The Tatler Best 20 Hotels in India 2026

Mughal-era opulence meets the modern world at Amanbagh—which translates to “peaceful garden” in Sanskrit—with its manicured courtyards, musk-hued walls and palatial domed structures. On the outskirts of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Amanbagh emerges like an elegant mirage shrouded by palm, fruit and eucalyptus trees. Its rooms combine the understated Aman aesthetic with a regal Indian flourish. Think intricate archways, ornate wood panels and a huge bathtub carved from a single slab of Udaipur green marble. All rooms are spectacular, but the Terrace Haveli Suite, with a private terrace overlooking the pool and gardens, will have you feeling like royalty.

A must-do? Organise a private candlelit dinner in the gardens under ancient banyan trees, on the Library Terrace or in the ruins of an old chhatri, an elevated domed pavilion.

Situated on a 100-acre Maharaja's Palace Estate in the Himalayan foothills of Northern India, overlooking the sacred Ganges River and the spiritual town of Rishikesh, the retreat’s surrounding landscapes are as healing as its holistic approach to wellness. Personalised programmes begin with an Ayurvedic consultation to determine the guest’s dosha (body constitution). Treatments rooted in Ayurveda range from rejuvenating Abhyanga and Shirodhara to intensive, long-term Panchakarma detoxification. 

Wellness Cuisine is central, with menus following Ayurvedic dietary principles and tailored to each guest's dosha. Meals are prepared with fresh, organic produce—some sourced from the on-site garden—and are entirely free of added salts, artificial colours and preservatives. 

In the lush valleys of the Aravalli hills near Kodiyat, Fairmont Udaipur Palace is a grand resort designed as a modern tribute to the historic architecture of Mewar. The palatial estate features soaring stone arches, sweeping courtyards, intricately carved chhatri pavilions, and hand-crafted jaali screens. Accommodations comprise luxurious guest rooms and expansive suites, many with private plunge pools, custom teak furnishings, silk textiles and balconies overlooking serene landscapes. The central axis of the property revolves around a vast, multi-tiered outdoor swimming pool flanked by geometric gardens, fountain courts and sun decks. Dining highlights regional Mewari heritage alongside international fare, ranging from specialty Indian restaurants serving royal recipes to rooftop lounges with panoramic valley views. Wellness forms a core pillar of the guest experience, with a state-of-the-art spa offering bespoke Ayurvedic therapies, hydrotherapy circuits and yoga pavilions. 

Opened in 1936, The Imperial New Delhi bridges colonial history, Victorian architectureand Art Deco styling in the heart of the capital city. The property functions as a museum-quality venue, displaying a private collection of over 5,000 original 17th- and 18th-century Indo-European prints, paintings and statues lining its wide marble corridors. Accommodation ranges from high-ceilinged Deco Suites to heritage rooms decorated with rosewood furnishings, polished brass fixtures and woven Persian rugs. Beyond its historical aesthetic, the property features an expansive outdoor reflection pool, a dedicated Ayurvedic spa, and restaurants like The Spice Route—famed for its hand-carved South Asian woodwork—and the historic 1911 Bar. 

The Johri is an intimate boutique hotel housed in the meticulously restored 19th-century Lal Haveli in Jaipur’s historic Johri Bazaar. This former family home has just five suites, each a unique expression of Rajasthani heritage and design. The restoration, a nine-year labour of love, was led by New York-based designer Naina Shah. The design preserves the original courtyard layout, incorporating Rajasthan-sourced antique furniture, hand-painted floral murals, and custom block-printed textiles throughout. Each of the eight suites is uniquely named and styled around a specific precious gemstone, utilizing distinct color palettes and ambient lighting to reflect the neighbourhood's gem-cutting heritage.

Spread across 32 acres of manicured gardens, The Oberoi Rajvilas reimagines a traditional Rajasthani fort city with pink high-walled courtyards, reflective pools and regal pavilions. Accommodations comprise cluster rooms, luxury tents with air-conditioned canopies, and private villas featuring temperature-controlled pools. Design details include hand-carved stone arches, gold-leaf wall frescoes, and blue-and-white Jaipur pottery accents. The property surrounds a restored 280-year-old Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, where guests can participate in morning yoga sessions or evening aarti ceremonies led by an in-house priest. Unique amenities include an expansive spa housed in a restored Rajasthani haveli, private cooking classes with hotel chefs, and flamingo spotting around the lake. 

