Umed Bhawan Palace was built by HH Maharao Sir Umed Singh II of Kotah in 1902. The Palace is built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture – a style popularized in the late 19th century in India. Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, a pioneer of the style was commissioned to build the modern palace. An entire new wing was later added in 1930, as a gift to MK Bhim Singh II.

The Palace was built as a residence for the personal use of the Maharao and his family, who until then lived at the City Palace (Garh) - which is now run as a non-profit Museum by the Rao Madho Singh Museum Trust. The Royal Family still maintains a portion of the Palace for their personal usage. Umed Bhawan Palace has also played host to royalty, dignitaries and VIPs from across the globe in the course of its 120+ year lifetime.

It was first converted into a Heritage Hotel in 1995 by Maharao Brijraj Singh of Kotah, and operated by ITC Hotels up to March 2023. The hotel is now run as a Heritage Hotel by the royal family themselves.

Today, the Palace serves as an exceptional reminder of the rich legacy of the Royal Family of Kotah – the proud line of Agnivanshi Hada Chauhans that ruled the Princely State of Kotah until the states merged with the Union of India in 1947.