Fodor's Expert Review Palace Hotel (Bikaner House)

Besides once being the summer residence of the Maharaja Ganga Singhji, the maharaja of Bikaner, this was for decades also the center of Mount Abu's aristocratic social life and it's still an elegant and hospitable getaway. Built in 1893, it is now a family-run heritage hotel, still with something of the feel of a more regal hunting lodge, with its 20 acres of grounds and activities such as tennis and billiards to pass the time. Rooms are large, light, and beautifully decorated; suites which each have their own special color scheme are majestic. There's an elegant restaurant serving Indian, Rajasthani, Gujarati and continental cuisine. It also has a conference hall.