Situated on the shores of Lake Pichola, the unapologetically opulent Oberoi Udaivilas was built in the style of a local palace, complete with fountains and courtyards. Its rooms and suites recreate the stately ambience of a royal residence, with fine Indian textiles and handcrafted furniture, views of the City Palace and the Aravali Hills, and lavish marble bathrooms with freestanding bathtubs that overlook private courtyards. Some rooms have direct access to the hotel’s semi-private pools, accessed via a dreamy terrace with sun beds, bright yellow parasols and a wall draped in flowers. The Oberoi Udaivilas has two restaurants, including Udaimahal for traditional Rajasthani fare, and picnic lunches aboard a private gondola.

Conceptualised as a modern zenana (royal women's quarters), Raffles Jaipur offers an intimate, understated alternative to classic palace hotels. Architect Clive Gray utilised hand-carved Makrana marble, locally sourced white sandstone, and intricate jaali (lattice work) screens across its 50 guest rooms and suites. Rooms feature camel-bone inlay furniture, hand-painted ceiling murals flecked with 24-carat gold, and marble bathrooms equipped with claw-footed silver tubs. Architectural highlights include hidden passages behind mirrored doors and a rooftop pool overlooking the Aravalli range. The property features Safir, a dedicated tea and champagne lounge, along with Arkaa, a restaurant focused on regional Indian heritage recipes. Wellness facilities include Jaipur's only hotel spa equipped with a traditional Turkish hammam and custom hot-and-cold mineral pools. 

Situated on a secluded 21-acre private island in the middle of Udai Sagar Lake, Raffles Udaipur combines European Palladian architecture with classical Mewari motifs. Arrival is by private electric boat, establishing an atmosphere of total isolation. The 137 rooms and suites showcase high vaulted ceilings, carved stone fireplaces, private plunge pools, and expansive balconies with uninterrupted views of the lake and surrounding Aravalli hills. The interiors blend Anglo-Indian antiques, wrought-iron chandeliers, and mother-of-pearl details. A standout feature is the Writers Bar, serving a localised twist on the classic Singapore Sling using regional botanicals. The property houses a 1,100-square-metre spa tent, manicured ornamental gardens inspired by French formal landscaping, and multiple open-air dining venues along the water's edge. 

Formerly the principal residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, Rambagh Palace offers an expansive, secure resort environment well-suited to multi-generational family travel. Spread across 47 acres of manicured gardens, the property provides ample outdoor space alongside rich historical features. It offers tailored family amenities, including vintage car rides across the estate grounds, interactive cultural performances, and resident peacocks roaming the lawns. Children can engage in structured heritage hunts, pony rides, and outdoor sports like croquet, while flexible multi-room family suites accommodate multi-generational groups comfortably without compromising privacy. The resort features two swimming pools—including a heated indoor pool within a restored marble hall—and multiple dining venues that easily cater to varied dietary needs. The blend of royal history, vast open space, and versatile activity programming makes it an accessible, engaging family destination.

Situated within Patiala’s historic 18th-century Qila Mubarak complex in Punjab, Ran Baas The Palace represents a major landmark in Indian heritage restoration. Originally built as the royal residence for the Maharaja’s court, conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah converted the historic palace into an intimate retreat, restoring original features like gilded wall frescoes, hand-carved teak furnishings, polished marble flooring, and crystal chandeliers that echo the historic opulence of Malwa-region royalty. The property has 35 suites, each with silk carpets, local crafts, and private access to lush courtyards or garden terraces. Beyond its structural restoration, Ran Baas integrates modern resort amenities within its fortified walls, featuring an outdoor pool, a full-service spa specialising in holistic therapies and a fitness suite. The culinary programme centres on Neel, an on-site restaurant serving refined regional Punjabi fare inspired by royal archives, alongside The Patiala Bar, where guests can sip on signature cocktails in an ambient, wood-clad setting. 

Good things come to those who wait, and it took almost a decade to transform this 700-year-old Rajasthan fort into Six Senses Fort Barwara, a 48-suite hotel and the brand’s first outpost in India. It’s impossible not to be enamoured by the setting of the ancient fort and desert landscapes, and it’s only 30 minutes from Ranthambore National Park, so a day spotting wild tigers is within easy reach. To stay here is to experience what it’s like to be Rajasthani royalty—it was a royal home, after all. The resort incorporates two ancient palaces and two historic temples within its massive, fortified stone walls. Its 48 suites feature contemporary Rajasthani artwork, custom local woodwork, hand-carved stone switchgear, and private plunge pools or terraces that overlook the surrounding village and countryside. 

