253 Best Hotels in India

The expansive lawns of this 12-acre property feature a lovely walking track, a rose garden, and an organic kitchen garden, while inside the hotel all is grand and cool white-marble elegance. There are chandeliers, curving white staircases, and well-chosen Indian antiques throughout. The rooms (some with king beds) have teak wood furniture and large bay windows overlooking the pool or gardens; they are decorated in soft cream shades and rich fabrics. The Mahuaa bar on the first floor is a particularly lovely spot, and the in-house restaurant, Gautama, serves great food.

Hidden amid the lanes of the Pink City, this stately and rambling heritage hotel built for a prime minister of the royal court in the mid-19th century preserves its Rajasthani character and harbors a few surprises, including elegant gardens and a beautiful open-air pool with poolside bar. Rooms are spacious and opulent, including the luxurious quarters of the local Rajput himself. Arranged around two courtyards, the hotel contains some original frescoes; low arches and mazelike corridors also add to the character. Walk up the elephant ramp entrance, built to accommodate the pachyderm-riding guests at a Samode clan wedding, and you are arriving at a royal manor built in the popular Indo-Saracenic style of the time.

Nestled in a picturesque valley and surrounded by lush green hills, the rooms and villas here sprawl over so many acres that golf carts or buggies remain busy ferrying guests around the property. The ambience is relaxing, the views spectacular from every point, and service excellent. For a luxurious stay, opt for a villa, which come with a large private pool; some rooms also come with a plunge pool and balcony. The restaurant puts out top-quality local and Western dishes.

For flat-out, over-the-top luxury and sophistication, nothing in Goa can top this well-planned 49-acre resort that includes a golf course, private access to a secluded beach, and rooms varying in degrees of decadence. The two-story, salmon-covered villas are arranged along a winding artificial lagoon, with some featuring private plunge pools. Rooms and suites have elegant furnishings, marble bathrooms, and private balconies. The open-air lobby is reminiscent of a temple from the ruins of the town of Hampi to the west, complete with panel carvings---it is a wonderful place to spend a cool, quiet afternoon. The restaurants offer broad and diverse menus in beautiful settings. For a memorable experience, book a celestial dining experience in a glass pod.

A fusion of traditional and contemporary Indian aesthetics, this hotel on the edge of the city center comes with spectacular views of the Maidan and the Victoria Memorial. Modern Indian art, artifacts, and antiques are showcased throughout the building. Rooms, which you access via quiet triangular atriums, are essentially Western, with Eastern accents and Indian prints. Ask for a pool-facing room, which provides a wonderful view of the Victoria Memorial. The hotel concierge can organize a day trip to Pingla (a small village located 3 hours away from Kolkata) to watch the Pattachitrakars (artists) create painted scrolls.

Constructed within the boundary and adjoining the ramparts of an old Portuguese fort, this hotel has gorgeous views of the fort, sea, and beach. Most of the rooms face the ocean and are furnished with contemporary Goan-style dark wood and cane furniture. If you crave seclusion, stay in the exclusive (and expensive) villas tucked into the hillside behind the resort (these used to be a separate property, known as the Aguada Hermitage). The restaurants, recreational facilities, and spa at the Taj Holiday Village next door are open to Fort Aguada guests as well.

Set on 15 acres of manicured gardens, among hundreds of palm trees, the gorgeous Taj resort with a top-notch spa is easily one of the best places to stay in Kovalam. The rooms are decorated in traditional Keralan and Balinese styles. Golf carts can take you down to the gardens, a private beach, a seafood restaurant, and the lagoon. In this heavenly microcosm you have an opportunity to experience the best of Kerala—the scenery, local food, and wonderful ayurvedic treatments.

Isolated at the tip of Willingdon Island, this grand hotel offers a heritage sensibility and style with a stunning carved-wood ceiling in the lobby and a similarly styled bar with a harbor view. The rooms are divided between two wings: the Heritage Wing, which dates back to 1935, and the Tower Wing, which is more modern. All rooms and suites have wooden flooring and Kerala-style furnishings, with some offering views of the harbor.

This restored heritage palace provides the most luxurious accommodations in Varanasi, as it did in its heyday, when guests of the Maharaja of Benaras included Queen Elizabeth, Lord Mountbatten, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the king of Persia. The rooms, evoking that bygone era, are elaborately furnished with pieces from the maharaja's private collection—voluptuous four-poster teak beds with silk canopies, Victorian-style armoires, antique bathtubs. There's a pool with ghatlike steps, a golf course, and manicured gardens amid fields of marigolds, jasmine, and mango trees. The signature spa treatment is based on the ritual purifying bath once performed on royalty for special occasions. Rooms are named after patrons who once stayed in them, so if you want to live a bit like the queen of Bhutan once did, ask for her room.

