Rajmahal Palace RAAS

Originally built for one of Jaipur's royal families in the 18th century, the hotel has been transformed into an eclectic playground for design buffs.

Rooms are splashed with 48 different styles of patterned wallpaper, antiques like Art Deco-era furniture, and silver polo trophies.

The stylish Art Deco swimming pool is the place to sip velvety sour lassis, brought over by unforgettable staff in starched white uniforms topped by marshmallow-pink turbans... This is India at its most brilliant: full of culture and colour, richness and royalty.

Rajmahal permits its guests to feel that they have been personally invited to stay in a sumptuous private residence - one with exceptionally gracious and obliging staff - rather than in a hotel.

This place is also fabulously camp: 48 designs of wallpaper, from crest-emblazoned parasols to plumed birds, in the suites (named after former guests, such as the Queen); a staircase resplendent in polished marble; and vases stuffed with hyacinths.