253 Best Hotels in India

Built to mimic the royal palaces of Rajasthan, this sprawling resort has pristine white exteriors with blue accents (channeling Jaipur's blue pottery), ornate jaalis (latticed screens), and silver-lined chhatris (domes). Marble corridors sport vibrant frescoes and intricate thikri mirror work. The spacious rooms and suites are done up in pastel pinks, blues, or yellows and have sumptuous furnishing and marble flooring. Many of them have private balconies, terraces, or courtyards; the royal villas with outdoor daybed, temperature-controlled plunge pool, and butler service are worth the splurge. Relax in one of the breezy pavilions dotted around the property, take a refreshing dip in the large common pool, or book a spa appointment (the therapy rooms have gorgeous Aravalli views). Right by the pool is the Jharokha Bar adorned with lotus-design chandeliers where you can stop for an afternoon tea or evening cocktail. The hotel has three restaurants: the all-day dining Sukh Mahal serves Indian and international fare, the cozy Preet Mahal is for Italian cuisine (the pizzas are fantastic), and the dinner-only Mohan Mahal is designed like the Sheesh Mahal (palace of mirrors) and serves royal Rajashani meals in a candle-lit ambience. 

You arrive at this art-filled domed palace aboard an EV boat (the only lakefront hotel operating them for transfers) to a shower of rose petals and musicians welcoming you to the lobby. The hotel is packed with Mewari wall murals, embroidered tapestries, marble sculptures, thikri mirror work, and silverware, all of which can be admired on a guided palace art walk (complimentary). Rooms and suites are spacious with elegant, contemporary interiors punctuated by Rajasthani motifs and crafts—of particular note is the furniture embossed with tarkashi work, which involves intricate brass-wire motifs set in dark wood. Bathrooms are massive and come with exclusively crafted bath amenities. Most meals are at The Dining Room, which offers a mix of Indian and global fare, while the lakefront al fresco Sheesh Mahal restaurant is open for dinner, where you can savor Indian fine dining with a view of the lit up City Palace and Old City. The hotel organizes city tour experiences as well as ceremonial rituals like morning prayers at the 16th-century Shiva temple on the palace premises and evening folk music and dance in the central courtyard.

This attractive contemporary hotel is a decent choice, with the trappings of a luxury property, but offering reasonable prices. Rooms are cheerful and sleek, without being too resort-y, and every room is designed around a central garden and has a pool view and either a patio or a balcony. Ground-floor rooms are the best, as they open directly onto the garden, so you can walk out of your room and dive into the pool---and what a pool: huge, with a waterfall and a food pavilion.

The highlight of this relaxing resort with elegant rooms is the impressive infinity pool, which overlooks the mighty Vembanad lake. The 27 rooms, all in a two-story heritage Kerala building, have four-poster beds and wooden accents. The lobby and other shared areas are simple and functional and look out onto well-tended lawns. The resort is about a 30-minute drive from Alleppey.

An exclusive hotel at an exclusive address, The Lodhi is over-the-top luxury all the way, starting with the private pool nestled on the balcony of most of the rooms. Standard rooms are more than spacious, and the suites are massive. There are also service apartments, the rate for which is negotiable. Calm and quiet grandeur is the theme, with dark wood and soothing neutral tones. With excellent dining options, plus a spa and hammam, you might not want to leave the grounds.

At this old Colva favorite right on the beach, most have private balconies with lovely sea views. For a special stay, opt for the Modern deco-style Arabian Sky View Suite, complete with an al fresco bathtub. If you don't want to eat at Loca, the in-house restaurant and bar serving local and global fare, you can take your pick from dozens of shack restaurants close by.

In these lovely, traditional, red-roofed Kerala bungalows, the only sounds you're likely to hear are the crashing of the waves from nearby Odayam and Edava beaches. The 12 cottages face each other in a coconut palm grove with a lotus pond and are simply furnished and comfortable. Some cottages are non-air-conditioned and therefore cheaper.

The well-priced rooms—all with Rajasthani decor and period-style furniture—are the main reason for heading to this Bani Park haveli-hotel. While it might not be a real Rajasthani mansion, the comparatively austere lodging does still lend the haveli atmosphere---though there are more traditional offerings closer to the city. Enter through an ornate gate, and the main hotel, embellished with all the Indo-Saracenic touches, is just beyond, where the rooms face a central courtyard. The royal deluxe rooms, only a shade more expensive, are decently large with big bathrooms.