Facilities are top-notch in this giant, boomerang-shape hotel with first-rate business services and good leisure amenities. The teak-panel business center has laptops for rent, the health club is amply outfitted, the beauty salon has a range of treatments, and the outdoor pool overlooks manicured lawns. There's even a putting green. Aside from giant traditional lanterns in the sprawling marble lobby, the building is Western and designed for corporate convenience. Half the rooms face the pool and lawns; the rest have city views. 

Set amid lush greenery and the serene setting of the Eco Park, Taj Taal Kutir has rooms and suites with private balconies and warm modern furnishings. Unique dining experiences are arranged during winters in its ample open spaces.

You can live like (and alongside) royalty at this magnificent palace, one of Rajasthan's grandest hotels, where the royal treatment begins the moment you arrive: bugles sound, drums play, petals are strewn at your feet, and an ornate canopy comes up to welcome you. Still home to the titular Maharaja of Jodhpur and his family, who live in a separate and distant wing away from guests, this Taj group-managed hotel has a massive, domed lobby, lavish public rooms filled with objets d'art, and many guest rooms that, though not opulent, are in Art Deco style, with large luxurious bathrooms.

Splurge on a small suite, if you can.

There's a beautiful, astrology-theme subterranean pool that was built for the ladies of the palace, though sunbathers will prefer the one in the garden. The property has been featured in many movies and has hosted at least one international celebrity wedding.

Convenient for visiting the caves, this gleaming Mughal palace is all bright marble and stone, inside and out—its windows and doors arch to regal Mughal points, and the grand dome over the lobby is hand-painted in traditional Jaipuri patterns. The warm, Ajanta-esque rooms have solid furniture with matching headboards and mirror frames, and all look out onto the garden. Many rooms have their own balconies. Stone paths wind through the five acres of beautifully landscaped lawns. The staff is obliging, and go out of their way to make you feel safe and welcome.

This 120-year-old restored Portuguese home—with a lovely front porch, elegant dining room, and cozy living room—has lots of pizzazz thanks to owners Simon and Charlotte Hayward, and yet maintains an intimate feel. The rooms and bathrooms evoke the spirit of the siblings' experiences in Bengal and Tamil Nadu—an all-white loungey Ooty Room, named for a hill station; an antique-filled Alipore (a posh neighborhood in Kolkata) Room with a narrow, elongated bathroom; a rustic room, evoking Madras, with an outdoor bathroom. The inn's gem might be the Lorryback Bar, which features a colorful painted wooden back like those found on traditional Indian lorries (trucks). The rural setting means possible street encounters with stray dogs, pigs, and roosters—not unusual in Indian villages.

The hillside views on this cardamom, coffee, and vanilla plantation are stunning. Accommodations, which are behind the planter's home, among a grove of towering trees, are large and homey rooms with exquisite embroidered linen, wall hangings, and curtains. The wooden, chalet-style dining area has a small library upstairs, under the rafters, with breathtaking views.

Right in the middle of acres of tropical foliage and within shouting distance of the sands of Candolim beach, this handsome and sprawling property provides an excellent base from which to explore North Goa. One large, five-bedroom villa, one three-bedroom villa, three two-bedroom casinhas (little houses), and four cottages make up Aashyana Lakhanpal. The main villa is light, bright, and modern, with slate-lined water bodies and plush cream sofas. The double-bedded suites are furnished tastefully, with four-poster beds, modern art, and outdoor bathtubs in some, and private outdoor spaces in all. The casinhas are less trendy, but still lovely, with brightly colored open-air bathrooms and stone floors. Staff are extremely solicitous and on-hand to organize everything from massages to water sports or trips to the old town. There is a three-night minimum stay, which edges up to a seven-night minimum stay in peak season.

Although not as luxurious as some of its neighbors, this backwater resort with pretty white bungalows with terra-cotta roofs is set on a lovely 13-acre property that has ponds, lush coconut palm groves, and a small lagoon running through it. The rooms, each with their own patio, are spacious, stylish, and furnished in muted colors. High ceilings, wood trim, and solid-wood furniture give them a substantial feel.

Set on the banks of Vembanad Lake, this backwater hotel offers lake-facing cottages and garden rooms with private open-air bathrooms; three bamboo villas have their own private pool. Rooms are simply furnished but lack the traditional Kerala architecture that neighboring resorts provide. There’s an ayurvedic spa, a swimming pool, and a multi-cuisine restaurant.

In a quiet location off the main road near Candolim, this resort from the Acron Hotels group resembles a classy Portuguese mansion and is competent and professional in its service and facilities. The property overlooks verdant rice fields and an imposing whitewashed church behind busy Candolim. A free shuttle service transports guests to nearby Candolim Beach, and the busy Calangute stretch is a short taxi ride away. All rooms come with balconies—ask for a pool-facing one.