Located in a granite hill country between Jodhpur and Udaipur, Suján Jawai is a high-design safari camp celebrating the coexistence between the local Rabari pastoralists and wild leopards. Designed by owners Anjali and Jaisal Singh, the ten canvas tents feature a striking monochrome aesthetic—combining black-and-white wildlife photography, polished industrial steel, and leather trim. The camp operates with zero permanent concrete foundations to preserve the terrain. Guests undertake customised 4x4 open-vehicle drives led by local naturalists and native Rabari trackers, accessing private land concessions free from crowds. Dining is farm-to-table, served in open fields, granite caves, or beside the campfire. The property runs entirely with conservation-led operations, directly funding local anti-poaching initiatives, school education projects, and habitat restoration in the Jawai wilderness.

In a world of super-modern resorts, there's something charming about the rustic nature of Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in South Goa. Spanning 56 acres of Mediterranean-inspired gardens along Benaulim Beach, its tile-roofed villas, wide verandas and sun-dappled courtyards capture the easygoing charm of the region. Guest rooms and private pool villas blend traditional Goan-Portuguese architecture with dark wood accents. The resort certainly has range, allowing guests to stay active with an eight-hole golf course and central swimming pool, or relax completely at the flagship J Wellness Circle spa. The spa focuses on authentic Indian therapies, combining classic Ayurveda with broader holistic wellness practices. Treatments take place in private therapy pavilions set within secluded tropical grounds, making spa time extra serene with ocean breezes and garden views.

Perched 2,000 feet above Hyderabad, Taj Falaknuma Palace—the former residence of the Nizam—offers an unparalleled historic retreat that redefines Indian heritage hospitality. Designed by British architect William Ward Marret in the shape of a scorpion, the 1894 neo-classical palace features Italian marble staircases, Venetian crystal chandeliers, and rare stained-glass windows. Arrival at the property sets a formal tone: guests are transported up the hill via horse-drawn carriage and greeted at the grand entrance with a traditional rose-petal shower before being assigned personal butler service trained in royal protocol. The property houses 60 rooms and suites, alongside historic gathering spaces such as the famous 101-seat teak dining table—the largest of its kind—and a heritage library containing over 5,000 rare manuscripts and first-edition books. The culinary program centers on Adaa, where chefs recreate multi-course Nizami feasts using historic palace recipes, and Celeste, offering fine Italian and Mediterranean dining. 

Floating in the middle of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, Taj Lake Palace was built by Maharana Jagat Singh II in the 18th century as a winter getaway. It was then occupied by a succession of rulers for 200 years before it was transformed into a lavish hotel in 1963. Since then, it has been a magnet for celebrity guests including members of the British royal family. Today, the white marble palace continues to serve as a regal retreat, retaining its air of old-world glamour with vintage car and speedboat transfers—we love a grand entrance—sunset cruises on the lake, manicured courtyards and exquisite suites. The property preserves its heritage architecture through elaborate glass mosaic work, detailed wall frescos, carved stone arches, and central open-air courtyards filled with lotus ponds and jasmine trees. 

Opened in 1903 as India's first landmark luxury hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace stands directly opposite the Gateway of India along the Arabian Sea. The property is an architectural landmark blending Moorish, Oriental, and Florentine Renaissance styles, highlighted by a central red-tiled dome and an iconic cantilevered staircase. It houses an extensive private art collection featuring original paintings and sculptures by Indian masters such as M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, and Jamini Roy. The hotel introduced several firsts to the sub-continent, including the country's first licensed bar, all-night coffee shop, and air-conditioned restaurant. With 543 rooms across the heritage Palace wing and modern Tower wing, unique amenities include the signature J Wellness Circle spa, luxury shopping arcades, and ten acclaimed dining venues including Wasabi by Morimoto and Golden Dragon. Its historical legacy and impeccably trained staff make it a grand icon of Indian hospitality.

Located on Chittar Hill on the outskirts of Jodhpur, Umaid Bhawan Palace looks like it could be home to royalty—and that’s because it is. Once the largest private residence in the world—it is now the sixth—the property is still the principal home of Maharaja Singh, whose family lives in the wing adjacent to the hotel. The flawless service is also fit for royalty; some members of staff served the former royal family of Jodhpur. This architectural marvel was built between 1929 and 1943, designed by renowned architect Henry Lanchester, who brought together elements of art deco and Indian regal style. Much of its original charm remains, including spectacular wood panelling, gleaming marble and the zodiac mosaics that adorn the indoor pool. We recommend taking advantage of the guided tour, available at 5pm every day.