Best Luxury Hotels in India

If you want a luxurious place to party – or to bring the kids, this Marriott hotel has it all. There’s an in-house cosmopolitan nightclub, with sets from live bands and DJs, as well as signature cocktails and snacks. The property is set across 18 floors, incorporating 260 bedrooms, 21 suites, several restaurants, a bakery and a full-service spa. Outside there’s a pool and Bar-B-Q alfresco dining area. With a pillow menu, an onsite florist, a limousine service, in-room minibars, business services, a laundry valet and 24-hour room service, everything you need is provided. The JW Mariott in Kolkota welcomes families – children have their own play area.

Found in the Alipore district, this landmark building was designed by lauded architect Bob Fox. Rooms here are grand yet understated, created to be peaceful cocoons, with soundproofing, classic wood furnishings and the highest-quality cream and gold fabrics. There are eight venues in which to eat and drink, serving Chinese, Lebanese, Middle-Eastern, European and Italian food, as well as patisserie and grilled seafood. Recline beside the pool to the sounds of live music, peruse the priceless artworks on show, marvel at the five-storey stone and marble atrium, shop Indian handicrafts and unwind in the spa – all within the Taj Bengal.

Dating back to the late 19th century, this hotel is found in the bustling shopping district, yet has an oasis-like ambience. A blissful pool area sits at its centre, flanked by palm trees and comfy loungers. Threesixtythree° is the hotel’s signature restaurant, fusing cooking influences from across Asia and Europe and baking pizzas in a wood-fired oven. Decorated in a midcentury style, its menus include a wellness selection with uber-healthy dishes and a lavish brunch. Guests can also eat at the fine dining Baan Thai restaurant, or order lighter meals in the fashionable bar. Personalised treatments are available at the Oberoi Spa.

With a timeless feel and distinctive architecture (think pillars, colonnades and arches), the ITC celebrates Bengali rich culture alongside the latest technology. It houses 456 bedrooms and suites, each with iPads to control in-room features and the ‘infotainment’ and some come with butler service. Those staying for an extended period can opt for a self-catering residence, with sitting and dining areas. Kaya Kalp is the ITC’s well-being centre, specialising in Ayurvedic therapies. And there are five sumptuous places to eat; a vegetarian restaurant, an Italian kitchen, an international buffet, The Brass Room tapas bar and the Darjeeling tea lounge.

Experience South Indian hospitality, indigenous culture and understated luxury with a stay at this five-star residence (sister property of the Taj Club House) in the heart of the city. Check in here and you can swim in the lagoon-style 25-metre pool, relax in a curved lounger, book a treatment at the Jiva Grande Spa and take yoga classes from esteemed local teachers. Meals can be taken in the majestic Southern Spice or the healthy buffet restaurant, Anise; order dim sum at the Chinese-themed Golden Dragon and Italian food at Prego; with flamboyant cocktails mixed at the Chipstead bar.

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.

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.

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.

On the eastern side of the lake and a short walk from the City Palace Museum, the Taj Fateh Prakash Palace dates back to the 19th century and is itself something of a museum. It opened under its current guise on the 1st of January 2020, with 65 glamorous heritage rooms and suites. The polished hotel boasts an enviable art collection, a 1000 kilogram central crystal chandelier and the award-winning Sunset Terrace restaurant where you can catch some live music. There’s also a spa, a pool and a bar to be enjoyed onsite.

If you prefer a more contemporary vibe, book one of 80 soundproofed rooms here. You’ll enjoy direct lake views with the Aravalli Mountains in the background. Dine on the terrace of the main restaurant, choosing from a menu of international cuisine, with a glass of something from its walk-in wine cellar; tuck into Indian food overlooking the lake; and cosy up beside the fire as you listen to live Rajasthani folk music in the bar. The Leela Palace’s other amenities include a spa, an outdoor pool and a gym. It first opened in April 2009, part of a small luxe chain of resorts and has become especially popular with business travellers.

Right in the middle of Lake Pichola, this palace was built back in the mid-18th century, as the summer residence for the royal dynasty of Mewar. By the middle of the last century, the Taj Lake Palace was accepting paying guests and was featured in the James Bond movie, Octopussy. But its regal atmosphere and level of service never left, with 24/7 butler service and a water taxi available whenever you want it. Additionally, there are four restaurants, a rooftop bar, a pool, a spa and 360-degree water views. This hotel is certainly something very special and exudes classic romance.

The nearby palaces and traditional Mewari architecture served as the inspiration for Nimish Patel, as she designed this grand lakeside property from scratch. It spans 50 acres teeming with birdlife, featuring pastel-coloured and gilt domed pavilions housing 87 rooms, a spa and several restaurants. The decor provides an old-world elegance, while staff offer an attentive first-class service with personalised and lavish attention to detail. Dine alfresco by candlelight beside a lily pond, relax next to your private plunge pool beneath a mustard-hue fringed parasol, book some Ayurvedic treatments, take a yoga class and spend some time reading in the library.