18 Best places to stay in India’s Golden Triangle

Service and attention to detail don’t come more polished and impeccable in Ranthambore than at Vanyavilas. Guests stay in enormous lavish tents inspired by maharajahs’ travelling camps – which are, to all intents and purposes, villas. Expect four-poster beds with canopies, teak floors, claw-footed bathtubs and private patios.

The main hotel building lies behind an imposing entrance gate, with elegant pavilions set beside shimmering pools, housing the restaurants, spa and snooker room. There’s also a delightfully bookish bar complete with a fireplace for colder nights.

Manicured lawns stretch out around a good-sized pool and sundowners atop the property’s observation tower are the perfect way to end the day.  The gates to Ranthambore National Park – home of the region’s famed Bengal tigers – is a short drive away.

Built in 1860 by a wealthy noble family, this rather stately haveli, or mansion, has been enlarged by successive generations. All of its seventy rooms are unique and have an appealing heritage feel, with period furniture, ‘ethnic’ décor, arched windows and coloured glass.

It’s comfortable and atmospheric rather than flashy and opulent, and offers excellent value for money with the bonus of a spacious and tranquil garden.

Since 2006 Diggi has hosted the annual Jaipur Literary Festival, drawing A-list writers and literati from across the world.

Built in around 1930 for the Maharaja of Jaipur, in the days when he paused here for a bit of R & R – usually involving hunting – with an entourage, this splendid hotel still bears traces of that heritage.

A few trophies glare down from the walls of public areas yet it’s the faint Art Deco feel, especially the main lodge’s curving facade (enclosing the original dining hall, lounge and bar) and the classy retro atmosphere, that lends a particular appeal to guests.

In the place of the entourage’s tents now stand low-rise modern wings with rooms and suites featuring subtle Indian décor and accents. Two suites in the main lodge were the private royal quarters.

The gates to the park are just fifteen minutes’ drive, giving easy access to the Ranthambore Park for tiger-spotting safaris.

Tucked away in the north-east corner of the Old City, this two-hundred-year-old haveli – a nobleman’s traditional mansion – offers a romantic and atmospheric window on the lives and style of an aristocratic Rajput family. Intimate rather than palatial in scale, its elegant and traditional decor includes fluted arches, frescoed walls and period furniture.

A gorgeous dining hall offers traditional Rajasthani cuisine (such as lal maans, or red mutton, and ker sangri, which combines desert beans and wild berries), in addition to Indian staples and western favourites.

Probably one of Agra’s most venerable hotels, the century-old Grand Imperial began as a high-end Raj-era hotel hosting the era’s political grandees in its heyday.

These days the revamped property is more focused on leisure visitors, still very comfortable and characterful yet certainly not catering to an uber-lux clientele.

Arched verandahs, lofty ceilings, wide corridors and retro furniture – including four-poster beds – all reinforce a subtle colonial atmosphere, offset with ethnic detailing.

It’s a good choice for those wanting a faintly ‘olde-worlde’ atmosphere without breaking the bank, and a sense of being slightly away from the main hubbub of the city.

All the main sites are around 1-2kms away, but sightseeing in Agra tends to be done by taxi/escorted bus, so it’s still easy to get to all the main sites.

Painstakingly restored from dereliction, this 19th-century haveli, or merchant’s mansion, is tucked away in the narrow atmospheric lanes and alleys of Old Delhi near Chandni Chowk.

Distinguished by its central courtyard overlooked by balconies and galleries, fluted archways and colonnades lead off into heritage-style rooms and suites. Many of these have their own decorative pillars and arches, and all are equipped with solid vintage-style furniture.

The roof terrace offers views across the Old Delhi skyline to the Jami Masjid, while in-house experiences range from classical dance and music performances to kite-flying and neighbourhood walks.

Staying in the old town offers the chance to really immerse yourself in an authentic part of the city, but most of the main sights are a taxi ride away.

Something of an outlier in Ranthambore’s hotels, Kipling Lodge stands amidst quiet farmland around 10km from the reserve’s heart.