Hospitality and attention to detail are second to none at this little-known guesthouse, Delhi's only combination of style and affordability. In a quiet, leafy, upper-class neighborhood this jewel offers a taste of residential life, and its rooms are simple but cozy, with bright fabrics and large windows. The restaurant is delightful and the rooftop terrace, with flowering plants and wrought-iron furniture, is unbeatable on a winter day. 

This enchanting palace and village complex has several intriguing perks—like a pool with waterfalls and caves; a lobby stuffed with atmospheric royalty-related memorabilia, such as portraits of maharajas, spears, and heads of deer; and even a garage full of royal vintage cars available for rent. The individually styled rooms are a funky mix of contemporary designs and traditional Rajasthani fabrics and artifacts; some even have trees growing inside. The prettiest rooms are located within round hut-style thatched cottages with mud-walled verandas that have swings. Attached baths are large with tubs and loads of sparkling granite/marble. In peak season nightly outdoor dinners feature live entertainment. Horseback riding, village tours, and safaris can be arranged. While it's located a good 10-minute tuk tuk ride from the Old City, this place still puts you close to boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants.

Mere minutes from the gate of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, this fully tented camp is glamping at its best with expansive Mughal-inspired tents. Each apartment-sized tent (108 square mt [1,162 square ft]) is done up in warm colors and classic furnishing with a king or twin bed, oversized day bed, twin writing desks, and a large bathroom with bathtub, shower area, and smart toilet. There's also a separate seating-dining area and a private sundeck. Meals are a mix of Indian and international cuisines, mostly made with produce from the camp's own organic garden. Apart from wildlife safaris with a trained naturalist, fort treks, horse-riding, and a cruise on the Chambal River are also on offer. After an adventurous day, relax in the stepwell-style swimming pool or indulge in traditional Ayurveda-inspired treatments at the spa.

In an exclusive 1930s neighborhood dripping with late-Raj charm, this quiet Taj Group hotel's service is heartwarmingly friendly. The small marble lobby has comfortable banquette seating; upstairs, the hallways are windowed and bright. Most rooms have carpeting, basic teak furniture, city or garden views, and a modern bathroom; a few have tile floors, area rugs, and old-style bath fixtures. Try to get a garden-facing room in front, as rooms in back can be noisy.

A former leisure palace of the Maharanas of Udaipur, this 18th-century haveli-turned-heritage hotel has a fantastic location on Lake Pichola with views of the City Palace and surrounding ghats. Spacious rooms retain their traditional architecture and are done up in calming colors with bold accented furnishings. The baradari or enclosed pavilion on the lower level is a great place for a sunset drink followed by dinner at Ambrai restaurant. For a special evening, consider splurging on a meal at Badi Mahal, the haveli's beautiful inner garden where you dine at a rose-petal strewn lakefront pavilion accompanied by live music from a musician duo.

For a homely stay away from the hubbub of the beach belts, visit this century-old, crimson-hued Portuguese villa-turned-boutique hotel set amidst well-tended gardens. Guests can breakfast out on its cafe\é's expansive veranda, which overlooks the Zuari River, or unwind in the Moroccan-inspired pool house. The rooms are light-filled, airy, and done up with well-chosen antiques and stylish wooden furniture, and offer views of either the garden or the pool. Dobolim International Airport is just a 25-minute drive away.

Set on Marari beach in a quiet neighborhood are four luxury cottages in a delightful garden hotel surrounded by palm trees. Each cottage, decorated with Kerala-style furnishings, has a spacious veranda where all meals are served and a traditional open-air bathroom with modern fittings; some have their own private swimming pool. For those who want to do more than just soak up the sun, there are spa treatments, yoga, and biking tours around Marari village.

Built in the style of a traditional Nepali courtyard by the royal family of Nepal and once frequented by the king of Nepal and his guests, this boutique hotel sits directly on the banks of the Shivala Ghat. Rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated, with colonial furniture and stylish silk throws. The property features an elegant garden courtyard, a "viewing deck" with lounge chairs facing the Ganges, and a garden terrace with a gazebo. Easy road access makes sightseeing easier, and you can also ask the team to assist you for a dip in the Ganges.

You'll find thatched cottages and Portuguese-style bungalows nestled in lush palm trees at this beachfront property. Most accommodations have a private balcony with sea or garden views. Hammocks are scattered around, inviting you to plonk yourself down for a relaxing afternoon. There is also an in-house beachfront multi-cuisine restaurant, L'Atelier, that serves Goan specialties.

Spread across 9 acres, Pushkar’s loveliest and most expensive hotel has an outdoorsy lodge feel and there are golf carts to get around. Many of the cottages, with their beehive-shape tiled roofs and cobblestone walls, have private side patios and open-air showers set in greenery. Rooms, furnished with delicately etched tree murals and rich silks, have an understated and modern elegance. There are better priced rooms in the main hotel building, but they lack locational charm.