Even the most jaded traveler will be pleasantly surprised by this Art Deco royal residence cum hotel, now expertly run by the Taj Group. Today, the royal family lives in one wing, while guests pretend to the throne along endless marble corridors and in expansive gardens clipped to perfection. All 75 sizable rooms have Wi-Fi access and around-the-clock butler service. Dine in the pavilion for views of the palace and Mehrangarh Fort"the work of angels and giants," according to Rudyard Kipling. The hotel arranges exclusive safaris that whisk guests into the desert, where camels and peacocks roam free.