The Empire Resort (Gwalior) (Pets Allowed in Pool)

The Empire Resort sits along Jhansi Road near Turari on the outer edge of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh , a large-format resort hotel that doubles as an event venue, with a swimming pool, spa, lawns, and multiple room categories on offer. If you are travelling with dogs or cats and considering this property, the one thing to understand upfront is the pet access policy: pets are permitted on the outdoor grounds but are not allowed inside guest rooms. That is a firm rule, not a request. Plan your stay accordingly.

The Setting

The Empire Resort is positioned on Jhansi Road, near Turari, on the outer ring of Gwalior , away from the dense city centre, which means the property has room to breathe. The resort is built to handle large gatherings: there are spacious lawns and halls that are regularly used for weddings and parties. For pet parents, those lawns are the most relevant feature, since they represent the outdoor common area where your pet is actually permitted to be.

The property offers several room categories , Executive rooms, Empire Executive rooms, and Pool Villa rooms among them, based on booking platform listings. Nightly rates start from approximately ₹1,650 per night based on available data, though pricing varies by room type and season. The resort has a 4.3-star Google rating across 1,428 reviews, and a 4.1 rating on MakeMyTrip across 27 verified ratings, with 56 percent of those reviewers rating the stay as Excellent.

The exterior of the resort is visually distinctive , the facade is lit and decorated in a way more commonly associated with banquet venues than typical resort hotels. If you are driving in from outside Gwalior, the property is identifiable from Jhansi Road and has free on-site parking available, which is useful when you are travelling with pets and need to unload supplies from your vehicle.

What the Grounds Look Like for Pet Parents

Because pets are limited to outdoor common areas, the usability of this property for pet travel depends almost entirely on how those grounds are configured. The resort has large lawns suited to weddings and events, which suggests meaningful outdoor space rather than a token strip of grass. A swimming pool is present on the property, though there is no confirmation that pets are permitted in or near the pool area specifically , that detail is not addressed in the verified policy.

There is no fencing detail confirmed for the grounds. If you are travelling with a dog that is not reliably off-leash, plan to keep them leashed throughout. The grounds are adjacent to Jhansi Road, a primary arterial road, so road awareness near the boundary of the property is sensible.

Reviewers consistently note that the resort and rooms are clean and hygienic. One MakeMyTrip reviewer who stayed in December 2025 described the resort and room as "very good and hygienic." Another reviewer from January 2024 noted that "the resort and rooms were very good" and that staff were "humble and supportive." While these observations are about the indoor spaces that your pet cannot access, they reflect a property that is actively maintained , which is a reasonable indicator that the outdoor grounds are similarly looked after, though that is an inference, not a confirmed fact.

Facilities at the Resort

The Empire Resort offers a range of amenities that are relevant to the human members of your travel group, even if your pet's access is limited to the outdoors. The confirmed facilities include:

• Swimming pool (guest access, pool availability subject to room type per booking platform notes)
• Spa services
• Fitness centre
• Game room
• Large lawns and halls (wedding and event use)
• Rooftop area
• On-site restaurant serving vegetarian, Chinese, and Asian cuisines
• Free on-site parking

The restaurant is on the premises, which is useful if you are taking turns between supervising your pet outside and eating. One reviewer from June 2026 noted that the restaurant was "not in the premises" during their stay , this may reflect a temporary closure or a period of operational change, so it is worth confirming restaurant availability at the time of booking if dining on-site matters to you.

Restaurant pricing drew some comment in reviews. A January 2024 guest noted that rice was priced at ₹300 per plate and tea at ₹150 per cup, which they felt was not justified by quality. A December 2025 guest similarly flagged that "the charges of the restaurant are really beyond thought." If you are budget-conscious about meals, it may be worth planning some meals outside the property , which, if you are already managing outdoor time with a pet, is not necessarily an inconvenience.

Room Types and Booking Context

Room categories confirmed across booking platforms include Executive rooms, Empire Executive rooms, and Pool Villa rooms. The Pool Villa room category notes that pool access is "subject to availability," which suggests that pool access is not guaranteed even when booking that room type. If you are choosing a Pool Villa room expecting guaranteed pool access, confirm this at the time of booking.

The MakeMyTrip rating breakdown shows that 22 percent of reviewers rated the stay as Average and 4 percent each rated it as Poor or Bad. The most recent below-average review from September 2026 cited inadequate security on the resort grounds, with the reviewer noting no guard was present. That review was from a group traveller. One reviewer from October 2023 described the experience as "uncomfortable" without elaborating. The resort management has responded to reviews and acknowledged concerns, indicating an active front-office operation under staff member Sunil Argal.

Pet Policy in Detail

To be direct about what is and is not confirmed for pet travel at The Empire Resort:

• Pets are permitted on the outdoor common area grounds of the resort.
• Pets are strictly not allowed inside guest rooms.
• Pets are restricted from enclosed guest spaces.
• Both dogs and cats are included in the permitted species confirmed by our team.
• Pet charges are not confirmed , the property has not disclosed a pet fee or a zero-charge policy. Confirm this directly at the time of booking via the resort phone number: 095841 32001.
• No weight limit, breed restriction, or number-of-pets limit has been confirmed. Do not assume unlimited pets are welcome without checking.

The practical implication of a grounds-only policy is significant. Your pet cannot sleep in the room with you. If you have a dog that is crate-trained and comfortable outdoors, or if you plan to leave them in a vehicle overnight (which is not recommended in warm weather), this may be manageable for some travellers. For most pet parents, a grounds-only pet policy means you will need to arrange alternative overnight accommodation for your pet , whether that is a nearby boarding facility or a different property altogether. Do not assume the resort will have a kennel or boarding arrangement on-site; none has been confirmed.

Who This Stay Works For

Despite the room restriction, there are realistic scenarios where The Empire Resort makes sense as part of a pet-friendly trip to Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh:

• Day visits with pets: If you are based elsewhere and want to use the resort's facilities while your pet enjoys the outdoor grounds alongside you, the grounds-only policy is workable.
• Multi-vehicle group travel: If one person in your group can stay with the pet outdoors while others use the room, the property's outdoor space and parking availability make it manageable.
• Owners with pets comfortable in outdoor enclosures: If your dog is accustomed to outdoor sleeping arrangements and you have brought appropriate equipment, the large lawns may provide sufficient space.

For solo travellers or couples where the pet is a central member of the trip and room-sharing is expected, this property will not meet that need. There is no in-room pet access confirmed, and the policy is described as strict.

Getting There

The Empire Resort is located on Jhansi Road near Turari, Gwalior, in Madhya Pradesh , on the outer circle of the city rather than in the urban centre. Free on-site parking is confirmed, which makes it accessible for road trips. Gwalior is connected by rail and air to major Indian cities. Arriving by road with your pet gives you the most flexibility, since you can carry supplies, travel at your own pace, and use your vehicle as a base if needed given the room restriction.

The property is reachable via Jhansi Road (NH 46/44 corridor), which connects Gwalior with Jhansi and onward routes. If you are coming from Delhi, the drive is approximately four to five hours depending on traffic and route. Gwalior Junction railway station is within the city and approximately 10 to 15 kilometres from the resort, though exact distance is not confirmed in the available sources.