Lalitha Mahal Palace, Mysore

While I did not stay at the Lalitha Mahal while living in Mysore for eight months, I did have lunch there. This is a place to go if you want a 'rich person' experience in India. The waitstaff are extremely rude unless you are willing to shell out about 25 times more than you need to to stay there as opposed to a regular Indian hotel or hostel. Even the thalis, a bottomless meal you can usually buy for under $1 (US) cost about $10, and was so spiceless it was like eating in America. Plus the distance of the Lalitha from the rest of Mysore makes it expensive to even get to. If you're the type who likes to experience the 'real' India, don't bother unless you come for the architecture or history (the Lalitha is a beautiful place and is one of many former royal palaces in Mysore). But if you want a spoiled, 'i'm better than the people who live here' experience and don't care to see 'real' India, I'm sure you'll find it 'exotic' and 'relaxing' and will be amused to see the waitstaff embarrass themselves wearing those hats just for your pleasure.