Ranged around a simple garden, its rooms and suites occupy a clutch of simple ‘cottages’, some with rooftop pavilions and all with verandahs or patios.

It’s pleasant enough and there’s a modest swimming pool but the most appealing aspect is the C-shaped reception lobby and dining hall partially enclosing a tree-dotted terrace with tables.

It’s comfortable and extremely good value rather than luxurious and polished, and is just ten minutes’ drive from the gates of the Ranthambore Park.

Situated just south of the city centre in a notably leafy enclave, Rambagh started in the 1830s as a relatively modest home of the queen’s handmaiden and evolved into a royal guesthouse and hunting lodge.

By the 1920s it was the main residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur with cenotaphs, formal Mughal-style gardens and a chandelier-hung ballroom. It’s a splendid monument to the taste and style of one of royal Rajasthan’s pre-eminent dynasties. Still wowing the great and the good, it remains one of the city’s most famous hotels.

Rooms and suites all boast an opulent heritage-style feel, with retro furniture and décor. The fanciest Royal Suites were once the royal family’s personal chambers.

Each evening, hotel butlers conduct guided walks through the property offering a colourful mix of history and anecdote, and guests can take horse-and-carriage rides through the grounds. The baradari experience comprises private musical performances in a garden pavilion, and there are several fine-dining options.

Situated on the edge of Chanakyapuri, the capital’s diplomatic enclave, the Maurya is something of a landmark with its distinctive stepped profile, fronted by immaculately tended lawns and shrubbery.

Reputedly a favourite of visiting dignitaries and heads of state, it wears this honour lightly and you’re more likely to be rubbing shoulders with other high-end leisure travellers.

An array of swish modern rooms come with excellent facilities including an ayurvedic spa and lovely swimming pool.

The hotel’s famous Bukhara and Dum Pukht restaurants (with Northwest Frontier and Awadhi cuisine respectively) are celebrated foodie destinations, still wowing Delhi’s great and good along with out-of-town visitors.

Around fifteen minutes’ drive from most of the city’s main sights, this is a great option for those who want to base themselves somewhere calm and peaceful, and just dip in and out of the busy centre.

Standing on the edge of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, this exceptional retreat offers the last word in ‘glamping’. Ten extravagant, high-ceilinged tents replicate the feel and ambience of a royal Mughal travelling camp.

Just fifteen minutes’ drive from the entrance to Ranthambore, the hotel offers twice-daily safaris (just after sunrise and late afternoon) to see the tigers. Other experiences include guided walks to Khandar Fort inside the reserve, horseback safaris and excursions by camel through the property’s hinterland. Male guests can have a barber’s traditional shave, while women can try traditional henna skin-art.

Along with the swimming pool there’s also a spa tent with ayurvedic treatments, massages, yoga and aromatic baths. An organic garden complements a fine-dining restaurant and you can round off dessert with drinks around a divan-ringed fire pit. There’s nothing else quite so luxurious near any of India’s other tiger reserves.

Standing amidst the relatively calm, almost genteel, boulevards of leafy New Delhi, the Leela Palace is a modern hotel with palatial aspirations.

A grand marble-floored lobby sets the tone for a just-short-of-flashy ‘Indo-baroque’ style. Rooms are spacious with a vintage-leaning decor and, unique for central Delhi, the rooftop infinity pool is magnificent.

Situated on the southern edge of Chanakyapuri, the capital’s diplomatic enclave, the hotel is ideally placed for those who want to explore Delhi’s frenetic streets and extraordinary sites, before escaping to a quieter quarter of town in the evenings.

At the foot of Ranthambore’s rugged hills and surrounded by over 10 acres of grassland and fields dotted with watering holes, Khem Villas is a charmingly bucolic retreat and so-called ‘jungle camp’.

Tiger conservation runs in the blood of its co-owners, and their eco-friendly approach to discreetly high-end tourism – which helps benefit local communities – is laudable.

Accommodation comprises a mix of two exclusive villas with private sun decks, rustic cottages with open-to-the-sky showers and luxury steel-framed tents with wooden platforms and a distinctly ethnic feel. It’s the sort of place where you might spot jackals, foxes and mongoose skirting the property’s leafy boundaries.

