The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

"Home to the majestic Taj Mahal. Engage in morning yoga and pranayama classes, and enjoy spa treatments with singing bowls at The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra." - Marion Miller

"Two years ago my wife and I arrived in Agra on a rainy weekend, and the Amarvilas was closed for a refurb. The hotel we stayed at promised a view of the Taj Mahal; from one particular corner of the roof, up a staircase, you could get a slight glimpse of the dome—if the skies were clear. This time, though, the property was open, and when I walked into the lobby of the renovated Amarvilas, I was unprepared and stunned. Beyond the atrium, rising above a lush green treeline, was the beauty. I spent the next two days doing just what the designers of this grand property intended: gaze at the Taj. Standing less than 2,000 feet from the Taj Mahal, the Amarvilas has the best and most exclusive view of the mausoleum. The architects maximized this by giving each of the 95 rooms and seven suites an unhindered view. The suites take it up a few notches—the daybeds, the shower, and the tub all look over the marbled wonder. What’s more sensuous than a soak on a moonlit night with a view of the Taj? From $750. —Salil Deshpande" - CNT Editors

"The entrance to this Moorish-Mogul hotel is all arches and sandstone columns, with 64 carved-stone fountains. Elsewhere, the design includes gold leaf, filigree mesh screens, and etched-glass chandeliers. All teak-floored rooms and suites have stunning, unobstructed views of the Taj Mahal, as well as hand-embroidered headboards. In some rooms, guests can dine on the balcony or in the private poolside pavilion. Try a milk and rose-petal bath or a Hungarian wrap at the Oberoi Spa. A selection of kebabs, lamb rogan josh, and traditional cottage cheese dumplings with saffron are on the menu at Esphahan. Editor's Pick: Gold List 2018"

"Travelers would stay at a mix of Disney hotels and local hotels like The Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra." - Travel + Leisure Editors

"If the Taj Mahal were a performance, The Oberoi Amarvilas would be the front-row seats. Just a few steps from the eastern gate of India’s most iconic monument, this luxury hotel—which is often ranked as one of the world’s best—is full of Mughal-inspired design, from the arched walkways and marble accents to the inlaid-wood furnishings and gold leaf–embellished frescoes that appears throughout the common areas. Things get even more beautiful at night, when the hotel illuminates its numerous fountains and terraces and serves romantic, candlelit dinners by the pool. Rooms here are as elegant as you might expect, with teak floors, deep soaking tubs, and unobstructed views of the Taj Mahal."