Best Luxury Hotels In India

Not only can you easily visit the Taj Mahal from this hotel, but you can also see it. The Oberoi Amarvilas affords unobstructed views of the iconic structure, as they lie within the area of protected land around the world wonder (golf carts taxi those staying at the resort to the Taj Mahal’s gate). All rooms get a view of the marble mausoleum and all guests receive attentive butler service. Interiors are decorated with opulent silks, hand-knotted rugs and polished teak furnishings, while outside there’s a huge pool. Those staying here can dine in two restaurants and make use of the spa.

The ITC Mughal won the prestigious Aga Khan Award for its excellent representation of Mughal architecture and is a 2021 Trip Advisor Travelers Choice Hotel. The 233 bedroom hotel is a modern take on an ancient culture – with strong environmental credentials – allowing visitors to steep in local heritage while surrounded by 21st-century mod cons. It has two restaurants: Peshawri and Taj Bano, an outdoor pool, hot tub, the Kaya Kalp Royal Spa and a fitness centre. Bedrooms are traditionally styled, with garden views. Suites have Club Lounge access, while the Grand Presidential Suite comes with its own plunge pool.

The epitome of luxury, the Leela Palace is a magnificent and enormous pink sandstone castle set within nine acres of continuously maintained gardens (you’ll spot a tribe of landscapers constantly at work among its coconut-producing palms). Everything here delivers on a grand scale; from the 50-foot pool to the cathedral-like candles and floral displays, extravagant lobster-abundant seafood nights and a club lounge with separate cigar, champagne and billiard rooms. Service is exemplary (among the best you’ll find anywhere). And there are four restaurants, a spa and a kids’ pool onsite.

Over 1000 artworks are found throughout this property, showcasing national and international artists, while the building’s exterior is punctuated by intricate latticework. 277 bedrooms come with 400-ply Frette linen, Asprey bath products, Krug coffee machines, retro Tivoli radios and a personalised welcome note from management. Indian food is served in Riwaz, with Chinese cuisine in the Lantern. The Market is an all-day dining outlet, the Lobby Lounge serves an indulgent afternoon tea and Bang is the rooftop bar. The spa is possibly the best in town and guests can enjoy a dip in the long, thin swimming pool.

The height of this skyscraper ensures its roof terrace — home to the funky Hype Bar with live DJs — boasts panoramic views. The Far Eastern connections of this chain are evident in touches such as staff uniform design and spa treatments. Dine with all the family any time of the day, in the Asian and continental B Café with its show kitchens and enormous breakfast buffets. Then there’s Caprese for Mediterranean food, Yataii for some of the best sushi and kaiseki dinners for miles, Ssaffron for local flavours and the Shang Palace signature Chinese restaurant.

An architectural tribute to the Imperial Cholas, this palatial building accommodates a whopping 600 bedrooms and apartments, three outdoor pools (one is dedicated for families), a full-service spa and shops, as well as 10 venues for eating and drinking. LEED Platinum certified the ten-storey hotel’s eco credentials are impressive, with an excellent reputation for waste management and its own wind and solar farms to generate onsite electricity. Suites offer round-the-clock butler service and an entire floor is set apart for single female travellers. ITC Grand Chola is found beside Alexander Square’s park.

A majestic colonial-style landmark on the city’s coastline, The Leela Palace occupies 4.8 acres of shoreline. Inside are award-winning Chinese and Indian restaurants, an international buffet, elegant high-teas served in a seaview lounge, an old-world cigar bar offering cocktails and caviar and a French-inspired patisserie/chocolatier shop. A carefully curated art collection can be viewed throughout the property and the hotel has its own ensemble of musicians taking guests on a voyage of Carnatic music. 326 rooms and suites spread across 11 floors are suitably grand, as are the spa and the pool areas.

Found in a salubrious residential neighbourhood, historically popular with illustrious Brits, the Taj Club House is instantly recognisable by its 45000 sq.ft neon blue glass façade. This, and 220 rooms (some with butler service), were designed by Thom Catallo, creating an on-trend retreat for business, as well as leisure travellers. The Taj’s polished signature restaurant, The Club House, is complemented by its Brew cafe and the Blend cocktail bar with a pulsating vibe. Jiva Spa has a menu of rituals and treatments, inspired by local culture and you can unwind on a plush lounger beside the rooftop pool.

