Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / India / Gwalior / Taj Usha Kiran Palace
Taj Usha Kiran Palace
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India · Taj Hotels · Grand Luxury
Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia built this Gwalior guest palace around 1880 as an annexe to Jai Vilas, to designs by Sir Michael Filose, and called it Nav Talav, the Nine Tanks palace. Forty members of the Prince and Princess of Wales's entourage slept here on the 1902-1905 Indian tour. A 1930s rosewood elevator still runs among original stone jalis and two-blade fans; the name means the first ray of the sun, and Michelin gave the 50-key Taj house One Key in 2025.
- 50 rooms
- Neighborhood: Jai Vilas
- Architect: Sir Michael Filose
About Taj Usha Kiran Palace
- Originally called Nav Talav, or Nine Tanks palace, it was designed by Sir Michael Filose as an annexe to Jai Vilas.
- The heritage hotel still keeps a working 1930s rosewood elevator alongside stone jalis and vintage two-blade ceiling fans.
- Priyadarshini Raje Scindia championed the restoration that made it a Taj hotel; later it had been the residence of Maharaja George Jivaji Rao Scindia.
History
Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia built this guest palace around 1880 as an annexe to Jai Vilas, to designs by Sir Michael Filose. They called it Nav Talav, the Nine Tanks palace, nine acres in Gwalior. During the Prince and Princess of Wales's Indian tour of 1902-1905, part of the entourage slept here.
Later it was the residence of Maharaja George Jivaji Rao Scindia. Priyadarshini Raje Scindia championed the restoration that made it a Taj hotel. The name means the first ray of the sun. A 1930s rosewood elevator still runs. Stone jalis and two-blade fans are original. Fifty keys. Michelin One Key in 2025.
You sleep in a Scindia guest house that once had to hold a Welsh royal train.
The setting
4 km from Saas Bahu Ka Mandir temple.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Private pool
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Yoga
- Fine dining
Awards
- MICHELIN One Key (2026)
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