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…
Must-see hotels in Uttar Pradesh
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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Agra
A retired director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism is your host at this wonderful upscale homestay tucked away in a quiet residential neighbourhood near…
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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…
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Varanasi
This meticulously renovated riverfront palace, built in 1812 and known as the Darbhanga Mahal, is simply exquisite. From the period chandeliers to the…
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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,…
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Varanasi
Simply gorgeous, this beautifully restored and maintained colonial-style haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) overlooking Assi Ghat is…
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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,…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Agra
Matriarch Naghma and her helpful sons are the highlight of this wonderful homestay. Their comfortable home, tucked away in a residential neighbourhood 15…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Varanasi
Each room is individually themed on a regional Indian style, using antique furnishings and colourful design themes. The colonial, Rajasthan and Jodhpur…
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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…
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Varanasi
Housed in a brightly painted aquamarine-green building, this friendly six-room place has cramped but immaculate rooms with sparkling bathrooms. Breakfast…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
