The Oberoi Amarvilas

easily the best hotel in Agra, but priced accordingly

Set just 600 metres to the southeast of the Taj Mahal in Agra, The Oberoi Amarvilas is a large and genuinely upmarket property.

Without doubt the best hotel in Agra, this substantial five star property is a modern interpretation of the Mughal architecture of the area.

Facilities include an extensive spa and a large heated swimming pool.

Most of our guests tend to stay just one night in Agra, in order to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The Oberoi Amarvilas is relatively pricey, but usually worth splashing out on, given the shortage of other decent accommodation options in the area.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at The Oberoi Amarvilas is in 102 very comfortable rooms, all with air-conditioning and direct views of the Taj Mahal.

• Premier Room : 42 sqm
• Premier Room with Balcony : 65 sqm
• Deluxe Suite with Balcony : 108 sqm
• Luxury Suite with Sun Terrace : 175 sqm
• Kohinoor Suite : 275 sqm : suitable for families

Activities

The Oberoi Amarvilas provides access to a number of places of interest in the Agra area …

• Taj Mahal
• Agra Fort
• The Baby Taj
• The gardens of the East Bank

There are further places of interest on the road routes in from Jaipur and Ranthambore.

The Rajasthan region is usually explored as a private-guided overland safari, starting and ending in Delhi.

We often start these trips by flying from Delhi to either Udaipur or Jodhpur in the south, which are more rural and relaxed, before weaving a route north by road back to Delhi.

In this case, Agra is usually the last night of a trip, before heading directly back to Delhi Airport for departure.

Seasonality

The best time of year to visit the Agra area is generally considered to be during Oct-May, although there are considerable climatic variations over that period.

October is the transition period between the end of the monsoon rains and the start of the cool dry season. During the month daytime temperatures usually rise to around 34C/93F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 10C/50F. However the rainfall is much lower, dropping to around 25mm (1”) per month. Sunshine is around 9 hours per day (around 80% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Nov-Feb is the main cool dry season. During this period the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 25C/77F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures plunge to around 6C/43F. There should be very little rainfall. Sunshine is around 7 hours per day (around 75% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

Mar-May is the hot season, the often uncomfortable build-up to the main monsoon. During this period the daytime temperatures can climb steeply to around 40C/104F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures are up around 20C/68F. Rainfall usually increases slightly, from almost nothing in March to around 25mm (1”) in May. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 75% of daylight hours), indicating that showers tend to be occasional, set against a usually clear sky.

Getting there

The Agra area is usually reached by road, connecting into trips as follows …

• Delhi : 175 km to the north
• Jaipur : 225 km to the west
• Ranthambore : 300 km to the southwest
• Panna/Khajuraho : 350 km to the southeast

usually a one night stop on the way back into Delhi