Shalini Palace, Kolhapur - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 4 km from Kolhapur Railway Station, Shalini Palace is a royal palace situated in the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Stands on the west bank of the picturesque Rankala Lake, it is one of the heritage buildings in Kolhapur, and among the top places to visit as part of Kolhapur Packages.

Shalini Palace was built in 1931-34 and was named after Princess Shalini Raje, the daughter of Chhatrapati Shahaji II Puar Maharaj and Queen Pramila Raje of Kolhapur. The entire Palace took 4 years to be constructed and costs a whopping INR 8,00,000 to build. The Palace is surrounded by towering palm trees, lush greenery, and lovely gardens.

The Palace is built of intricately carved black stone and Italian marble. Rich decorative wooden doorways fitted with etched Belgian glass bearing the crest of the Maharaja of Kolhapur, add to the regal grandeur. Majestic black stone arches form the verandah and the porch. The stained glass windows and the huge tower clock are restored to their original beauty.

The palace has been converted into a heritage hotel in 1987 and has been used as a background for many films. Because of heavy losses it had to be shut down in 2014 and given over to the Municipality. Shalini Palace was the first and only palace hotel in Maharashtra. Before becoming a hotel in the 1980s, the Shalini Palace was used as a college during the 1960s.

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM

Entry: Free