About Shivmahal Palace, Vadodara
A 1936 Gaekwad palace, now a wedding venue and party plot in the centre of the city
Shivmahal Palace, written by some as Shiv Mahal Palace, was built in 1936 for Shivajirao Gaekwad, the third son of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda, and later became the residence of his son, Prince Udaysinhrao Gaekwad. It has stayed in the Gaekwad family ever since. What was a private royal residence now opens for weddings, receptions and gatherings - the ochre stone facade, the deep verandas and the lawns are the originals, not a recreation of them.
The address is Near Chakli Circle, Old Padra Rd, Alkapuri, Vadodara, Gujarat 390007 - near Chakli Circle in the Racecourse area, which means the venue is in the middle of Vadodara rather than half an hour outside it. For a wedding that matters more than it sounds: baraat traffic, hotel transfers and elderly relatives all get easier when the venue is fifteen minutes from the railway station.
Inside the gates it stops feeling like the city. Lawns wide enough for a full reception, an air-conditioned heritage hall for the ceremony and dinner, and a facade that lights up at night and does most of the work in your photographs. Over 3,300 Google ratings average 4.3, and the reviews that mention specifics tend to mention the same three things: the lighting on the building, the valet parking, and the staff coordinating with an outside caterer without drama.
Venue Specifications
- Guest capacity
- Up to 1,200
- Floating. Around 700-800 seated once the stage, mandap and buffet counters are placed.
- Parking
- 100 vehicles
- On-site and valet-attended, so guests are not parking on Old Padra Road.
- Spaces
- Open lawn + royal hall
- Lawns for the baraat, sangeet and reception; the heritage hall for ceremonies and dining.
- Air conditioning
- Hall is air-conditioned
- The lawns are open-air - comfortable through the November to February season.
- Catering
- Outside caterers welcome
- Bring your own caterer; our staff coordinate service on the day.
- Power backup
- Two generators
- Cover the full event, lighting and sound included.
- Guest rooms
- 2 on site
- Location
- Near Chakli Circle, Alkapuri
- Centre of Vadodara, in the Racecourse area - roughly 15 minutes from the railway station.
Space by space: the wedding lawn, the banquet hall, and the party plot as a whole. We also publish an honest comparison of fifteen Vadodara venues, including the ones that beat us.
Questions Families Ask Before Booking
How many guests does Shivmahal Palace hold?
Up to 1,200 on a floating basis across the lawns and hall. For a seated dinner with a stage, mandap and buffet counters in place, plan for 700-800 - that is the number that stays comfortable rather than the number that technically fits.
Is there parking at the venue?
Yes. Roughly 100 vehicles park on site, valet-attended, so your guests are not hunting for space on Old Padra Road. Guests consistently mention arrival as one of the easier parts of an event here.
Can we bring our own caterer?
Yes. Outside caterers are welcome and the venue staff coordinate service on the day - plating, counters and clearing. Families who have used their own caterer here rate the coordination well.
Is the hall air-conditioned?
The heritage hall is air-conditioned. The lawns are open-air, which is what most families want between November and February when the Vadodara evenings are cool.
What kind of functions is it used for?
Weddings and receptions mainly, plus engagements, sangeets, birthdays, spiritual gatherings, corporate events and exhibitions. The lawn and hall can run as one function or as two on the same day.
How far is it from the railway station and airport?
It sits near Chakli Circle in the Racecourse area, in the middle of Vadodara - about 15 minutes from Vadodara Junction and around 20 minutes from the airport. Out-of-town families are not stuck on a highway between hotel and venue.
Is alcohol allowed at the venue?
No. Gujarat is a dry state and Shivmahal Palace does not host licensed bars or permit-room arrangements. Plan the evening around that; it is the same for every venue in the city that operates legally.
Are there rooms to get ready or rest in?
Yes, three guest rooms on site. Families normally use them for the couple to change, for the bridal party to get ready, and for elderly relatives to rest between the ceremony and the reception.
What happens if it rains?
The lawns have no tenting or covered fallback, so a monsoon-season function has to plan around that. In practice this is why the wedding season here runs November to February, when rain is not a factor. For an off-season date, the air-conditioned hall is the covered option.
What about power backup and washrooms?
Two generators cover the full event, lighting and sound included. There are two washroom blocks, one for men and one for women, each with two to three compartments.
How does booking work?
Dates are confirmed over a call rather than through an online checkout, and the terms are kept flexible depending on the date and the size of the function. Call +919099550575 and you get availability, the terms and a written quote the same day.
What does it cost to book?
Tariff depends on the date, the guest count and whether you take the lawn, the hall or both. Call +919099550575 and you get a written quote the same day. Nov 2026 - Feb 2027 dates are booking now.
Checking a date for this wedding season?
November 2026 to February 2027 dates are open now and go quickly. Call for availability and a written quote the same day.
Check availability