Located just 600 meters from the Taj Mahal, the world’s most exquisite testimony to undying love, it is easy to rekindle romance at The Oberoi Amarvilas. The best hotel in Agra is inspired by Mughal palace designs; with fountains, terraced lawns, reflection pools, and pavilions. The Oberoi Amarvilas is a five-star hotel that offers unrestricted views of the Taj Mahal from all rooms and suites, complemented by warm, personalized hospitality. Tastefully appointed accommodation, exquisite restaurants serving authentic Mughal and international cuisines, private dining beside the silhouette of the Taj Mahal, and couples spa therapies with Taj Mahal views. At The Oberoi Amarvilas, your vacation in Agra will be unforgettable.
Hotel with a facade of arches, sandstone columns, and carved fountains, the magic lies in the showcase of the craftsmanship and exotic grandeur that India is known for. The hotel, designed like an Indian palace, is all marble, filigreed stone bridges, reflecting pools, and colonnaded courts, and inside, Venetian-style chandeliers hang from gilded domes. The lobby also has huge arched windows that frame views of the Taj Mahal, and flanking those windows is a teak-paneled bar and a French-inspired tea lounge. It’s a unique setting that feels like an open-air theatre while elsewhere the hotel’s restaurants and bars provide a wow factor of their own.
Amarvilas was the first to be modeled on an Indian palace, with expansive use of marble, filigreed stone bridges, large reflecting pools, colonnaded courts, arched windows clad in brass, and terraced gardens. After sunset, staff set about lighting the many braziers, and the flame-lit pavilions and staircases are at their most romantic. Sofas and armchairs are covered in silk brocades and silk-cotton fabrics above which Venetian-style chandeliers hand from gilded domes. the scale and design of the pool and surrounding landscape – inspired by the gardens at Mandu – still took my breath away.
The hotel features 102 guestrooms (95 rooms and 7 suites), with each room offering a picturesque view of the Taj Mahal. During my visit, I stayed in a premier room with a balcony (please note that not all rooms at the Oberoi have private balconies). The room featured a traditional design that echoed the art and history of the Mughal Empire, with a decorative marble inlay desk, teak floor, hand-knotted carpet, and a wooden frame around the plush kingsize bed with an oversized headboard covered in Mughal-inspired design. Mod cons included a flat-screen T, DVD player, and walk-in closet. The ensuite marble bathroom was small and featured one sink, a shower, and a bathtub; it was well stocked with a basket of ayurvedic products. Bathrooms are pretty cool white marble offset against black granite and turquoise glass wall panels, with separate tub and shower cubicle and Forest Essential toiletries.
The property is set amidst nine acres of beautifully manicured gardens, with a spectacular pool area at its center. The famous designer Bill Bensley landscaped the resort grounds and also created the steps and terraces leading down to the enormous swimming pool. The deep blue-colored pool is ideal for cooling off after a sweltering hot day exploring the Taj. There are plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas available, some of them lined up around the pool itself, others placed on the elevated terraces around the pool. The pool extends into a grotto underneath the hotel, where some additional lounge chairs invite guests to escape the sun. The pool is flanked by a white marble colonnaded gallery, where snacks and refreshments are served. A true highlight of the hotel is its complex of swimming pools and sundecks surrounded by architecture that recalls the Mughal heritage of Shah Jahan’s dynasty.
In addition to its restaurants, the hotel also offers its guests the option to book a private destination dining experience, which I highly recommend. This experience includes a specially crafted meal for two served by a personal butler, with a choice between a delicious four-course dinner and a sumptuous Royal Indian ‘thali’. The latter is an authentic Indian-style meal made up of a selection of various dishes which are served on a platter, allowing you to sample the broadest range of Indian dishes. The private candlelit dinner is served either alongside the pool or in the privacy of your balcony, against the silhouette of the Taj Mahal.
India is renowned around the world for its hospitality, but the Oberoi Amarvilas even goes beyond and delivers phenomenal service. If the luxurious setting doesn’t make you feel like royalty, the super-attentive staff – all fluent in English – surely will and they make this place truly unforgettable. Doors are magically opened, handbags carried, special treats brought to your table, and every room comes with 24-hour butler service. Every single staff member (from room service to the front desk to the concierge) smiles endlessly, is user-friendly, and is unfailingly polite.
Restaurants
There are two restaurants: Bellevue, the all-day restaurant where an excellent buffet and cooked-to-order breakfast are served (the full spectrum of Western and Indian options do ask your waiter for a local Agra paratha; or a paper-thin crispy dosa). The Bellevue bar terrace is a good place to enjoy a sunset drink (with the requisite Taj view); then it’s time to move down to Esphahan, the dinner-only venue that serves fairly traditional North Indian cuisine you can’t go wrong with the murgh makhni tandoor chicken cooked in tomatoes, butter, and cream – or settle for a thali – one meat and one vegetarian – which allows you to sample the broadest range of dishes.
Esphahan
is the property’s demur, specialist tandoor dining space, and is only open for dinner. Live traditional music filters through a mosaic of candlelit tables where you can enjoy Indian recipes passed down from the Mughal Emperors’ kitchens, complemented by soft Indian flatbreads. This restaurant and Taj Museum can be both really attractive for tourists. It’s great to degust Indian and Mughlai cuisines. Being at Esphahan, eat perfectly cooked chicken tikka, lamb kebabs, and biryani. Ordering good gulab jamun, kulfi and yogurt is what many visitors advise. Check out delicious Indian wine.
Musicians perform live music in the evening. The staff is well-trained that’s what makes this place so good. Fabulous service is something clients appreciate here. The divine decor and pleasant atmosphere let guests feel relaxed here.
Bellevue
The Oberoi Amarvilas gives guests the opportunity to enjoy an uninterrupted view of the Taj Mahal along with fine food and refined ambiance. The restaurant encompasses a floorplate of some 325 square meters and the new interior incorporates the best from the original structure as well as stunning new ideas
Bellevue is the hotel’s all-day restaurant, serving both Indian and international dishes.
As the establishing element of the interior, the cross-vaulted ceiling, at 4.8 meters in height, merges into flared columns finished in white plaster and is a dramatic inclusion that was inspired by Mughal architecture. There are fluted wall panels, prefabricated coves, and handcrafted relief work and together all these elements create an artistic and sculptural aesthetic. Lighting is both obvious and hidden with up-lights concealed at the springing point of the arches and recessed adjustable downlights positioned in the vault scallops. Art Nouveau-inspired aged brass chandeliers hang from the vaulted ceiling and create pools of light over tables to add to the magical ambiance. At one end of the space the view of the Taj Mahal is framed by floor-to-ceiling windows and opposite this, at the other end, is a royal blue wall embellished with a hand-painted gold leaf mural. Furniture is bespoke, with square and circular tables of French polished oak timber, Gio-Ponti-inspired rattan chairs, and teak banquettes upholstered in royal blue velvet.
All-day dining restaurant has a chic ambiance and an Italian soul. With an a la carte menu that includes hand-rolled pasta and melt-in-the-mouth sourdough pizzas, as well as classic and contemporary pan Asian and Indian delicacies. Specially curated tasting menus with paired wines, guarantee an unforgettable dining experience. Bellevue promises something for every occasion, dishes to please every palate, and hospitality that is genuine and sincere.
