Stok Palace, a legendary hotel in India

Stok Palace is located on the Indian borders of the Himalayas, in Ladakh, at an altitude of 3,500 m. This royal residence dominates a valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The residence has been partly converted into a hotel and is the seat of a former royal family. A former attic was transformed into a bedroom forty years ago and the king himself decided on the decoration. Of the 280 rooms in the palace, six have been converted into hotel rooms.

By all accounts, the most beautiful is the queen’s bedroom. “There are magnificent paintings which are from the period, here we haven’t touched anything”, explains Gyaplo Jigmed Wangchuck Namgyal, titular King of Ladakh. From the balcony, the room offers stunning views of the area. The monarchy was driven from these lands in the early 19th century by the Maharaja of a neighboring state. The king assures that his dynasty will always feel viscerally attached to it. The palace was built in 1820 and is only open in summer. A room costs at least 200 euros per night.