Sadhupul, on the road to Chail
town · 4.4 km away
viewpoint4 min from Chail
Chail Palace
The Chail Palace was built in 1891–92 as the summer retreat of the Maharaja of Patiala, rebuilt in 1951 and run as a hotel since 1972, 4 minutes from Chail.
What it is
The Chail Palace stands on Rajgarh hill above Chail, in cedar forest. Maharaja Rajinder Singh of Patiala built the first palace there in 1891–92 as a summer retreat, and by the early 20th century it had electricity. His grandson, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, demolished it and built the present Rajgarh Palace, finished in 1951. The state government acquired it in 1972 and turned it into a hotel.
Photos: Shrey.ashi (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
By road it is about 2 km and 4 minutes from the centre of Chail. The road climbs through the forest to the hill.
The visit
We have no verified rules for visitors who are not guests, so ask at the gate. From the lawn and the road the building shows against the deodars. In the reign of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh the palace hosted cricket teams, an annual chess tournament and, in 1934, a visit from the deities of the Banjar region, all part of why Chail was famous in the Shimla of the Raj.
When to go
March to October is the best window named for Chail. See when to visit Chail.
Around it
The cricket ground the Maharajas laid out is 9 minutes away, and Sadhupul is 37 minutes down the road. The one-day plan starts at the palace.
Plans that include this
All 2 plans that stop here →
Day plan · First visitTemples & heritage
One day in Chail — the palace, the cricket ground and the forest
A one-day Chail plan: the Patiala summer palace, the cricket ground at 2,444 m and a walk in the sanctuary forest. Free, copyable itinerary.
Best Mar–Jun · Sep–Oct
See the plan →
1 night · 2 days · First visitClassic
Two days in Chail — the palace and the stream at Sadhupul
A two-day Chail plan: the Patiala summer palace and the sanctuary forest on day one, then a drive down to the Ashwani Khad stream at Sadhupul. Free, copyable.
Best Mar–May · Sep–Oct
See the plan →Nearby places
Questions people ask
Who built the Chail Palace?
Maharaja Rajinder Singh of Patiala built the first palace on Rajgarh hill in 1891–92 as a summer retreat. His grandson, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, demolished it and built a new palace on the same site, called the Rajgarh Palace, which was completed in 1951. The state government acquired it in 1972.
Is the Chail Palace open to visitors?
It has been run as a hotel since the state government acquired it in 1972. We have no verified visiting rules for people who are not staying there, so ask at the gate before you plan to see the grounds, and treat a stay as the sure way in.
How far is it from the centre of Chail?
About 2 km and 4 minutes by road. The palace sits on Rajgarh hill above the town, among deodar and cedar forest, so it is the first stop for most visits and combines easily with the cricket ground, which is 9 minutes away.