TAJ FALAKNUMA PALACE, HYDERABAD

Perched 2,000 feet above the city of pearls is the Taj Falaknuma Palace. Built in 1894, it is the former palace of the fabled Nizam, and encapsulates befitting splendour.

USP – Guests arrive in the restored chariot of the Nizam and are welcomed by the Butler and Palace Team. Escorted by the Royal Guard bearing the royal coat of arms and showered with rose petals, one experiences the welcome accorded to the Nizam. Falaknuma means ‘like the sky’ in Urdu and the palace does have a celestial appearance.

HERITAGE PICK – The brainchild of Nawab Mohammad Fazal-ud-din Khan Bahadur, also known as Sir Viqar-ul-Umra, who served as Prime Minister of Hyderabad from 1893 to 1901. The construction of the Falaknuma began in 1884 when its first owner, Sir Viqar-ul-Umra, laid the foundation stone, and ended in 1893. Spread across 93,971 sq m, the Falaknuma was later used as the residence of the sixth Nizam, Nawab Mehboob Ali Khan, who was known to be the richest man alive. It is unfortunate that the palace was kept closed after 1950.

BLENDING HISTORY WITH LUXURY – Spread over 32 acres, it allows you to journey to the golden ages, when opulence and excess were celebrated and savoured in equal measure. The 60 beautifully refurbished and lovingly restored rooms and suites each provide marvellous views of the palace courtyard and the 400-year-old city of Hyderabad.

PRIZED ARTEFACT – The 101 Dining Room houses the globe’s longest dining table which seats 101 people. The dining hall has an exquisite acoustic system where one can hear a conversation at either end of the table. The focus of this room is the Nizam’s chair as the armrest of this specific chair is bigger than other chairs, indicating the social standing of the person sitting there.