Run by the Oberoi group, this is one of the city's oldest hotels, occupying a classic Raj building, with high-arched windows, deep verandas, grand old trees, pleasant lawns, and a quirky interior with huge rooms and bathrooms. Opened in 1903, before New Delhi even existed, this is outside the boundaries of Old Delhi, but with a Metro station adjacent, it's a speedy, air-conditioned ride from both Old Delhi and Connaught Place.

Sprawling over a long stretch of a swimmer-friendly beach, the 10 air-conditioned rooms in this beach-facing property are a good option if you want a quiet stay and to spend time lounging along the sandy shores of the Arabian Sea. The resort has sprawling gardens and a restaurant that serves Indian cuisine.

This strictly ayurvedic resort is quieter and even closer to the water than its neighboring sister property, Somatheeram Beach Resort. Its simple, circular brick cottages are neatly arrayed on ascending terraces—the rooms inside are small, with red oxide floors. "Special" cottages have better sea views. Alcohol is not permitted.

Like something out of a fairy tale, this rambling 300-year-old palace-hotel at Gandhi Chowk with comfortable, neat, and clean (but not luxurious or memorable) rooms has a breathtakingly beautiful carved exterior that incorporates turrets, arched doorways, windows, and balconies. Its wedding-cake-looking Badal Vilas is the tallest structure outside the fort and includes the Tazia Tower, a delicate five-tier pagoda carved by Muslim craftsmen; each tier has an intricately carved balcony.

Abutting the eastern wall of the City Palace, this haveli from 1910 has been refurbished into a design-forward boutique hotel with an expansive central courtyard. Each spacious room has a foyer in striking blue or terracotta with tone-on-tone chandelier, a large bathroom with custom-made toiletries, and a light-filled bedroom in neutral colors and a contemporary four-poster bed. The overall look is pared down and modern with touches of Rajasthani motifs and architectural elements. A highlight is the rooftop pool with cow-head fountain spouts and sweeping views of the Old City and the City Palace (which looks particularly enchanting after sunset). The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating and serves North Indian cuisine with a focus on Mewari and Rajasthani classics. The hotel organizes offbeat experiences like a breakfast trail in the Old City, curated shopping tours, and a champi (vigorous head massage) by the pool.

This 25-acre eco-friendly resort, built to resemble a traditional fishing village, offers an unspoiled palm-fringed beach and an excellent ayurvedic center. Brick paths lead through rows of deceptively modest thatched-roof cottages that are both extremely spacious and comfortable—they have traditional red oxide floors, coir matting, bamboo roll blinds, cane furniture, and hand-loomed furnishings, with open-air bathrooms sporting banana trees.

Set on the secluded Marari beach—considered one of Kerala's finest—this select set of luxury villas each has its own butler and chef plus a fully equipped kitchenette. The villas, built in authentic tharavad style, have either dark wood or brightly colored walls, and showcase stylish furniture and brass fittings; bathrooms are open-air and filled with trees. There are plenty of activities on the grounds, including cooking classes, yoga, and ayurvedic treatments. Kochi is an hour away.

A restored Portuguese villa with clean rooms and antique furniture, this heritage guesthouse is a popular place among those who know Goa well, and it's only about half a kilometer from here down to Sinquerim Beach. Rooms are sunny and bright, and many overlook a charming garden.

Fluttering eucalyptus trees frame an alluring resort of tile-roofed cobblestone cottages, some of them two stories, offering memorable views of Mattupetty Lake. The cottages are well-spaced in this family-owned property, allowing each privacy. Pine furniture adorns each of the rooms, and the overall decor is a mellow green and white, with eucalyptus trees etched on the walls. The two-bedroom cottages have a living and dining area.

A 10-minute walk from the Golden Fort, this 18th-century haveli exudes old-world charm and is owned and run by descendants of the Maharaja Kesri Singh, who ruled over Jaisalmer during the 1700s. Rooms vary in shape, size and style; most of them contain antique furniture and authentic family portraits, but quite a few lack windows. Built of compact golden sandstone, the property sits bang across the Jaisalmer "0" milestone (from where distances are measured), and has two small courtyards, fountains, and a lounging area with interesting, quirky antiques, trophies, and portraits.

The huts at Nada Brahma all have sea- or garden-facing private balconies, hot showers, and king-size beds, just steps away from Patnem Beach. The fusion food in the open-air restaurant is excellent, as are the classic cocktails at the bar.

