Newly resplendent after 10 years of sensitive renovation, the former royal residence of Nizam Mehboob Ali Khan has opened in Hyderabad as Taj Falaknuma Palace, or "Mirror of the Sky.”
Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces has infused new life into this celebrated home under the guidance of Princess Ezra, wife of the eighth Nizam. Falaknuma Palace is ready to resume its status as Hyderabad's most exclusive address in keeping with its storied heritage of hosting visiting royalty, such as King Edward VIII and Russia's Tsar Nicholas II. Nightly room rates start at US$810.
"Look around the world—one rarely finds a city such as Hyderabad that so effortlessly fuses the old with the new, and tradition with modernity,” says Taj Managing Director and CEO Raymond Bickson. “The legendary rulers of this city embellished it with architectural marvels, of which Falaknuma Palace is an original and magnificent landmark. We are proud to have added another splendid historic palace to our grand portfolio. We're especially delighted that we were able to painstakingly restore every aspect of the palace, retaining its architectural and historical magnificence while also creating a state-of-the-art luxury hotel."
For more pictures of the Palace/Hotel, click here
Taj Falaknuma Palace is an architectural gem set amidst 32 acres of cascading gardens with outdoor terraces and pool. Built entirely of Italian marble in the shape of a scorpion, this fabled guest house set on a hill overlooking the city was the private preserve of the city's wealthy Nizam rulers, who filled its ornate Baroque-inspired spaces with museum-quality furnishings and art worthy of their elite guests.
