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Usually when a new hotel is built on a land where a structure is already standing, the old structure is pulled down so that the new hotel can come up there. Some luxury hotels, however, preserve traditional craftsmanship in ways that not only retain the old structure but go beyond that into displaying antiques or commissioning decorative pieces. Some occupy buildings constructed using regional techniques; others retain historic furniture, work with local artisans or incorporate established crafts into their interiors. For travellers, these details offer a way to understand a place through its architecture, materials and working traditions, while staying somewhere with the comforts expected of a luxury property.
We have curated a list of five hotels in India that retain the old charm of the building they occupy, from hand-carved wooden architecture to miniature painting, stonework and the restoration of historic palaces.
Overlooking the Narmada in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, Ahilya Fort occupies buildings associated with Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, who ruled from 1765 to 1796. Her former residence, Ahilya Wada, was converted into a guest residence by her descendant, Prince Richard Holkar, in 2000. The hotel has 19 rooms across six 18th-century buildings, with courtyards, gardens and modern amenities.
Its strongest connection to local craftsmanship lies in Maheshwar’s handloom tradition. The nearby Rehwa Society, established in the late 1970s to revive Maheshwari weaving and provide employment to women, operates traditional wooden looms and a dye house. Guests can visit the centre, approximately five minutes on foot from the hotel. The associated Ahilya School uses proceeds from textile sales to support the education of weavers’ children. Travellers interested in textiles can meet the makers and see the production process rather than simply purchase finished pieces.
In Jodhpur’s walled city, RAAS occupies an 18th-century haveli alongside newer buildings designed to respond to the surrounding architecture. The hotel’s restoration work used traditional craftsmen and original materials, including locally characteristic rose-red sandstone and lime mortar. Carved stone panels, old arches and a historic shrine remain part of the property, while contemporary structures use the same sandstone in a different architectural vocabulary.
The project is an example of conservation that does not require an entire hotel to imitate a historical building. Studio Lotus and Praxis Inc worked on the design, retaining three inherited period structures and introducing contemporary accommodation around a central courtyard. The hotel lists 40 rooms and suites, including a Stepwell Suite measuring 1,250 square feet. Its location near Mehrangarh Fort also makes it a practical base for exploring the old city on foot, although the narrow lanes around the property can complicate vehicle access.
About 45 kilometres from Jaipur, Samode Palace began as a 16th-century Rajput fort and was remodelled in the 19th century with Indo-Saracenic influences. Its interiors preserve painted murals, frescoes, carved pillars and the Sheesh Mahal, or Hall of Mirrors. The palace’s Durbar Hall contains murals and frescoes dating back more than 250 years, making the building itself a record of regional decorative practices.
The hotel has 43 rooms and suites, with four-poster beds and furnishings that reflect the residence’s historical character alongside contemporary facilities, including a swimming pool, spa and gym. Guests can also arrange walks through Samode village and its surrounding markets, where local craft traditions include miniature painting, pottery, weaving, stone painting and lac bangle-making. These are distinct crafts with their own production methods, so travellers should enquire about which workshops or demonstrations are available during their stay rather than assume every activity runs daily.
Built between 1743 and 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II, Jag Niwas served as a summer palace for Udaipur’s royal family before becoming a hotel in 1963. Its white marble architecture incorporates jharokhas, cupolas, fountains and courtyards. The interiors also retain historic decorative details, including stained-glass windows, bevelled glass doors, ornamented niches with semi-precious stones, brocade panelling and original marble floors. These features were part of a restoration intended to preserve the palace’s architectural character.
The property, now operated by Taj, lists 65 rooms and 18 suites, with three restaurants and a bar. It is reached by boat across Lake Pichola, an important practical consideration when arranging airport transfers or planning excursions around Udaipur. For travellers interested in historic interiors, the palace offers an opportunity to examine Mewari architectural features and traditional decorative work in their original architectural context, rather than in a newly built hotel designed to reproduce them.
Set across 32 acres on the outskirts of Jaipur, The Oberoi Rajvilas draws on traditional Rajasthani fort and palace architecture. Its buildings feature domed pink façades, arched doorways, hand-painted frescoes and gold embellishments. The resort also incorporates carved stonework and blue-and-white pottery associated with Jaipur’s craft traditions. A restored 18th-century haveli houses the spa, while a historic Shiva temple remains within the grounds.
For travellers interested in seeing a traditional craft being practised, the resort offers Tryst with Lac, a complimentary one-hour experience scheduled daily from 5pm to 6pm, according to its published listing. Artisans demonstrate how resin is moulded into bangles and decorated with colour, metal and semi-precious stones; finished pieces are available to purchase separately. The experience provides a direct introduction to lac bangle-making, a longstanding Rajasthani craft, without requiring guests to organise a separate workshop in the city. The resort is around 10 kilometres from central Jaipur, making it possible to combine a stay with visits to the city’s historic markets and monuments.