253 Best Hotels in India

A ferry transports you to this former maharaja's hunting lodge, an enormous, red-tiled-roof heritage bungalow, located on an island inside the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can spot wildlife from your balcony. Now run by the Kerala state government tourist department, the six simple but very large rooms are decked out with period furniture and offer views of the palm-lined pathway and beyond to the lake and wildlife preserve.

In the best location in town, this charming, small palace, where all rooms open onto a pretty courtyard garden, sits above its own ghat (private stairs leading down to the lake) and has fabulous, panoramic views of Pushkar. Rooms and public areas are outfitted with antique furniture and mirrors from Rajputana's heyday and have enormous bathrooms---opt for a lake-view room. Suites are more attractive than the rooms. The hotel has a relaxed, sleepy vibe, so don't expect luxury service. The hotel restaurant, on a terrace overlooking the lake, serves Indian and continental fare, and has a small selection of baked goods. Built by the Maharaja of Jaisalmer, the palace was later presented to the Maharaja of Kishangarh.

This comfortable, small, and well-maintained hotel is on the edge of town, with a great view of the fort from afar. Small sandstone rooms have tasteful old-style furniture, pebbled courtyards, and stained-glass windows, and some rooms face the fort; luxury tents are also an option during the October to March high season. and the hotel staff can arrange desert and village excursions.

Built as a palace by Nepal's King Kaiser in the 19th century, this heritage property opened as a hotel in 1982 and underwent rounds of renovations, refining its old-world interiors to suit modern travelers' needs. The hotel has a bar and great multi-cuisine restaurant, a pool, and sprawling lawns for outdoor dining. While the base category of rooms are simple and compact, all other premium rooms and suites come with ample space and balconies.

This sleek, tastefully designed business hotel has rooms with wooden floors and bathrooms with Italian-marble floors, glass sinks, and sunken rain showers. La Cucina, the hotel's Italian restaurant, is spectacular. Suites here are modern, comfortable, and worth a splurge.

For its size and range of amenities, the Hyatt has a surprisingly homey feel. The mirror-spangled lobby is suffused with light from the pool-facing pastry shop at the back—where you can relax with good European desserts. Guest rooms have parquet floors, a rarity in India; views on the pool side are better. Choose a breakfast-inclusive rate to access a lavish spread each morning.

The clean, modern rooms at this Hyatt are spread over six floors and all come with a view of the city. There are two main restaurants, an in-house bakery, and Regency Lounge that's open 24 hours and is perfect for small bites. The state-of-the-art fitness center is also open 24 hours.

This small, homey resort south of Kovalam near the beach has specialized in ayurvedic treatment since 1997. Rooms in the marble-floor main building, are simply furnished and spotless; some have balconies overlooking a coconut grove or the pool. The beach is a short walk away.

Aside from the ideal sea-facing Marine Drive location (near the commercial hubs of Nariman Point, Colaba, and Fort) and some of the city's biggest standard rooms, service is a big plus point at this hotel catering to a business clientele, with personal concierges and a complimentary in-room massage for every guest. It lacks lobby space, but it has one of the best bars in Mumbai: the open-air, rooftop Dome. The contemporary, sophisticated finish complements modern interpretations of tribal Warli art on the walls.

A bit out of the way, the imposing 30-story ITC Grand Central is not only trusted (ITC is a trusted chain of luxury hotels in India), but has a tremendous unique selling point---its excellent Indian cooking (Kebabs and Curries makes elaborate North Indian food and Dakshin offers a sweep of South Indian flavors). An added bonus of staying here are the Eva rooms for women travelers; they are tailored to women's needs, including featuring added levels of security.

Set within 23 acres of manicured gardens, this brick and marble hotel is one of Agra's largest. Rooms are big and bright, and many have window settees, marble-top desks, and upholstered headboards. The gaming area has air hockey, table tennis, and pool tables, and for the outdoorsy types, there's horse riding, cricket, and football arranged in the lawns. The real highlight, though, is the Kaya Kalp Spa, an expansive wellness space beautifully decorated with red-hued curlicue designs inspired by pomegranates.

Centrally located, this large and sumptuous ITC chain hotel is a luxurious refuge from hectic downtown Jaipur. Decor is plush and elegant, with bathrooms in green granite; rooms sprawl in red-stone blocks that face a central garden, pool, and main building with a splendid marble lobby decorated with lattice screens.

