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
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,…
Prayagraj (Allahabad)
Ivan – a guitar-playing Indian rum enthusiast – and his wife, Purnima, are your South Indian/Bengali hosts at this fabulous homestay offering a window…
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…
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…
Agra
A retired director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism is your host at this wonderful upscale homestay tucked away in a quiet residential neighbourhood near…
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…
Varanasi
This meticulously renovated riverfront palace, built in 1812 and known as the Darbhanga Mahal, is simply exquisite. From the period chandeliers to the…
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,…
Varanasi
Simply gorgeous, this beautifully restored and maintained colonial-style haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) overlooking Assi Ghat is…
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,…
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,…
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…
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
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Agra
Matriarch Naghma and her helpful sons are the highlight of this wonderful homestay. Their comfortable home, tucked away in a residential neighbourhood 15…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Varanasi
Each room is individually themed on a regional Indian style, using antique furnishings and colourful design themes. The colonial, Rajasthan and Jodhpur…
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…
Varanasi
Housed in a brightly painted aquamarine-green building, this friendly six-room place has cramped but immaculate rooms with sparkling bathrooms. Breakfast…
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…
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…
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,…
Lhaden Chenmo Tibetan Monastery
Sarnath
The modest, well-kept Tibetan monastery (the first built by the Dalai Lama in India, in 1955) offers simple but clean rooms with a shared balcony.
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
