The royal Jehan Numa Palace is definitely one of the best hotels to stay when in Bhopal. An erstwhile palace, the main building’s layout is an absolute delight. One enters from a small reception area with a lobby decorated with artifacts and photos of a regal past. Beyond the door, straight ahead, lies a lovely landscaped garden with mango trees and flowering beds.
The open air award-winning restaurant, Under the Mango Tree, is extremely popular both with residents and visitors. In the evening, there is always a cool breeze and it would be sin to leave this place without having a drink and kebabs at the restaurant. Very expensive but the experience is worth it.
The buffet restaurant is on the left of the main entrance and the stairs have lovely photos of the British Governors and Aristocrats hunting with the rulers of Bhopal. Breakfast is excellent here although the service is slow and staff, well, quite disinterested. There is another café just on the right of the main entrance. Haven’t been to this, so, no comments!
The better rooms of the Jehan Numa Palace are next to the swimming pool. Each room comes with a balcony/small porch outside for the perfect morning tea and the newspaper. The hotel also has a small gym for the fitness minded. Sadly, it is not well serviced. I had to struggle to get a towel there. The pool is nice and inviting, especially in summers which can be brutal in MP.
Would recommend a stay here if you are visiting Bhopal, either for work or vacations. But be warned, the rooms are quite expensive for a non-metro city like Bhopal.