Incredible India - (Page 10)

dreamy accommodations We would be genuinely baffled if you could find another country offering as much variety in accommodations as beautiful India does. There are tents that have nothing to do with camping and everything to do with luxury, with cushions and lamps and all the lavish amenities of a royal suite. Many of India’s storied palaces are now hotels, and many hotels are great recreations of palaces. There is eco-chic and opulence on wheels, countryside stays and city retreats. And all throughout, contemporary luxuries still tip their hat to tradition and culture. You’ll find that brand names such as Taj, Oberoi, The Claridges, The Park and The Leela have made a huge impact throughout the country and continue to grow in the luxury, leisure and business travel markets. Others, like Trident Hotels (part of Oberoi Group), focus on value without sacrificing quality of service. There are brands, such as The RitzCarlton, that are set to arrive soon (in this case in Bangalore). Then there are the many smaller jewels all over India—those intimate hotels, lodges and hideaways that have a direct connection to our hearts and through which India is richly represented. I-10 recommend.com By the Sea Sea and beachside accommodations in India are some of the most eclectic. The popularity of Goa, for instance—whether for its 16th and 17th century colonial churches and Portuguese influences, pretty beaches or tropical feel—is well exploited by many of its hotels and resorts, from tiny ones to large and sprawling. Boutique hotel Nilaya Hermitage is a good representation of the mix of hotels here. This is a serene but very romantic hideaway by the hills of Arpora with just 11 rooms (each one named after a cosmic element) and four luxury tents that are just as enticing. The hotel has a book and DVD library, as well as its own Ayurvedic Massage Center with in-house doctors. It also offers boat cruises on its own wooden dhow. The Leela Kempinski Goa, with architecture influenced by the temples and palaces of south India, welcomes guests with an impressive frieze of elephants from the armies of the 14th and 15th century Vijayanagara Empire and almost two miles of beach, not to mention its own nursery and spice plantation. Golfers can enjoy a 12-hole, 3 par golf course here. The Club, a “hotel within the hotel,” features private butlers, private pool and own designated beach area. continued on page I-12 The oberoi rajVilas, jaipur http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incredible India

Essential India
Dreamy Accommodations
Touring India
Specialized Travel
Quintessential India
Meetings & Incentives
India in a Nutshell
Getting There & Around

Incredible India