Built by the Maharaja of Mysore to host his most important guest, the Viceroy of India, today the Lalitha Mahal Palace is one of India’s most opulent hotels. Set on a ridge with commanding views of the gently sloping valley, the Lalitha Mahal offers guests a taste of princely living in a real palace. A grand, two-story structure with twin Ionic columns, spherical domes, and Indian marble, the Lalitha Mahal features fifty-four stately suites and rooms, all of which are comfortable and spacious, and offer natural light, period furniture, four-poster beds, deep velvet-covered armchairs, air-conditioning, televisions, telephones, and framed mirrors. The hotel contains three eateries: a restaurant serving Chinese, north and south Indian, and English-inspired Continental cuisine; a tea lounge serving snacks and non-alcoholic beverages; and an elegant bar built in the style of an English club, with dark-paneled wooden furniture and countertops. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, jogging tracks, and billiards tables. The Lalitha Mahal lies twenty minutes from Mysore Airport, and less than twenty minutes from downtown Mysore itself.