Woodville Palace Hotel - Shimla
Raj Bhawan Road, Shimla-171002, Himachal Pradesh

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Woodville Palace, located 7000 feet above sea level and half a mile away from the Shimla mall, has its share of timeless romantic history. Woodville Palace has an impressive history dating right back to 1866 when Sir William Mansfield, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army became the first resident of this charming and picturesque estate. It was later acquired by His Highness Maharaja Bhagvat Sinh of Gondal State in Western Indian as a gift for his daughter, Rani Leila Ba of Jubbal State. Her husband, Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand tore down the old structure and constructed a new building in 1938. Hundreds of expert artisans were commissioned to ensure the highest quality of craftsmanship. Rajkumar Uday Singh, grandson of the Raja Sahib opened a part of the mansion as a small hotel in April, 1977. Today, the palace is one of the classiest places to stay in Shimla.

Woodville’s past stares you in the face from the moment you walkinto the reception and glance at Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand’s (Knight Commander of the Star of India ) intimidating portrait. The number of secrets and the untold tales in its furniture, décor and antiques may never rise to the surface but what comes across is a vintage tradition that the Royal family of Jubbal has upheld over the decades and across generations going back a thousand years.

ACCOMMODATION: The most amazing aspect of Woodville is that no two rooms would necessarily be similar. The rooms are a perfect blend of vintage ambience and modern amenities. Each room seems to tell tales and whisper unheard secrets of the bygone eras with their decor. The rooms and corridors are lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old. The finest rosewood, teakwood and ebony furniture welcome guests with the same hospitality as the hotel staff. The various rooms and suites at Woodville Palace include: Deluxe Bedroom, Imperial Room, Majestic Suite, Royal Suite, Princely Suite.

With 31 rooms, Woodville also offers standard facilities such as television, telephones, intercoms and running hot and cold-water facilities, which are expected of a heritage hotel of this caliber. You can also enjoy a glass of wine standing in the balconies of these rooms and viewing the scenic landscapes and enjoying the cool breeze.

DINING: The way to a man’s heart is though his stomach. This may sound like a cliché but it is also an indispensable piece of wisdom for the good hotelier. Woodville Palace is a gastronomical treat with its range of dining options. Tastefully and elegantly decorated, the Imperial Banquet Hall and the Hollywood Bar 1930's are great options to enjoy a lovely meal and drink with family and friends.

There is also a Garden Cafe for those most closely inclined to experience nature while they dine. Located aesthetically among pine trees, its scenic beauty is commendable. It also has open spaces for children to frisk about. The resturant servers a coffee shop menu with global tit bits.

The recent addition to Woodville Palace is the beautiful garden restaurant called ‘The House of the Rising Sun’, which was inaugurated by the Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan. It is aesthetically located in the sprawling gardens of Woodville Palace and is surrounded by bamboo and deodars, which provide an ideal and natural enclosure. Constructed purely out of clear glass, one can see and hear the raindrops drumming against the roof and running down the glass walls even as one is indulging into scrumptious delights.

The Hollywood Bar: The Tiger Lounge leads to the Hollywood Bar, where there is a tasteful display of signed photographs of the 1930’s Hollywood stars. Amidst this framework of glamorous faces lies the stunning photograph of the Princess of Jubbal who married the Maharaja of Kapurthala. She lived up to the image of an exotic Indian queen. In her heyday she was the toast of Hollywood. Elaine Williams wrote a book on the princess, titled ‘The Memoirs of a Rebellious Princess’. Autographed copies signed by her daughter, Rani Ourmila Devi, who resides in Woodville Palace, are available for guests and visitors. From Clark Gable to Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson who made “Staying on” in 1980. Woodville Palace has played host to famous personalities over the years, the most recent ones being Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi, High Commissioners and Ambassadors as well as Captains of Industy.

CONFERENCE: The Conference Room of Woodville is one of its major attractions. Besides being wide and spacious, it offers scenic views of the apple orchid and woods. Holding a conference amidst nature has its own charm, and that’s how our conference room differs.

FACILITIES: The various facilities and services Woodville include: