Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara is the Gaikwad family’s Indo-Saracenic residence, built in 1890. Visitors can tour part of it Tuesday to Sunday, usually from about 10 AM to 5 PM.
This guide covers timings, tickets, the audio tour, the museum, photography rules and the route. However, sources disagree on prices and hours, so we show each figure with its source.
Key Takeaways
- The palace is closed on Mondays, and several sources add public holidays.
- Hours are listed as 10 AM to 5 PM by official tourism pages, and 9:30 AM to 5 PM by others.
- Indian entry is listed at ₹150, ₹175, ₹200 and ₹250, so confirm the fee before you go.
- An audio tour is included, and most sources say photography is banned inside.
- The palace is a private home, so management can change hours or close it.
What Is Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara?
Gujarat Tourism says Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III built the palace in 1890. It remains the residence of Vadodara’s royal family, and Major Charles Mant is credited as the main architect.
Gujarat Tourism calls the style 19th-century Indo-Saracenic. Incredible India describes it as Indo-Saracenic with European influences, and says the estate is nearly four times the size of Buckingham Palace.
Inditales says the Maharaja named the palace after his queen, who came from Tanjore. It also says a saffron flag on the gate signals that the king is present.
Gaikwad Palace Baroda: Names and Spellings
Searchers use many names for the same place. These include Laxmi Vilas Palace, Lukshmi Vilas Palace, Baroda Laxmi Vilas Palace and Gaikwad Palace Vadodara.
Baroda is the older name of Vadodara, and the Gaikwads ruled Baroda State. Therefore, all of these names point to the same palace on one estate.
Lakshmi Vilas Palace Timings and Closed Days
Gujarat Tourism, Incredible India and BharatTravelGuide list 10 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday to Sunday. Holidify, CaptureATrip and Housing.com list 9:30 AM to 5 PM instead.
| Source | Hours | Closed |
| Gujarat Tourism | 10 AM to 5 PM | Monday (implied) |
| Incredible India | 10 AM to 5 PM | Monday |
| BharatTravelGuide | 10 AM to 5 PM | Monday |
| Holidify | 9:30 AM to 5 PM | Monday and public holidays |
| CaptureATrip | 9:30 AM to 5 PM, last entry about 4:30 PM | Monday and public holidays |
| Housing.com | 9:30 AM to 5 PM | Monday and public holidays |
| OptFind | Three versions: 9:30 AM to 5 PM, 8 AM to 7 PM and 10 AM to 4:30 PM | Monday |
All sources agree that Monday is closed. Therefore, plan for a Tuesday to Sunday visit, and treat 4:30 PM as the latest safe arrival.
Inditales warns that the palace is private, so management can close it or change its hours. Call before you travel, especially on a weekend or after a festival.
Ticket Price: What Sources Say
Ticket prices vary widely between sources. We could not open the official booking site, so none of these figures is confirmed.
| Source | Indian visitor | Foreign visitor | Notes |
| BharatTravelGuide | ₹250 | ₹600 | Includes the audio guide, museum ₹100 extra |
| OptFind | ₹250 | ₹525 | Museum ₹150, combo ₹375 for Indians |
| Somnath Dwarka Tour Package | About ₹200 to ₹250 | About ₹500 to ₹525 | Museum about ₹100 to ₹150 |
| Tripadvisor | ₹200 | Not listed | Audio tour included |
| Housing.com | ₹200 | Not clear | Includes audio tour, drink and snack |
| Inditales | ₹175 | Not listed | Author calls it high |
| Holidify | ₹150 | Not listed | Museum ₹60 |
| CaptureATrip | About ₹150 | Higher, no figure | Includes museum and audio guide |
OptFind lists children under 8 as free and children aged 8 to 12 at ₹125 for the palace. Other sources do not mention child rates.
Our advice: carry ₹250 per adult in cash or on UPI as a safe upper estimate, and ask the counter whether the museum is included.
Can You Book Lakshmi Vilas Palace Tickets Online?
Somnath Dwarka Tour Package says online booking exists through the palace’s official website and helps on weekends. It also says you can buy tickets at the entrance counter.
OptFind names lvpbooking.gaekwarenterprise.com as the booking site and lists +91-7227939902 as a phone number. We could not open either, so verify them yourself.
Gujarat Tourism’s page links only to its general booking portal. Therefore, do not pay a third-party agent until you confirm the official channel.
Audio Guide and What It Covers
BharatTravelGuide, Holidify, Inditales and Tripadvisor all say the audio guide comes with the palace ticket. Photo ID is needed to collect the device, according to BharatTravelGuide.
Tripadvisor says the tour runs in English, Hindi and Marathi, and takes about an hour. Inditales says it also includes commentary from the current Gaikwad scion about growing up there.
OptFind lists a ₹30 audio ticket in its museum rows, which conflicts with the other sources. Ask at the counter whether the guide is included.
What to See Inside Lakshmi Vilas Palace
Visitors do not see the whole palace. Tripadvisor says only part is open because the royal family still lives there, and one reviewer reports that only ground-floor rooms are accessible.
Durbar Hall
Incredible India lists the Durbar Hall with mosaic tiles, stained glass windows and Venetian chandeliers. BharatTravelGuide adds a Venetian mosaic floor.
Inditales says the hall is about 95 feet long and has no pillars. It also notes mythological stained glass and carved jharokhas for the women on the first floor.
Inditales adds that the hall once hosted the Annual Baroda Music Festival. We could not confirm whether it hosts events today.
Art and Armoury
Gujarat Tourism and Incredible India both mention paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, whom the Maharaja of Baroda commissioned. Weaponry and art also feature, per Gujarat Tourism.
Inditales names the Pratap Shastragar arms gallery and a former clock tower, now a lamp tower. We could not confirm entry to the arms gallery, so ask at the counter.
Vadodara Palace Museum: Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum
The Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum sits in the same compound, according to Gujarat Tourism. Inditales says it is a separate site, reached through its own gate.
BharatTravelGuide says the museum holds a large collection of Raja Ravi Varma paintings. Incredible India lists the Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery as a separate feature.
OptFind gives museum hours of 10:30 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday to Saturday, but its Sunday entry is cut off. Check Sunday timings before you plan the museum.
Grounds, Stepwell and Sports Facilities
Gujarat Tourism describes park-like grounds with a golf course and the Navlakhi stepwell. Incredible India names the Moti Bagh Golf Club on the premises.
The same page also lists the Moti Bagh Cricket Ground, Baroda Cricket Association offices and an indoor teak-floored tennis and badminton court. We could not verify public access to these.
Inditales mentions lawns with peacocks. Housing.com advises wearing a hat outdoors and staying away from the pond, because it says the pond has crocodiles.
Photography and Visitor Rules
Most sources say photography is not allowed inside. Holidify, Tripadvisor, Inditales and Housing.com state this directly, while CaptureATrip says photography is restricted.
Somnath Dwarka Tour Package adds that photos are allowed only on the front lawn, and that large bags are often not allowed inside. Follow the signs and staff instructions.
- Carry photo ID for the audio guide.
- Leave large bags in your vehicle or hotel.
- Wear comfortable shoes, since the visit involves a lot of walking.
- Carry water, though Tripadvisor says water and cold drinks are sold on site.
History and Architecture of Lakshmi Vilas Palace
Gujarat Tourism and Incredible India date the palace to 1890. BharatTravelGuide says construction ran from 1878 to 1890, and Housing.com says it took 12 years.
Major Charles Mant designed it and Robert Fellowes Chisholm completed it, according to BharatTravelGuide. Housing.com names Chisholm as support and calls the style a Mughal, Hindu and Gothic blend.
Cost figures conflict. Gujarat Tourism states Rs 6 million, while BharatTravelGuide gives about £180,000, or roughly ₹27 lakh at the time.
Inditales describes a blend of Mughal, Rajput, Jain, Gujarati and Venetian styles. Treat these style lists as descriptions from each author, not official classifications.
Size, Rooms and Value Claims
Gujarat Tourism and Incredible India give about 500 acres, while Housing.com says 700 acres. Housing.com also reports 170 rooms, which we could not verify elsewhere.
A value near ₹24,393 crore appears on Housing.com. That figure is the article’s own calculation, not an official appraisal, so we do not repeat it as fact.
