21 Best Hotels in Side Trips from Delhi, India

Accessed by boat from Assi Ghat, this 200-year-old palace packs the best of culture, architecture, and luxury in Varanasi, with the stay including complimentary pickings from the city such as holy water, zari-embroidered bags, and wooden toys. The Ganges is visible from the lobby, viewing deck, and all suites, but the property's stone-carved architecture and regal furnishings lining the sunlit hallways is a sight to behold in and of itself. There's ample to do within the hotel, with live music, classical dance performances, astrology sessions, and henna designing taking over the courtyard every evening. With a dining area, boutique store, and spa, this place is ideal if you're looking to savor Indian hospitality without having to leave your hotel.

One of India's best resorts emulates the opulent lifestyle of the Mughal emperors, and each room has a breathtaking view of the Taj Mahal. Common areas are full of sandstone arches, glistening pools, and stone inlay detail copied from the Taj Mahal, and each spacious room is understatedly elegant, with teak floors and rich fabrics. If you don't stay here, at least stop by for an elegant meal or a drink on the terrace.

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.

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.

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.

With upscale amenities amid lots of greenery, Clarks makes a good option for a quiet stay, and has been the choice of Indian celebrities such as Hrithik Roshan. Rooms have lots of natural light and wood laminate floors; the best ones overlook the palm-fringed pool or lawn. The plush hotel lobby is all cool white marble and chandeliers, looking out onto a green driveway.

A boutique hotel in a quiet neighborhood, Ekaa is perfect for a taste of homely hospitality. The interiors are inspired by Agra's crafts and monuments, featuring hatching patterns and concave ceilings. The rooms are furnished with linens, marble decor, digital prints, and paraben-free bath products---all sourced locally and available for sale at the in-house boutique. Spread across three floors, the property has ample indoor and outdoor spaces including an open-plan dining room, lounge areas, a terrace, and a courtyard. The team is entirely local to Agra, and offers tours of the city that take you beyond popular emporiums and monuments to experience hyper-local culture. At the property, the same is offered by way of their Pattal ki Daawat, a five-course meal featuring dishes cooked in Agra's homes.

Located a couple of miles from Sarnath, this hotel is clean, well-lit, and welcoming with contemporary interiors. Apart from Cilantro, the in-house restaurant, there's a rooftop bar with continental offerings, as well as a swimming pool. This property feels slightly more business-like than others, but remains a good option if you're planning to spend most of your days outdoors.

A palatial 18th-century house renovated to meet new-age demands, Guleria Kothi has all the trappings of an eclectic stay. Wooden furnishings meet old sandstone walls and flooring, while views of the Ganges follow you wherever you go. There's an open-air eatery as well as a rooftop restaurant for fine dining. If you ask, the team will arrange sufi nights in the courtyard and yoga in the meditation room. Some room configurations feature four beds, ideal for families and groups.

A 10-minute drive from the main group of temples, this is a clean and tastefully decorated hotel, and though it lacks personality, it does have an excellent range of sport and leisure options, including swimming, cricket, badminton, tennis, and jogging. Most of the rooms have views of the 18 acres of green lawn and gardens. Yoga instruction is available on request, and the basement spa provides Ayurvedic massages.

Still the residence of a well-to-do family, this guesthouse has small, beautiful rooms with quirky charm, and classical Indian concerts are often held here. There is a great veranda overlooking the river and Assi Ghat, and inside, there is a Shaiva shrine and 14 guestrooms. Delicious dinners, served under a galaxy of lamps and chandeliers, are Brahmin-style vegetarian. Book months ahead for peak season.

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.

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.

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.

In this century-old building on Assi Ghat, rooms are styled after Indian states—Gujarat (brightly colored drapes studded with mirror work), Rajasthan (elaborately carved doors and furnishings), and Assam (lots of bamboo). All delivering modern comforts, rooms at the front have a great view of the ghat, while others are quieter. The long, airy lobby is a great place to relax with tea, while the multi-cuisine rooftop restaurant has live classical music in the evenings (not during summer) and a good view of the Ganges.

Plush and always lively, this hotel in the relatively noise-free Cantonment is a favorite for its luxurious settings and well-maintained and upscale amenities. The bright and spacious rooms feature green marble and dark wood floors, pale green and cream silk throws, flat-screen TVs, and upscale bath products. The deep red and gold lobby is always bustling with activity—and large groups. The Great Kebab Factory, the hotel's specialty restaurant, is a big draw for its authentic Uttar Pradesh cuisine.

This hotel stands close to popular sights like Ramnagar Fort and the PT Deen Dayal Upadhyay railway station, but about 8 km (5 miles) away from the ghats---which makes it the ideal base if you want to cover the city beyond the Ganges. The offerings are modest but fulfilling, with a pool, a multi-cuisine restaurant called Masala Root, and Jacuzzis in the suites.

Located right off the curb from the popular Aadivart Museum and five-minute walk from the western temples, this property packs modern amenities within palatial interiors. Each of the four suites comes with a Jacuzzi, and all rooms look out to the sprawling gardens surrounding the hotel. There's a swimming pool and a kids' play area with board games. High ceilings and marble showpieces lend a regal look to the place, while the furnishings are kept simple. Food is a mix of Indian and continental dishes like chicken stroganoff and pastas, but your best bet is to stick with local dishes such as Bundeli chicken.

Previously known as Taj Gateway, this hotel has modern rooms done in soft colors with brass-accented furniture and eclectic Indian art. The upper-story rooms are cozy and quiet, with great garden views. Dine at the specialty Varuna restaurant for a posh Indian meal, or at Chowk for continental flavors.

Formerly known as Taj Gateway, this hotel offers a good view of the Taj Mahal from some rooms and its rooftop restaurant. The rooms feature marble inlay flooring and jaali work, and some rooms come with daybeds by the window to enjoy views of the Taj. The elegant marble lobby opens into an excellent restaurant. Guests can go for a dip in the temperature-controlled pool surrounded by acres of landscaped lawn, or visit the JIVA Spa (spread out across five air-conditioned tents) offering therapies inspired by yogic principles.

Built around a large garden courtyard with fountains, a soothing expanse of green lawn, and a pool, this place is a real oasis in Agra. The spacious rooms are in soft browns, with wooden flooring, coffeemakers, and views of the gardens or the pool. The lobby is, perhaps, the most inviting part of the hotel: bright yellow chairs, dark-wood accents, and modern chandeliers made of glass tubes are infused with sunlight. There's live Indian classical music, folk dancers, and a henna artist by the pool every evening.