Luxury Hotels in India
Guests of the Lake Palace Hotel are ferried back and forth by boat.
Luxury hotels in India are some of the best in the world. Rooms come with international-standard amenities, and the service usually exceeds that found in most Western countries.
The best news, however, is that luxury hotels in India reflect the local culture. I’ve never once woken up – even jetlagged – and not been sure where I was. Seriously, I’ve been to India three times (each trip was two to four weeks) and never experienced a “cookie-cutter, could-be-anywhere” luxury hotel. I can’t say that about many countries, and I think it’s true here because two of the best hotel groups – Oberoi and Taj – are Indian.
I’ve already written about two wonderful places to stay in India: 360 Leti in the foothills of the Himalayas and Coconut Lagoon in Kerala.
What follows below are three more of my favorite luxury hotels in India.
There’s no guarantee that guest will see tigers in Rathambore National Park, but we were lucky!
Luxury hotels in India: Rathambore National Park:
Tigers lured us to Rathambore National Park. It’s one of the world’s best places to see the big cats – something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. But I didn’t just want to see them. I wanted to sleep in a big luxury tent, dine under the stars, and have the whole memsahib experience.
So, of course, we stayed at Aman-i-Khas. This chic resort, the closest lodging to the park, includes ten luxury tents, each with its own butler.
Aman-i-Khas, on the edge of Rathambore National Park, consists of 10 uber-luxurious tents.
“Whatever you want, we can do that,” Esver said, slipping a garland of marigolds over my head as he showed us to our quarters. He then proceeded to show us around our “tented suite,” which was four times the size of my first apartment and came with a stone bathtub for two, a large shower, wi-fi, king bed with beautiful linens, and a chaise suitable for Cleopatra.
Aman-i-Khas also includes elegant tents for dining, drinks, and spa treatments, as well as a swimming pool in the shape of an ancient step-well and a lakeside yoga pavilion. Dinner included delicious veggies grown in one of the large organic gardens near the pool.
The first look at out “tented suite” rendered me speechless.
In the morning, Esver stood by as we climbed into an open safari vehicle with a pair of game guides and drove into the park. All I hoped for was a view of a Bengal tiger, so the grey herons and white egrets on Malik Lake were a bonus, as were the samba deer, wild boar, and marsh crocodile. Finally, the guides spotted a handsome tiger drinking from a stream – and when he finished, he turned around and looked right at us. Memsahib was very happy.
Aman-i-Khas is open from October through May each year, the best season for wildlife spotting. Aman Resorts has two luxury hotels in India: the other is Amanbagh in Alwar, Rajasthan.
This 18th-century palace floating on a lake in Udaipur is easily the most romantic hotel in India.
Luxury hotels in India: Udaipur
The royal service continued at the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. Frankly, I was prepared to be disappointed because I’d dreamed of staying at this hotel for many years and my expectations were sky high. However, when my eyes landed on the vision of white marble and mosaic seemingly floating in the middle of Lake Pichola – all I could do was smile.
Built in 1746 by a youthful maharana with an entourage of lady friends, the Taj Lake Palace is easily the most romantic destination in all of India. The hotel, with its airy balconies, Monet-like gardens, and seductive sit spots, invites guests to take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the moment. Within hours of arriving, I waded up my lists of off-island sights and announced my intention to stay put.
Monet would have loved the water and flower gardens at this romantic hotel.
I spent time reading and gazing from the window seat in our room, sampling the offerings from the various restaurants (all good), enjoying spa treatments (all great), and trying to capture in photos the beauty of scalloped doorways, stone carvings, and over-water vistas (challenging). Most memorable: At night, candles transformed the lily pond into a dream-like scene that exceeded my expectations.
This hotel is easily the “best address” in Mumbai.
Luxury hotels in India: Mumbai (Bombay)
The Taj Mahal Palace is so steeped in historical ambience that during breakfast I felt like Somerset Maugham might be sitting behind one of the potted palms or marble columns on the open-air verandah.
This isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Since the grand hotel opened in 1903, it has been the center of Mumbai social life. The iconic Gateway to India, steps from the Taj, was built on the waterfront to provide a proper welcome for Queen Mary and King George in 1911. After Indian independence in 1947, the Brits left India from this same spot.
Since then, the Taj Mahal Palace has hosted six American Presidents and a who’s who of international stars. Ravi Shankar taught George Harrison to play the sitar here. The Rajput Suite was a temporary home for Yoko Ono and John Lennon and later, Brad and Angelina. We arrived just after Salmon Rushdie checked out, but Prince Michael of Kent could often be seen around the pool during our stay.
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel positively exudes historic ambience.
We liked our room in the Palace wing where antique art and artifacts are on display. This location also provided easy access to the pool and poolside restaurants, which – in steamy Mumbai – are the places to be both day and night.
The Taj Mahal Palace is the place to stay in Mumbai, but we also really liked Taj Lands End, which is closer to the airport. You might want to stay there if you have an early morning departure or are just transiting through the city.
Have you already read about Mumbai’s best private guide?
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Besides the well known chains like Taj, Oberoi, Aman and other international brand, there are many other boutique luxury hotels which are more intimate and give a rich and authentic feel of the hospitality and place.
Thank you for the post. It is great to know what to expect at these luxury hotels when planing a holiday.