How to Reach Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara
BharatTravelGuide says Vadodara Airport (BDQ) is about 7 km away, and Vadodara Junction is about 4 km away. CaptureATrip gives 6 to 7 km and 3 to 4 km.
Holidify places the palace on Nehru Road, while Housing.com gives JN Marg, Moti Baug. Use a map app, and confirm the entrance gate before you drive.
BharatTravelGuide says Ahmedabad airport is about 115 km away, roughly 1.5 hours by road. It also lists NH-48 to Mumbai, Surat and Bharuch, and 24-hour GSRTC buses.
CaptureATrip says cabs and autos are easy to find at the station and airport. Holidify says the same for the city.
Best Time to Visit
Housing.com recommends October to December. Holidify does not name a best season, so treat that range as one source’s view.
Somnath Dwarka Tour Package, Housing.com and OptFind suggest arriving between 10:30 AM and noon for smaller crowds. Tripadvisor says weekends get crowded and weekdays are better.
How long should you plan? Holidify says 2 to 3 hours, while Somnath Dwarka Tour Package says 1.5 to 2 hours. Add time for the museum.
One-Day Plan for Vadodara
This plan is our advice, built from the figures above. Confirm hours and prices first, since the sources disagree on both, and allow buffer time.
| Time slot | Plan |
| Morning | Reach the palace near opening, collect the audio guide and tour the Durbar Hall |
| Midday | Visit the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum, then walk the lawns |
| Afternoon | Visit Kirti Mandir and the Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery |
| Late afternoon | Relax at Sayaji Baug before it closes |
Allow a rest day if you also plan a Statue of Unity trip. For more Vadodara ideas, read our guide to must-visit places near Vadodara.
Places to Visit Near Lakshmi Vilas Palace
CaptureATrip lists nearby stops with approximate distances and hours. We have not verified these figures, so check each one before you plan.
| Place | Distance | Hours | Entry |
| Kirti Mandir | About 1 km | 9 AM to 5 PM | Free |
| Sayaji Baug | About 2 km | 5 AM to 8 PM | Free, zoo and toy train charged |
| Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery | About 2 km | 10:30 AM to 5 PM, closed Monday | About ₹10 to ₹20 |
| Nyay Mandir | About 2 km | 9 AM to 5 PM | Free |
| EME Temple | About 5 km | 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM | Free |
Gujarat Tourism also lists Sursagar Lake nearby. For a green break, see our guide to one-day picnic spots near Vadodara.
Day Trips From Vadodara
BharatTravelGuide puts the Statue of Unity about 85 km away. Read our Statue of Unity guide and our list of places to visit near the Statue of Unity.
Incredible India lists Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a nearby trip. If you continue toward the north, see places to visit near Anand.
Where to Stay Near the Palace
Gujarat Tourism suggests The Gateway Hotel Vadodara, MadhavBagh Homestay and Arudh Mahal Homestay. These are suggestions from the tourism page, not our recommendations.
Holidify lists Welcomhotel (Alkapuri, about 3 km), Sayaji Vadodara (Sayajigunj, about 2 km) and Hyatt Place (about 5 km). We could not verify current room rates.
Details We Could Not Verify
Some figures lack an official or current source. We flagged each one in this guide, so you can confirm it before you travel.
- Current ticket prices for Indian and foreign visitors.
- Whether the museum ticket is included or separate.
- Exact opening time, 9:30 AM or 10 AM, and public holiday closures.
- Whether the audio guide is free for every ticket type.
- The official booking site and phone number.
- Public access to the golf course, cricket ground and stepwell.
- Estate area, room count and construction cost.
Final Thoughts on Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara
Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara suits a half-day visit on a weekday. Go in the morning, take the audio tour and add the museum if time allows.
Confirm hours, ticket prices and photography rules before you travel. We will update this guide when official details are available.
FAQs About Lakshmi Vilas Palace Vadodara
What are the Lakshmi Vilas Palace timings?
Which day is Lakshmi Vilas Palace closed?
What is the Lakshmi Vilas Palace ticket price?
Is the audio guide included?
Is photography allowed inside the palace?
Is the Vadodara palace museum a separate ticket?
How long does a visit take?
How far is the palace from Vadodara Junction?
Who built Lakshmi Vilas Palace?
Do the Gaikwads still live there?
