India has numerous spectacular attractions, from big cities, to historical towns, to its natural surroundings, to holy places. There are a lot of truly grand, four and five star hotels around India, though many preferred luxury hotels are located around Rajasthan (Western India). Many of these India luxury hotels used to be palaces or mansions, converted into plush hotels for guests to feel like royalty. There are a number of great first-class hotels in other areas though, so you just have to choose an area to suit your taste.
The main cities of India – Chennai, Dehli, Mumbai and Bangalore – have many luxurious hotels around, packed into the cities along with commercial, financial, business and entertainment centres all over. Delhi and Mumbai have many 4 and 5 star hotels nearby the main commercial and banking districts of town, while Chennai and Bangalore has only a few first-class hotels which are located around the city centres.
Delhi, the capital of India, has numerous historical attractions and ancient monuments, as well as a vibrant performing arts scene and great food; though the massive amounts of people can be at first terrifying. Mumbai is famous for being the home of Bollywood, and is India’s commercial, financial and entertainment hub. Chennai is the main port in Southern India, while Bangalore is very technology-influenced and westernized.
Cities well-known for their ancient historyl value and culture include Shimla, Agra, Jaipur and Hampi. Shimla is filled with historical Victorian architecture and has some amazing first-class hotels on the foothills of the Himalayas; Agra is where the infamous Taj Mahal mausoleum is located; Jaipur is filled with the Hindu Rajpur medieval culture of Northern India; and Hampi is home to the spectacular ruins of the Vijayanagara empire.
Great areas for India’s natural scenery and cultural feel include Udaipur, Goa and Kochi. Udaipur houses India’s famous lakes and palaces, while Goa and Kochi have amazing beaches and beautiful natural scenery. These areas have a few luxurious hotels as well.
There are also places known to be sacred and holy, like in Varanasi, Bodh Gaya, Armritsar and Aurangabad. Varanasi is considered the most sacred Hindu city – one of the oldest in the world. Bodh Gaya, on the other hand, is the most sacred Buddhist sites around. Armritsar houses The Golden Temple, a grand holy site for Sikhs; while Aurangabad houses the Ajanta and Ellora caves, which has some amazing monasteries and temples, a holy place for Buddhists, Hindus and Jains.
Other sites well-known for their temples include Madurai, with the Meenakshi Temple; and Kajuraho, popular for its Hindu and Jain temples and erotic sculptures. There are very few luxury hotels around these areas, and the only first-class hotels around these areas are dominated by the Taj group.