Built in 1928 by a commander for the Jaipur army as a vacation home, this sprawling heritage hotel, where peacocks strut through the expansive lawn, evokes visions of days past. The rooms are brightly decorated in traditional style, and the lobby begs travelers to sit and admire the grand architecture. Meals, including a breakfast buffet, are available in the lavish dining room; for dinner, you're best bet is to walk across the lawn to Bar Palladio for classic cocktails and its Mediterranean menu.

This beachfront budget hotel on Kovalam’s main beach offers private sea-facing balconies in every room that let you see all the action—people strolling, sunbathing, swimming, and fishing—on the bustling Lighthouse Beach. The building is a bit drab, but air-conditioned rooms are spacious, with high ceilings; all are simply furnished. Suite rooms are a better bet, with large white-and-green tiled bathrooms.

A stone's throw from the sea, and reasonably priced, this rustic collection of beach huts is emblematic of accommodations in Palolem and a good place to get a no-frills beach hut experience. Standard rooms lack air-conditioning, and are thus worth avoiding in favor of the sea-facing air-conditioned deluxe shacks or cottages. The restaurant serves everything from seafood and cocktails to cheese toasties and enchiladas. This property is quite basic, but it's an experience and more comfortable than some of the other huts. 

Among bougainvillea, coconut palms, banana trees, orchids, and acacia stand thatch-roof, circular cottages and beautifully maintained traditional nalukettu (quadrangular buildings) wooden houses, most with commanding sea views, making this ayurvedic hotel a popular choice, though a minimum 14-night stay is required. A well-lit path leads down to the crescent-shape beach. It's next door to the Niraamaya resort and about 15 minutes from the main Kovalam beach. The cottage rooms are comfortable and spacious, with bright-white tiled bathrooms.

Roughly translated "a hidden dwelling," Nilaya is aptly named: this hip, hilltop retreat away from the beaches is etched out of laterite stone and enhanced with mosaic and ceramic tiles in a Goa-meets-Gaudi tableau. It's so remote that visitors who choose to leave the hotel will require taxis to do almost anything. But there are heavy incentives to stay: daybeds by the pool, healthy and flavorsome food, an excellent cocktail list, and an elevated view of the distant sea. For your stay, you can choose between a boutique room, a suite, or a tent; all have double beds. 

A fork in the road branches off to a mile-long, bumpy road that leads to a spice plantation holding this small resort that emerges like a little paradise from the undergrowth. The whitewashed cottages with thatched roofs lie perched on a hillside, each of them featuring well-lit, attractive rooms with colorful highlights. The hotel’s glass-and-bamboo-fronted reception building also houses a spa, a bar, and a restaurant. A variety of wildlife lives in the forest surrounding the property.

Built in the 1970s, this Western-style high-rise was completely renovated when Novotel took over in 2009, and the spacious lobby and large rooms now have a modern, sleek feel. White, gray, and black marble abounds, and the rooms have LCD TVs with laptop connectivity and a modern brown and beige color scheme. The best standard rooms have limited views of the beach—but this doesn't add all that much to the atmosphere.

Located close to the airport, this luxury hotel has a colorful, art-filled lobby and clean, modern rooms. The vibrant---though not garish---color palette continues to their main restaurant, O Cafe, that overlooks the large swimming pool. There's a spa and a salon onsite.

Luxury and stellar service are the hallmarks here—every floor has a butler who will make reservations, collect your laundry, shine your shoes, supervise the room cleaning, and bring you chocolates. The service is diligent, subtle, and simply perfect. The outdoor swimming pool, a cool, shamrock-shape oasis, offers a spectacular and secluded vantage point of Marine Drive and the Arabian Sea.

One of the most elegant hotels in the country, this Victorian landmark in the center of town provides impeccable service. The restaurants are grand, albeit old-fashioned, and the contemporary-style rooms are spacious with well-appointed bathrooms. The best rooms overlook the interior courtyard and pool.

Just opposite the Chinese fishing nets, this 1837 Dutch heritage building, a former brokerage house, features 13 tastefully decorated rooms with bright walls, antique fixtures, and contemporary Indian artwork. The rooms have views of either the fishing nets or the courtyard. Guests can dip in the elevated pool or read under a canopy of tall trees. The restaurant serves local seafood dishes as well as wine and beer.