The Kusum Vilas palace and the Prem Bhavan palace were constructed in the 1920s, and were commissioned by the royal family of the Chota Udepur kingdom. Constructed by one of the most renowned architectural firms of Mumbai ( then Bombay ) called ‘Bhatkar and Bhatkar ltd.’, The Kusum Vilas Palace boasts of a five storied central wing which is topped by a huge dome that adds to the grandeur of the palace; whereas the Prem Bhavan palace is a royal two storied building. Built and maintained as shining white, The Prem Bhavan palace enshrines the imperial heritage of the royal family of Chota Udepur.

The palace compound spread across 40 acres of land about 100 kms from Vadodara is the official residence of the royal family of Chota Udapiur. The Prem Bhavan Palace has now been converted into a luxurious heritage hotel that offers royal delight and a comfortable stay for the tourists who visit the majestic palaces. Being one of the finest examples of architectural masterpieces in Gujarat, the palace draws tourists from various places as they come here to soak themselves in the beauty and visual appeal of this palace.

History

Designed by the distinguished architectural firm of Bombay –‘Bhatkar & Bhatkar’, The Kusum Vilas and The Prem Bhavan palace were constructed somewhere in the early 1920's. The design was conceptualized to create palacesthat would render a harmonious marriage of the classical architectural grammar of Champaner with contemporaryfacilities of an elevator and other requirement of the royal family of Chota Udepur.

The five storied Kusum Vilas houses various architectural elements such as a hugeveranda and  an arcaded front wall. The elements exhibit their brilliantly balanced treatment particularly in the central wing. With diminishing sizesand a huge dome at the top, the various elements of the palace merge together and lend a majestic beauty to the palace.

The interiors too offer the perfect blend between the two cultures and their artistic sensibilities. The British elevator has a lobby at ground level which iscombined with a series of exquisitely carved stone 'jalis' which not only render an Indian touch to the entire lobby but also offers exceptional lighting effect and act as one of the most remarkable features of the palace. The luxurious reception on the ground floor has huge doors and a carved false ceiling. With the best of European regalities including  French furniture, Belgian mirrors, Italian marble statues and  paintings by Indian artists who depicted the view of the kingdom, The Kusum Vilas Palace manages to register itself as one of the most celebrated and royal palaces of Gujarat.

Architecture

The Bhatkar and Bhatkar had designed the palace with an absolutely beautiful amalgamation of the two cultures in mind. Constructed fairly late as compared to the other forts in Gujarat, the palace literally had the best of both worlds.

The compound spread across 40 acres of land has a royal gate casted out of wrought iron which opens up and gives way to the regal lawns which are decorated by fountains with marble statues of three European women. Besides, ‘Shalimar’ the Mughal style fountain is also present that enhances the visual appeal of the lawns.

The Kusum Vilas begins with marbled fleet of stairs that lead you to the main drawing room. On the inside the drawing room is filled with exotic furniture from Louis XIV era and several other Indian and European luxuries.

The compound also houses a special guesthouse called Prem Bhuvan. The once guesthouse has become a major attraction of tourist ever since it was converted into a hotel. With utmost architectural beauty of the royal heritage intact, the Prem Bhavan Palace also manages to retain itself as a royally majestic palace.

Present Status

The palace remains to be in excellent condition and is taken care of. With most of the tourist value and the major elements of design and aesthetics unchallenged. The Prem Bhavan has been turned into a hotel which houses several royal rooms with major modern facilities.

How to Reach Chota Udaipur

The palace is located close to the city of Vadodara which is an extremely well connected place. Once there a cab can be taken to reach the grand palace.

By Road

Vadodara lies at a distance of 112 km from Ahmedabad. Located on National Highway 8, Vadodara is connected with various private and state busses from majority of the cities in Gujarat. Ahmedabad-Vadodara intercity buses are the easiest to access as they take merely 2 hours and are extremely frequent. Several private companies also offer rides with different prices.

By Plane/Air

Vadodara is well connected with airlines with daily flights from most of the major cities of the country.

By Train/Rail

Vadodara,  a major railway junction lies at the Wetern line. Vadodara is also located at the highly busy Delhi - Mumbai rail line and hence becomes an extremely vital junction and is well connected.