Experiencing the decadence of India

Lisa Foley on 18 January 2017
In October, I had the pleasure of taking a 5* tour of the Golden Triangle. We flew from Dubai to Dehli on Emirates and were greeted at the airport by our guide and driver. They took us on a short drive to our hotel – The Claridges. Upon entering the hotel, here was the most divine smell of jasmine. I cannot describe how exquisite it was and immediately we knew we were in for a treat. Our guide swiftly checked us in and we were soon escorted to our room. The hotel style is very colonial and the rooms were perfect. The first evening we had to ourselves so we enjoyed a glass of champagne on the lawn while the sun set and then headed into Delhi to enjoy some local food.

The next morning, after a delicious breakfast, we hopped in our private car and commenced our tour. Both the driver and tour guide were very knowledgeable and had perfect English. We saw all the sights of Imperial Delhi, including Qutab Minar, the tallest stone tower in India, Humayun’s Tomb, built by the widow of the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun, India Gate, the Parliament building and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President’s residence. After the drive around Delhi, we set off for Agra (approx. 4 hours).

In Agra, we stayed at the Oberoi Amarvilas. Oh my god…what an amazing hotel. Having stayed all over the world, I can hands down say, this was the best hotel I have ever stayed in. It is set opposite the Taj Mahal so you have a spectacular view from your room. The stay was flawless, the staff had the most amazing attention to detail and we were constantly showered with little treats and gifts. 100% blow your budget on this hotel, you won’t regret it!

We stayed in Agra for 2 nights. The first morning, we had a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal. Words cannot even describe how spectacular it is! I would definitely recommend getting up early to beat the crowds. After a few hours spent meandering and taking in the beauty of the Taj, we went back to our hotel for a late breakfast. Late morning, we headed off to the Red Fort (Agra Fort) for a bit of exploring before heading back to our hotel for a lazy afternoon by the pool and an evening of fine food.

The next morning, we were up early to start our 5 hour car journey to Jaipur. En route, we stopped at Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted red sandstone city, where we enjoyed an elephant ride to the top of the ruins. The views over the city are beautiful.

Early evening, we arrived at The Oberoi Rajvilas. Again, service was impeccable. As we had stayed in The Oberoi in Agra, the hotel staff already had all our details and preferences so there was no need to formally check in. We were very relieved to be escorted promptly to our stunning room.

The following day, we proceeded to discover the highlights of ‘the pink city.’ As it was a national holiday, the streets were filled with colourful parades and swarms of people. It was amazing to see everything unfold. Our tour included the Amber Fort, ‘The Palace of Winds’, City Palace, and the Astronomical Observatory.

We spent one final evening in the sanctuary of The Oberoi Rajvilas before an early start to return to Delhi and fly back to Dubai.

I can’t recommend this tour highly enough for those who want to experience the Golden Triangle in a relatively short space of time. Staying in the higher end hotels, meant we didn’t need to worry about Delhi belly. However, I am itching to go back to experience India by train and take in more of the street food, sights and smells. Until next time…