us with whatever we needed. A shoutout to Prakash who served us during the evening meal and was a warm and efficient server with a good knowledge of the cuisines that were being served. What made the evening really special was the amazingly curated Nepali + Marathi Thali by Chef Sumit wherein every dish had a unique flavor which we had never tasted before. It was really the highlight of our stay, thank we appreciate Chef Sumits effort to serve it. We also want to thank Mohsin, in in house musician who arranged the talented Sitar player and accompanied him on the Tabla. Special thanks to Teresa from front office who met her right as we got off at the entry and was our point of contact for everything that we needed till we departed. She ensured that we had everything we asked for and more. Last but certainly not the least, special thanks to Tanika, the GM of the hotel, who met us and assured us that the hotel will make our stay special. The credit to build an excellent team which is totally guest oriented must go to her. The way the refurbishment of an almost 120 year old palace is done by Taj is really commendable. The common areas retain their rustic charm with not much changed from the past, whereas the rooms are modern and comfortable, while using natural stone and finishes which retain the historic character of the room. There are very few properties which manage to do it so elegantly. The only place where there is scope of improvement is a bit on the front of the variety and taste of the Global Cuisine and desserts served at the restaurant. This feedback was given by us and received positively by Chef Sumit We would strongly recommend Taj Usha Kiran Palace and Gwalior to anyone who is looking for a luxurious and comfortable stay, surrounded by history and music away from the hustle and bustle of large cities. The warmth of the team and the comfort of the palace will want you to never leave.