The bearded guard, brandishing a spear and offering a salute as you arrive, is a good indication of the style of service at this mildly eccentric haveli-style hotel, with a promising view of the dunes outside Pushkar from some parts of the property. Rooms and bathrooms are furnished with period furniture and gray-streaked marble floors, quite like its sister property Pushkar Palace. Although not a heritage hotel, it is run by Khanpur Rajput rajas and the palace bearer--type service is a throwback to the royal era, as is the rich decor. The hotel has two wings located in manicured grounds with marble walkways and a couple of handicraft shops. You can opt to have afternoon tea or a meal alfresco by the central pool. Food is vegetarian, and main restaurant suffers from a lack of attention.

Rooms at this historic, Taj group–managed palace hotel are modern but plush, and many overlook 18 acres of lavish Mughal-style gardens. Located in the Civil Lines, quite close to the state governor and chief minister's residence, this hotel built in 1745 was once the home of the local prime minister and later Jaipur's British surgeon general Dr. Thomas Hendley, who was well-known for his artistic contribution to the city. Rooms are accented in either dramatic blue or a cheerful pink, and ground floor rooms have garden terraces. The hotel has three restaurants (all serving different cuisines) and a golden-hued bar where you can sip cocktails in an elegant ambience.

Ensconced in a brick-red 19th-century haveli in Old City's Johari Bazaar (jewelers' market), this beautifully designed boutique hotel combines traditional Rajasthani design with contemporary touches. In keeping with its location, each of the hotel's room is named after a gemstone and is done up in the corresponding color, and features scalloped arches, antiques, and vintage furnishing. The extra-large bedroom is flanked by a living room, powder room, and bathroom—the latter stocked with luxury amenities. Food is largely modern Indian and vegetarian, beautifully plated and quite delicious. The Johri & Sons bar is popular with Jaipur's swish set and serves up inventive cocktails along with a small selection of bar snacks.

The quirky, charming, and nearly 500-year-old Juna Mahal, owned by a priestly family once attached to Jodhpur's royal temples, is tucked away from the congestion in one of the upper streets of the Old City (access is by auto-rickshaw) and resembles a carved dollhouse. While first impressions might be underwhelming, the wonderful views from the rooftop vegetarian restaurant and the warm and hospitable owners are good reasons to stay. Rooms are named after Hindu gods and have neatly whitewashed walls, antique furniture, vegetable-dye handloomed soft furnishings, and private bathrooms (some are not attached). The Lord Ganesh room is the best due to its sweeping views and spaciousness.

This homey, colonial-style bungalow offers unique-themed rooms (each is decorated in honor of local festivals and former principalities) with standard amenities. The large rooms are simple but clean with period furniture; bathrooms are quite basic. The restaurant serves Indian and Chinese cuisine—the Rajasthani food is better than other choices—and evening entertainment and dinner are organized in and around traditional thatched huts in the garden area.

Famous for its traditional Rajasthani thali available in its rooftop eatery, comfy KB has accommodations that are equally authentic and striking and located smack in the center of town near the historic Patwon ki Haveli. Room highlights are cheery Rajasthani furnishings, window seats, balconies, and accents in stone. Bathrooms are gray-tiled and clean. Views of the Fort and the Patwon ki Haveli from the terrace are impressive. Though KB Lodge's accommodations are more basic than its sister hotel Killa Bhawan, inside the fort, it is still pleasant.

You may find your peace and quiet here: this large resort has an experienced and calm staff, thus lacking the frantic-to-please service typical of some other hotels in Goa; plus there's a marble lobby with lots of quiet corners for relaxing. But you can also join the activities afoot. There's an expansive swimming pool with a swim-up bar, an open-air Jacuzzi, a fun zone, and a swanky spa.

Popular with repeat visitors to Kolkata, this hotel has pretty gardens and two cheerfully furnished wings with comfortable and spacious guest rooms. This hotel, which has a great downtown location and garden, gets a lot of business as a wedding venue.

The location of this lovely, ancient, characterful hotel, built into the walls of the fort, could not be better---the views are great. Rooms and public areas are tastefully decorated in traditional but elegant Rajasthani style and are comfortable. The warm and helpful owners, who are always around, harvest rainwater, making the property admirably eco-friendly.

