Best hotels and hostels in Uttar Pradesh

Following Oberoi's iron-clad modus operandi of maharaja-level service, exquisite dining and properties that pack some serious wow factor, Agra's best hotel by far oozes style and luxury. Elegant interior design...

Varanasi's most expensive hotel is set in the beautifully renovated former palace of the local maharaja. Its 10 rooms ooze luxury and refinement, featuring furniture and artwork once owned by Varanasi's royal...

Ivan – a guitar-playing Indian rum enthusiast – and his wife, Purnima, are your South Indian/Bengali hosts at this fabulous homestay offering a window into a rarely seen side of Christian Indian culture. In a...

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 whole state. It's been under the watchful eye of the same...

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 of the textile industry – the reputable shop, Paraslakshmi...

A retired director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism is your host at this wonderful upscale homestay tucked away in a quiet residential neighbourhood near Fatahabad Rd. The five large rooms boast huge bathrooms with...

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 terrazzo flooring, art deco flourishes and lovely...

This meticulously renovated riverfront palace, built in 1812 and known as the Darbhanga Mahal, is simply exquisite. From the period chandeliers to the oriental rugs to the carved stone columns and artwork on the...

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, painted with bright, fruity colours and feature tasteful...

Simply gorgeous, this beautifully restored and maintained colonial-style haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) overlooking Assi Ghat is crammed with books, antiques and classy furniture. Rooms are...

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, set around a green lawn and with wicker furniture offering...

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 of natural light or communal seating areas, but the...

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 by colourful lockers, and there are ample hang-out spaces...

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, high-ceilinged rooms, four with private bathrooms....

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 have been tightened up a bit, with stylish new furnishings,...

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 decor and bathrooms. You won't find much to fault in...

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 the rooms are perfectly nice, they're predictable to the...

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 water. Bonus: it shares space with the excellent restaurant of...

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 signs of deterioration, but there's not much natural light....

Matriarch Naghma and her helpful sons are the highlight of this wonderful homestay. Their comfortable home, tucked away in a residential neighbourhood 15 minutes' walk from the Taj's West Gate, is blissfully...