STOK PALACE, LADAKH

Accommodation, Food & Service: Stately on the outside and mysterious from within, its shaded corridors and courtyards lead you into startlingly colorful spaces. Six rooms in three categories have been restored; airy and bright, they all offer a stay that celebrates the rich design and architecture while subtly incorporating modern needs to keep you comfortable.
Not restricting the guests stay to their designated rooms or common corridors, the guests have the option to freely roam about the palace with Jigmed very enthusiastically accompanying guests to his official chambers and family’s prayer room.
The dining options are plenty – from dining with the family in the private dining chamber to a cooking demo in the traditional open styled kitchen to a romantic private dinner on the rampart that flaunts the cinematic views; each experience is more exciting and kept very flexible and personalised.
The stay in Stok Palace is not the run-of-the-mill hotel experience. Rather, it is elegantly stylish and incomparably unique, representing the family’s friendly yet traditional hospitality. With just 6 rooms on offer the family’s staff that comes from the Stok village are used to hosting family and dignitaries on a frequent basis.
The unique atmosphere of this stately home promises unforgettable impressions, while the personal service guarantees organization and individualized arrangements so be it a guided walk to the Stok village, trek to the Stok Kangri base, rafting, an evening with a historian or an out-of-the-ordinary special event, the hosts are personally involved in the experiences crafted for guests from the Stok Palace.

Alluring Ladakh, the land of passes – the more time one spends in this magical place, the more, nearly unceasingly, one finds to explore. The genuine challenge we faced was being able to contain 'The Ladakh Experience' in a short yet all encompassing encounter. Hence when we found Stok Palace, we were deeply stoked, gladly convinced this was the richest summary of the magic of Ladakh.
The Palace is an iconic landmark and popular for its well preserved and curated museum but the real treat lies in being part of the living heritage at the palace – enthralling stories, fascinating secrets, visits from oracles all entail your romantic stay here.
This high altitude heritage needs to be preserved and one has to see it to believe it!
Location & Architecture: Located Southwest of Leh, about 15 Kms from the city centre at the edge of a bucolic setting is the Stok Palace. Once the seat of power for the erstwhile Ladakh Royal Family, with the 34th generation of the family still residing here, the palace is the perfect location to process the remarkable natural, cultural and architectural heritage of Leh & Ladakh.
Built in the 1930s, the palace exemplifies an archtictural evolution of sorts; it is reflective of the final architectural progression of fortified palaces and residences of this region. The palace signifies high level of detailing and planning, one can see elements like inter-linked courtyards, 3 granaries, effective drainage system along with carved and painted windows and balconies that stand out against the stark white exterior, some outstanding organic dye art and murals, this is supported by the courtiers homes making this an ideal heritage village project.
More recently the current owner, the king Jigmed Namgyal of the palace has painstaking completed the restoration of the palace using traditional methods and elements, many of which are a dying craft today.