Nilambag palace

The service was the hardest part of our stay. We politely pointed out that the butter rotis arrived without any visible butter, but the staff insisted it had been applied. They didn’t properly take the rotis back, returned just one later, and then argued with us. Being accused of trying to avoid payment and told security would be called was upsetting and unprofessional. Our two nights were also difficult because the lighting felt so dim and gloomy at night, including in the garden. I understand the low lights may be part of the heritage atmosphere, but it made the place uncomfortable for us. My one-and-a-half-year-old daughter seemed affected too, and cried whenever we returned each evening. I can’t say this was the hotel’s fault, but that was our experience. The pool is almost 1 km from the main building, which was inconvenient. There were lovely things about Nilambag Palace: the rooms had a nice heritage charm, and the property is beautifully built and well maintained. We stayed during Diwali.

This is a heritage hotel inside the city on a State Highway, and you can relax during a stay here. It was once the residence of a very famous king of Bhavnagar, in Gujarat. The palace displays items used in olden days, though some of the displays need engineering maintenance and attention. Rooms come in different categories with set rents, are clean and tidy, and the property provides jobs for local people. There is ample car parking inside the palace walls. Veg and non-veg food is available through room service and at the restaurant. The staff are cooperative and keen to serve guests’ needs, rather than relying on the modern breakfast, lunch, and dinner display approach. Still, the serving counters could be improved with visible food pans, transparent lids, more self-service, and a menu card on the table showing what is available. That would mean guests need to ask the captain or table server less. Food preparation and table service could also be more practical and meet five-star expectations. The charges seem affordable, though they may feel high if the stay doesn’t leave you fully satisfied. There are other practical improvements to make: add artistic paver blocks, marked parking arrows and spaces along the car drive, and pole lights along the drive passage and dark walkways. Each room needs a check for ventilation, toilet exhaust fans, and mosquito netting on the louvres. The stay was a good experience, but the hotel needs real improvement.

There wasn’t much to do at the Palace Hotel beyond the palace walk and vintage artifacts, which took hardly 30 minutes. We couldn’t enjoy the pool either: it’s open to public swimmers in the mornings and evenings, so it gets overcrowded, while afternoons are reserved for women. The breakfast was decent, but I’d have lunch or dinner outside. Our room was fairly spacious, though its interior felt dated. The old box-style TV, like something from the early 2000s, seemed out of place in a hotel that emphasizes royalty and heritage. The heritage room also smelled musty and showed dampness, like an old unused space. We stayed one night. The prices and packages felt high compared with other heritage palace hotels in Gujarat that offer a better experience.

The atmosphere was peaceful, and breakfast was healthy and delicious. I’m vegetarian, so I can’t rate the non-veg food, but the veg food was fine.