Enabling guests to escape from the – at times – frenetic pace of the city, The Lodhi is surrounded by seven acres of sanctuary like grounds. Its proximity to the Lodhi Gardens and Delhi Golf Club adds to this sense of removal from the areas of heavily concentrated population. Yet many attractions lie within a short walk or drive. The Lodhi’s entrance is flanked by large carved elephants and its exterior clad with smooth golden stone. A great place to relax, the property has a spa, a long heated pool, yoga and pilates classes, sports courts and a hammam. There are two restaurants and some rooms come with private plunge pools.

Previously named India’s ‘Best Luxury Historical Hotel’ at the World Luxury Hotel Awards, this 235 bedroom establishment dates back to the 1930s. Indeed, the design is reflective of the colonial era; ceiling fans, rattan furniture, dark polished wood, black and white prints and staff dressed in red livery are all found within. So too is a spa with a menu of Ayurvedic treatments, a pool, a yoga studio and four restaurants. The Imperial is found in Janpath, just over half a mile from New Delhi’s centre, ideal for business travellers.

Designed by internationally renowned Khun Lek Bunnag, this unusual building was inspired by the five elements of Hindu philosophy (air, water, fire, earth and sky). Full of high tech gadgetry, everything in the bedrooms – like lighting and curtains – is controlled from an iPad. It has the longest swimming pool in town (108 metres long) and is surrounded by gardens, creating a cocoon of serenity. These include an area for growing the produce that’s served in the restaurants – the hotel also has cows and a mini fruit orchard. Guests can dine on Chinese food at Chi Ni or international cuisine at Kiyan.

On the coast of Vagator, close to Chapora Fort, two beaches and a railway station, is Goa’s JW Marriott, fronted by a lush living wall exterior. The hotel provides extensive facilities for those of all ages; hang out in the JW Family entertainment centre with its virtual reality games, bowling alley and a children’s play area. Or get some adult time at Spa by JW, with a sauna, steam bath and treatments. There are three places to eat on the premises; JW Kitchen, Heliconia and the rooftop Agua Italian restaurant, beside the outdoor infinity pool. Choose to stay in a bedroom, or a suite with a balcony, or a terrace with a private plunge pool.

This lush five-star resort extends to the water’s edge at Bambolim Bay. It has 313 rooms, all with furnished balconies (suites have their own whirlpool too). Dark wood, tiled floors and crisp white bedding create a sophisticated and contemporary Goan aesthetic, along with marble bathrooms. Learn to make the hotel’s signature Italian dishes at The Verandah restaurant’s cookery classes, or eat in one of the other dining concepts: The Dining Room (with five live kitchens), Chulha Indian eatery, the Confeitaria Coffee Bar or a pool grill. Drinks and snacks can be enjoyed at Bay View Lounge, with cocktails and late-night music at Capiz Bar.

The W brand chose Goa as the location for their first property in India (it’s also the adult-centred brand’s first hotel to have a children’s club). This venue is found on a peaceful hillside above Vagator beach, yet while the setting is deeply relaxing, guests can party it up at the funky chain. Boxy, angular and modern, the building looks like an architectural art installation, or something from a Bond film, while the interior decor takes its cue from the area’s natural beauty and fishing heritage. A Rock Pool (so named as it’s carved out of the hillside) is the place to chill out, so to is its Clarins spa. But you can party at the Woo Bar, dine in its two restaurants and play tennis at the onsite courts.

Facing onto the expanse of sands that make up Benaulim Beach, the Taj Exotica is surrounded by manicured gardens, tropical flowers and coconut trees. It provides opportunities to get active, with facilities enabling yoga, tennis, swimming, golf, or some relaxation with Ayurvedic therapies at the Jiva Spa. Book a room, garden villa, or pool villa, all of which display a Colonial meets palatial style of decor. There are three restaurants serving Goan seafood, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, two bars and ample facilities to keep children entertained during your stay.