This hotel, which lies adjacent to one of the most popular malls in the city, Lulu Mall, is a good choice for those who want to include shopping on their agenda. The gleaming, modern lobby has a piano and a massive antique clock; the rooms are spacious and have gorgeous views of the city. There's a seafood restaurant and two bars as well. The on-site spa offers a range of therapies, including ayurvedic massages.

Unlike the sober Dutch mansions nearby, the three-story Koder House sticks out due to its brick exterior's fire-engine color and slightly unusual, Portuguese-inflected architecture. The six eccentric, attractive rooms are filled with antique furniture, overstuffed armchairs, red coir carpets, and enormous bathrooms. The home was built in 1808 and originally housed Kochi’s most-respected Jewish family.

A 10-minute walk from the beach, this quiet spot with elegant, minimalist cottages is in a tree-lined residential area. The cottages, each with one or two bedrooms, have soft lighting and entertainment areas with divans. The resort has an attractive pool, plenty of greenery, and a quiet restaurant if you don't want to trek to the other restaurants down the road.

Especially surprising given its price, this hotel has some great features, including a wonderful lakeside location, rooms with private terraces, suites with Jacuzzi or steam room, an Upre restaurant, and a rooftop pool. The rooms are homey, though not strongly designed, and many of them have great views. There are various options, including deluxe rooms (best value) and suites. The small pool gives the place an edge over the neighbors, and the restaurant menu ranges from standard Indian fare to Mexican food, with a large, reasonably priced wine list.

They don't get much bigger than this sprawling 85-acre resort with spacious rooms and a 9-hole golf course lining the clean, untouched sands of the Rajbaga Beach. The expansive colonial-Portuguese-inspired lobby, bookended by grand staircases on either end, leads into 14 interconnecting chambers, making it sometimes disorienting to find your way. Rooms start at about 605 square feet and come with lots of luxury touches; several overlook the manicured lawns. The resort has a sports complex and offer lots of water-sports activities at the beach—all good options given its isolated location down south.

In the heart of Kolkata's business district, this 19th-century heritage property was restored by Bharat Hotels Limited and turned into a classy business hotel with massive rooms in 2014; the property is well preserved with elements that highlight the building's history as a bakery. The 24-hour alfresco restaurant is very European, with pristine white decor and a global menu, while the old bakery equipment has been restored in another restaurant called The Bakery, which serves some old Calcutta favorites and a hearty breakfast.

Sumptuous lawns and views, grand terraces, palace pomp, and an interesting range of activities for guests—horse dancing, bagpiper recitals, puppet shows, snooker—are the highlights of Laxmi Vilas, a former palace constructed in 1911. Located on a gentle hill facing Pichola's sister lake, the Fateh Sagar, it was built by the worthy Maharana Fateh Singh, who constructed many of the mahals in this town. He also built the Connaught Dam as a small welcoming present for Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria's son who visited in 1889. Its rooms are large, many with lake views and window seats and attractively furnished in earthy colors with pretty wall screens. The hotel company has also undertaken social responsibility initiatives, including an employment program for acid-attack survivors and LGBT rights and awareness programs.

As the closest hotel to the temples, the Lalit has a great view of them—one you can enjoy while lounging in the manicured garden, sipping cocktails next to the pool. The interior has a colonial feel, with cream-color marble floors, traditional Indian tapestries and art, and teak and wicker furniture. It also has a world-class spa, a restaurant serving decent continental and Indian cuisine, and its own sound-and-light show and cultural performances. Ask for one of the temple-view rooms, though be prepared to pay extra for it.

Rural and old-fashioned, this cozy, memorable heritage hotel is the best place to stay in the city and is still home to descendants of the former maharaja of Bharatpur. The palace, a two-story rambling haveli built in 1887, sits on 50 acres of mustard and wheat fields. The interior blends Mughal and Rajput styles—each room is different, and many contain fireplaces, old brass beds, antique furniture, original tiles, and painted walls. Cheaper rooms, still pleasant, are smaller with newer furniture. The Keoladeo Park is 3 km (2 miles) away and the hotel organizes Jeep safaris or excursions.