WelcomHeritage Woodville Palace, Shimla

Location
Set amidst lush green deodars and pines, Woodville Palace stands a kilometre away from the Mall Road. While the nearest airport is 23 kilometres away at Jubbar Hatti, the bus stand and railway station in Shimla are within a 5 kilometre radius of the hotel. The Mall is just a 15 minute walk from the hotel through a public road that is closed to vehicular traffic.

Set amidst deodar and pine trees and spread across 4 acres of lush green landscape, Woodville Palace stands atop a little hillock in the heart of Shimla's bureaucratic hub. Surrounded by residences of the movers and shakers of today's society, the bureaucracy, this resplendent palace stands tall reminiscent of its historical and legendary significance.

In 1865, this stately mansion was the residence of Sir William Mansfield, the then British Commander-in-Chief and played host to the most exclusive dignitaries who visited Shimla during the Raj-era. It was later bought by the Maharaja of Gondal as a gift for his daughter, the Rani of Jubbal. Ever since, Woodville Palace remained the residence of the royal family of Jubbal until it was converted into a hotel in 1977. While the royal descendents still reside on the first floor of the annexe, the remaining property is part of the hotel run in association with the renowned hotel group WelcomHeritage.

A drive in property, Woodville Palace welcomes guests into a canopied porch where two imitation canons are placed amidst potted plants and entwined creepers. The exterior of the main palace is covered with beautiful lush green wines while the interiors are reminiscent of its former regal splendour. The walls of the lobby and corridors are lined with original paintings and family portraits of the royalties of yore. All rooms and corridors in the hotel are either wooden floored or carpeted.

Rooms
The hotel houses 30 rooms spread across three wings - the Main Palace, Annexe and the Heritage Wing. The rooms are divided into 4 Standard rooms, 12 Deluxe rooms, 9 Imperial rooms, 3 Majestic Suites, 1 Princely Suite and 1 Royal Suite. The Majestic Suites and Princely Suite are part of the Heritage Wing. Each room is equipped with cable television, intercom, tea/coffee maker, sofas, luggage rack and cupboard. All rooms except the Standard rooms and Deluxe rooms are equipped with a study table and dressing table in addition to all other amenities.

The suites have been tastefully decorated into theme rooms and feature a separate living room and a bedroom. Most rooms have functional fireplaces that are lit up during winters for the convenience of guests. As with most heritage properties, each room at Woodville Palace offers a distinct decor, all its own. Lined with Persian carpets and rosewood/teakwood antique furniture, the rooms are a perfect blend of regal heritage and modern amenities.

Please note that room heaters are provided at an extra cost.

Dining
Dining options include The Imperial Room, a multi cuisine restaurant in the main building and The Garden Restaurant, which offers indoor as well as outdoor seating amidst a landscaped garden. While The Imperial Room serves a buffet spread of dishes from Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines, The Garden Restaurant serves an a la carte menu comprising select delicacies from the same cuisines.

Guests can enjoy their meal at either restaurant accompanied by English classical and jazz music played on the sound system running across the property. The hotel also boasts of a theme bar called The Hollywood Bar 1930s, the walls of which are lined with original autographed photographs of some of the greatest Hollywood stars. Adjacent lies the Tiger Lounge, which offers another lot of original artefacts including antiques, game trophies and autographed picture posters. So, if not Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow and Clark Gable, one can be in awe of the magnificent mounted heads of tigers and bisons since all these and more line the walls of the bar and the lounge.

Services & Facilities
The hotel has a large and well equipped multi purpose hall that is ideal for hosting conferences where upto 200 guests need to be accommodated. Banquet facilities are offered in The Imperial Banquet Hall, adjoining the restaurant. With a classy dining arrangement in place, it serves as the ideal place for a formal dinner party. The hotel also offers business facilities like fax and internet access. Guests can enjoy Wi-Fi connectivity in any part of the property at a charge of Rs. 90 per hour.

Recreational options include a games room that offers facilities for table tennis, billiards and various board games. The badminton court also lies adjacent to the games room. While guests can enjoy badminton and table tennis at a charge of Rs. 50 per hour, one hour billiards costs Rs. 200. While the billiards table can be used anytime between 10 am and 11 pm, all other facilities are available from 9 am to 3 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Other facilities available at the hotel include a travel desk, car rental service, laundry service, housekeeping service, doctor on call and ample parking space. Railway station / airport transfers as well as sightseeing tours accompanied by professional guides are arranged on request at an additional charge.

Don't Miss
Besides the regal decor and legendary tales that accompany each object, the hotel abounds in hidden treasures. Pay close attention to the original autographed photographs of legendary Hollywood stars in The Hollywood Bar or admire the tiger trophies that line the walls of The Tiger Lounge. Enjoy a sumptuous spread at the Garden Restaurant or be enchanted by the beauty of the Forest Walk at the other end of the palace grounds...there's lots to discover.