Just 4km from Ranthambore’s main entrance, the property strikes an ideal balance between convenience and rural tranquillity. You’ll also probably learn more about Ranthambore’s tigers, the region’s other wildlife and conservation issues staying here than anywhere else in the region.

Set in the semi-rural eastern fringes of Jaipur, Rajvilas is an ultra-luxurious and modern reinterpretation of a Rajput-style fortress.

It’s a sensuous and dreamy place spread over 32 acres with landscaped gardens, terraces, reflection ponds, pavilions and private courtyards.

Resort-like in scale but offering impeccable boutique-like service, this is a magnificent property and one of Rajasthan’s most relaxing hotels.

Ideal for first-time visitors, as it’s out of the busy centre (and Jaipur can seem a bit overwhelming at first), this is a seriously upscale stay, appealing to those who like their luxury housed in classic Rajput architecture.

In south Delhi’s leafy Gulmohar Park neighbourhood, Thikana is a small but comfortable B&B with the friendly ambience of a homestay.

Modern, recently-renovated rooms feature balconies, rugs and a light-touch ethnic decor, embracing paintings and sculpture along with breakfast tables and work desks.

It’s about as personable an experience of ‘middle class’ Delhi as you’ll find, with its hosts on hand to share anything from practical tips on getting around to arranging local taxis for sightseeing and even sharing the latest sounds from the world of Hindi pop to Indian classical music.

Around 11km from central Delhi, this is an ideal choice for those who want to escape the freneticism of the city, and don’t mind spending time in the city’s notorious traffic in order to reach the sites.

No other luxury property in Delhi offers such an alluring combination of style and history.

Built in the 1930s, the Imperial blends Victoriana, colonial and art deco elements. Its architect was among a group, headed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, charged with shaping the look of New Delhi, the Raj’s impressive new capital.

Supremely elegant and notably classy, the fact that Mountbatten, Nehru and Jinnah – all pivotal in the subcontinent’s path to independence – met here simply adds to its appeal and ambience.

Displays of collectible artwork, turbaned staff, charming gardens and an enviable central location near Connaught Place make it one of a kind.

Situated deep in the Rajasthan countryside, this sumptuous haven of a hotel combines romance, style and sheer luxury. Although built on a former royal hunting ground, it’s not strictly a heritage property but rather a modern retro-styled palace embracing Mughal and Rajput motifs. It’s a sublimely restful place with a large swimming pool and lovely gardens – an idyllic retreat from the general clamour of urban India if money is no object.

The resort has an excellent programme of excursions, including picnics by Somsagar Lake and guided shopping trips into Jaipur, ninety minutes’ drive away. Although this might seem a long way for a day trip, staying at Amanbag does offer the chance to experience both the stunning Rajasthani countryside and one of its most bewitching cities.

Just 600m southeast of the Taj Mahal, this property’s suites, rooms, terraced lawns and swimming pool all boast uninterrupted views of the iconic monument across an expanse of shrubbery and thin forest.

Pavilions, fountains and reflection pools – all echoing the architecture and motifs of refined Mughal and Rajput design – add to the hotel’s sumptuous atmosphere.

Rooms here balance modern styling with vintage detailing and ‘ethnic’ touches, and all have Taj Mahal views – the only hotel in the area that can offer that.

Amarvilas experiences include private balcony dining – candle-lit dinners for two served by a butler – and dining under the stars beside gurgling pools of water, a particular treat on full-moon nights.

There’s probably no better hotel in Agra.

A few kilometres northeast of Amer village and Amber Fort, Khas Bagh resembles a cross between a noble’s haveli, or mansion, and a maharajah’s hunting lodge.

Its heritage feel and atmosphere is quite deliberate and well-executed, with archways and arched windows, decorative lattice parapets, retro-styled furniture and manicured gardens.

Yet the atmosphere is more like an upscale homestay. The hosts are an ex-Indian Army colonel and his polo-playing son, together with their wives.

Horses are a thing here; the property has its own paddocks and guests can go horse-riding or watch polo matches nearby – or simply lounge about beside the pool.