**Highly Overhyped & Overpriced! Avoid Like the Plague—even if You Have Money to Spend!**
I am writing this review specifically for the Taj Falaknuma Palace Walking Tour organized by the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC).
TSTDC offers only the walking tour and not Hi Tea. The Hi Tea with walking tour is offered by Taj Falaknuma themselves which makes me think that guests taking their tour would be given a better treatment than those who have taken only the walking tour by the Telangana Tourism Dept.
Read on for my horrible experience -
We booked this tour for 6 adults and 2 children more than two weeks before the scheduled date—17th August. The cost per person was ₹2,700, totaling approximately ₹20,000 for eight tickets.
At the time of booking, we were informed that the palace tour would include visits to Chowmahalla Palace, Taj Falaknuma Palace, and the Light and Sound Show at Golconda Fort. The pick-up was scheduled from various spots in Hyderabad, and we selected the first spot, Paryatak Bhavan, with a scheduled departure at 12:00 PM. Despite our accommodation being nearly 45 minutes away, we arrived at the pick-up spot on time.
Upon arrival, we were made to wait for 45 minutes because the bus had not yet arrived. It finally showed up at 12:40 PM, after which we had to pick up other passengers from different locations. Once on board, the TSTDC guide informed us that we would not be visiting Golconda Fort for the Light and Sound Show, as the fort was closed due to the Chief Minister’s visit from 15th to 20th August.
When we called the TSTDC office, the lady on the phone claimed that she too was unaware of this closure until the time we boarded the bus. It’s hard to believe that a government-run tourism department could be unaware of such a significant closure. After much back-and-forth, she agreed to refund us the difference, which is still overdue by 10 days!
By the time we finished the pick-up rounds and navigated through traffic, we reached Chowmahalla Palace at 1:30 PM. The drive from Chowmahalla to Falaknuma is about 45 minutes, and entry into Falaknuma is fixed at 3:30 PM. This left us with just 45 minutes to rush through Chowmahalla Palace and get back to the bus by 2:15 PM.
At Falaknuma, we were made to disembark, have our bags screened, and then reboard the bus. Upon arrival at the palace, as soon as we reached the main building, the guard at the entry rudely asked us to stay outside and wait for our tour guide. It felt as if we were freeloaders.
The guide finally arrived around 4:00 PM and began the tour in a heavy and affected Western accent, even though all the participants were Indians! Photography inside the palace was not allowed, yet we noticed other guests clicking pictures. They were likely hotel residents, but it’s frustrating how this distinction is made.
The tour was rushed, taking us through exactly eight rooms: the lobby, study, children’s room, bathroom, queen’s room, game room, library, and dining room—all within one hour. There was no time to sit, explore the antiques, or ask questions. This was from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM, and in the heat of the day, not even a glass of water was offered. Even basic Udupi restaurants offer cold water to guests. None of these rooms had air conditioning, coolers, or even fans!
For a tour costing ₹2,700 per person, the lack of basic facilities was shocking. At 5:00 PM, in the last room—the library—we were shown out of the main building, being told that access beyond that point was reserved for hotel guests. The entire tour felt as though the Taj was doing us a favor by allowing us to visit.
I voiced my displeasure to the guide and on-site manager, suggesting that the least they could do was offer a welcome drink to alleviate the heat. The manager’s response was, “We offer drinks and a buggy ride from the entrance to guests who are staying with us.” Really? So those of us who paid ₹2,700 per person—which is not a small amount—are not entitled to anything? He then added, “I’ll see what I can do.” We stayed on the grounds until about 5:30 PM, but no one offered anything.
Apart from the eight rooms, there is just one main building where you can take pictures, but only from the outside and the grounds. So much for a 7-star property!
Indeed a forgettable and expensive experience! Not recommended at all!