Must-see hotels in Uttar Pradesh

  • Oberoi Amarvilas

    Agra

    Following Oberoi's iron-clad modus operandi of maharaja-level service, exquisite dining and properties that pack some serious wow factor, Agra's best…

  • Nadesar Palace

    Varanasi

    Varanasi's most expensive hotel is set in the beautifully renovated former palace of the local maharaja. Its 10 rooms ooze luxury and refinement,…

  • Tourists Rest House

    Agra

    If you aren't set on sleeping under the nose of the Taj, this centrally located travellers' hub offers the best-value accommodation in Agra, if not the…

  • Homestay

    Varanasi

    This homestay in a 1936 colonial home in a residential neighbourhood 1.5km from the old town is a true catch. Good-hearted host Harish, a 37-year veteran…

  • Bansi Homestay

    Agra

    A retired director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism is your host at this wonderful upscale homestay tucked away in a quiet residential neighbourhood near…

  • Lebua Lucknow

    Lucknow

    The 1939 Morris by the entrance sets the tone here, with a classy and stylish collection of courtyards and all-white terraces given colour by original…

  • Brijrama Palace

    Varanasi

    This meticulously renovated riverfront palace, built in 1812 and known as the Darbhanga Mahal, is simply exquisite. From the period chandeliers to the…

  • Ganpati Guesthouse

    Varanasi

    This old red-brick favourite has a pleasant, shaded courtyard as well as plenty of balcony space dotted around offering fine river views. Rooms are clean,…

  • Hotel Ganges View

    Varanasi

    Simply gorgeous, this beautifully restored and maintained colonial-style haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) overlooking Assi Ghat is…

  • MVT Guesthouse

    Vrindavan

    Run by the Hare Krishna financial endowment and used mostly by followers, but open to all, this relaxing, pleasant guesthouse has the feel of a campus,…

  • Tibetan Monastery Guesthouse

    Uttar Pradesh

    By far the nicest of Kushinagar's pilgrim accommodation offerings, this is a great temple choice. Rooms come with en suite cold-water bathrooms and fans,…

  • 10 Park Street B&B

    Uttar Pradesh

    Gorakhpur's hippest choice is this new, fresh and well-run 17-room place decorated with designer touches and colourful pop art. There's little in the way…

  • Stops Hostel

    Varanasi

    Varanasi's original hostel is in a four-storey residential building 2km or so from Assi Ghat. Dorms in six-, eight- and 14-bed variations are livened up…

  • Lucknow Homestay

    Lucknow

    Lucknow's most accommodating budget option is in the leafy neighbourhood home of Naheed and her family, who keep their distance but offer eight spacious,…

  • Hotel Surya

    Varanasi

    Varanasi’s cheapest hotel with a swimming pool, Surya has standard three-star Indian rooms, but a modern makeover means the luxury rooms in particular…

  • Howard Plaza

    Agra

    Rooms in this very welcoming hotel are decked out in elegant dark-wood furniture and stylish decorative tiling. The slightly pricier Club rooms have nicer…

  • Taj Gateway Hotel Ganges

    Varanasi

    The good: it's set on nearly 2 hectares of beautiful gardens with fruit trees, a tennis court, a pool and an outdoor yoga centre. The not-so-good: while…

  • Brown Bread Bakery Guesthouse

    Varanasi

    With the cleanest budget rooms in Varanasi, this simple but well-run guesthouse is one of the best deals in town, despite tiny bathrooms and iffy hot…

  • Dasaprakash Hotel

    Agra

    This friendly and clean retreat offers 28 modern and functional rooms with small desks and nice bathrooms, which haven't been around long enough to show…

  • N Homestay

    Agra

    Matriarch Naghma and her helpful sons are the highlight of this wonderful homestay. Their comfortable home, tucked away in a residential neighbourhood 15…

  • Clarks Shiraz Hotel

    Agra

    Agra’s original five-star hotel, opened in 1961, has done well to keep up with the hotel Joneses. The standard doubles are nothing special for this price…

  • Vivanta by Taj

    Lucknow

    Lucknow's top hotel resides in an enormous stately building built as a domed homage to Taj's famous Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai and evokes a head-of-state…

  • Hotel Goverdhan

    Fatehpur Sikri

    Both the air-con and cheaper rooms at this old-time favourite are fresh and spotless, and all are set around a pleasant, well-kept garden. It has a…

  • Retreat

    Agra

    Everything in this sleek, 51-room hotel is done up boutique-style with Indian sensibilities (lots of soothing mauve, mocha and turquoise throughout), and…

  • Palace on Ganges

    Varanasi

    Each room is individually themed on a regional Indian style, using antique furnishings and colourful design themes. The colonial, Rajasthan and Jodhpur…

  • Mansingh Palace

    Agra

    The fabulously dressed doormen set the tone here with plus rooms featuring marble floors and dark wood furniture, and a relaxing garden with an…

  • Kedareswar

    Varanasi

    Housed in a brightly painted aquamarine-green building, this friendly six-room place has cramped but immaculate rooms with sparkling bathrooms. Breakfast…

  • Hotel Atithi

    Agra

    Simple but superclean and comfortable rooms here are a decent size – no reason to spring for deluxe rooms. Guests can use the murky swimming pool in the…

  • Lotus Nikko

    Uttar Pradesh

    Thai and Japanese groups favour this well-run hotel and for good reason: the rooms are simple but spacious and there's a pleasant garden area. The…

  • Om Residency

    Uttar Pradesh

    A clean, modern hotel with helpful staff, but not much natural light. Even the cheapest rooms are a decent size with modern bathrooms. It's near the fort,…

  • BunkedUp Hostel

    Varanasi

    This hostel, near the ghats and next to a lovely temple, aims to please, with a couple of mixed-gender dorm rooms (with individual fans and electrical…

  • Rashmi Guest House

    Varanasi

    Incense-scented, white-tile corridors and marble staircases lead to a variety of cramped but smart rooms boasting high marks for cleanliness and style…

  • Hotel Amar

    Agra

    With the air of a budget Indian resort, the 66 rooms at the friendly Amar are comfortable but not flash. The marble-inlay entrance halls and funky,…

  • Hotel Kamal

    Agra

    The smartest hotel in Taj Ganj proper, Kamal has clean, comfortable rooms with nice touches, such as framed photos of the Taj on the walls and rugs on the…

  • Hotel Alka

    Varanasi

    This ghat-side option could use an attentive eye on its exteriors, but the pretty-much-spotless rooms – either opening onto, or overlooking, a large,…

  • Saniya Palace Hotel

    Agra

    Set back from the main strip down an undesirable alleyway, this isn't the sleekest Taj Ganj option, but it tries to imbue character with marble floors and…

  • Hotel Ganga Maiya

    Lucknow

    Clean and well run, and even the cheapest rooms have wi-fi, flat-screen TVs and good beds; the higher-priced deluxe rooms (single/double ₹1800/2000) in…

  • MPTDC Tourist Bungalow

    Uttar Pradesh

    The best place to stay in Chitrakut, this well-run and centrally located MP Tourism hotel offers clean and spacious rooms with modern bathrooms set around…

  • Teerth Guesthouse

    Varanasi

    This inner-courtyard guesthouse near the Vishwanath Temple is a pleasant diversion from the chaotic maze of alleyways that lead to it. For the price, it's…

  • Hotel Shane Avadh

    Uttar Pradesh

    There’s a huge range of rooms at this well-run and bustling establishment in Faizabad. The cheapest ones are a bit gritty and have rock-hard beds, but…

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