Words: Josh Lee
Over the past decade at Gentleman’s Journal, we’ve covered myriad James Bond-related locations that are found far and wide. Of course, there’s the spiritual home where it all began, at GoldenEye, where author Ian Fleming put ink to paper for 14 of the 007 novels. We also took to Solden, Austria, the mountaintop setting that stars in Spectre.
But, if memory serves correctly, we’ve never ventured to the corners of Udaipur, India, where, in Roger Moore’s sixth portrayal of the British superspy, Bond encounters the jewel-smuggling businesswoman and the film’s titular role, Octopussy, on her floating palace lair.
Indeed, though the Moore-era of Bond is now often seen through a more critical prism than it was then, it’s hard to deny that it didn’t provide some pretty striking set pieces; this destination, most notably, seemed to be from another world due to its on-the-water beauty.
The real-life location, originally known as Jag Niwas, but now named Taj Lake Palace, first started life as a 1746 summer palace that was constructed on a 16,000sq m rock foundation on Lake Pichola.
In the early 1960s, the build, which has fine views of Machla Magra Hills, The City Palace, and Jag Mandir, was reconditioned into a historic hotel, flush with 18 grand suites, 65 guest rooms and original detailing, such as walls made in local white marble, fixtures done in Mewari techniques, and Mughal architectural flourishes. Guests of extreme note that have glided through the lobby include Lord Curzon, Queen Elizabeth, Jacqueline Kennedy, the Shah of Iran and the King of Nepal.
Defining many of the bedrooms are gold-trimmed fixtures, heavy curtains, chandeliers, and large swathes of space in which to recline during your off-duty hours. Deep-muscular massages are on offer at the in-house spa. And refuelling from a day of lounging comes courtesy of a bevy of restaurants, including Neel Kamal, which deals in Rajasthani fare and other dishes from across the country, and the open-air Bhairo, which serves modern Euro cuisine. Post-meal, try a cocktail, or, of course, a martini, at bar Amrit Sagar.
When wanting to explore beyond the confines of this glorious bolthole, Udaipur, known as the ‘Venice of the East’, is a destination teeming with grand palaces, temples, fine lakes, and lush gardens – and, to help give you a taste of the Roger Moore-era romanticism, the concierge team can facilitate special tours of the city in one of the hotel’s vintage cars. For its pure escapism and cinematic clout, it’s a destination not to miss – after all, you only live once.
Want somewhere closer to home? These are London’s most glorious, quintessentially British, five-star hotels…
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