India by the Oberoi
So what is India by the Oberoi or Exotic Vactions? You can create your own itinerary by combining any of the Oberoi properties for 6 nights or more from the map below as per the regions you would like to explore in India. A minimum of 6 night entitles you to complimentary airport transfers and complimentary upgrade to the next room category.
Our four day journey - India by the Oberoi started on Saturday evening with Indigo flight departing from Dubai to Delhi. We arrived at Delhi airport at 3.00 am in the morning. After a night flight it made perfect sense to break our journey at the Oberoi, Gurgaon as that is the closest one to the airport than the Oberoi hotel in the city of New Delhi. A warm welcome at The Oberoi Gurgaon was all that was needed to put a smile on our faces on our arrival. A quick pit stop for a few hours to relax and unwind at this beautiful property located right in the centre of Delhi’s Corporate hub in Gurgaon. I was dreading the weather in Delhi to be a sweltering 45 – 50 degrees at this time of the year but I guess we got the weather with us and on our first morning we were welcomed by showers and a pleasant balmy weather of 31 degrees. We gathered at the lobby for breakfast and then for the site inspection of the property and I was amazed to see how the building was flooded with natural light from all corners of the hotel. The hotel is designed paying attention to the height, light and space to bring in a lot of natural light into the building.
At Travel Counsellors we always find ways to incorporate and promote sustainable and responsible tourism and I was pleased to find out that the Oberoi Gurgaon was fully powered by Solar energy. This is a great feat for India going forward in the direction of Sustainability for the future of the country. We also had a chance to explore Trident, Gurgaon which is a sister property of the Oberoi Group and is about 50 m away from the Oberoi Gurgaon. This hotel has more of a resort like feel with a minimalist approach. It is an affordable luxury for the budget conscious traveler designed by Thai architect, Lek Bunag. After a quick recharge and site inspection at both these properties we made our way to experience the Oberoi, New Delhi for a one night stop over. This is an iconic hotel that was constructed on the piece of land given by the first prime minister of India Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru in 1965. The hotel has gone through a complete renovation in 2016. This hotel is known for maintaining the air quality within the hotel with its inbuilt air purifying system. It’s a place of respite as the capital city of Delhi is in major crisis of air pollution.
The grandeur of this hotel can be seen from the sleek marble flooring and interiors that are influenced by the temples of India. The architecture of this building is the artwork of Adam Tihany who has successfully merged Sir Edwin Lutyens style of work for the interiors of the rooms. This property overlooks the lush green acres of the Delhi Golf Club on one side and Humayan’s Tomb on the other side. I was glad to find out that you can pick from any of the three Oberoi properties i.e. the Oberoi Gurgaon, the Trident Gurgaon and The Oberoi New Delhi to choose from as your first stop in the journey of the Golden Triangle. The excitement was all built up as we made our way to the City of Love on a three hour bus ride from Delhi on the next day to witness the monument of love, the Taj Mahal from the comfort of our room balconies. On the way to the Oberoi Amarvilas we made a quick pit stop at the Trident Agra for a site inspection of the property. The Trident properties distinguishes itself from the Oberoi properties with more of a resort like feel giving an option for an affordable luxury for the budget traveler.
On our arrival into Agra we were all looking forward to our stay at the Oberoi Amarvillas, Agra with huge anticipation. As we entered the hotel grounds a courtyard as huge as a football field with Mughal architecture opened before us. I was spellbound with the welcome we received from the staff at the Oberoi Amarvillas who lined up every corner of the courtyard joining their hands in ‘Namaste’ to welcome us. The pictures and my words won’t do justice to the beauty of this property. You have to stay at this property to witness the mystical nights and the beauty of the Taj Mahal from the balcony of your room. It really is a unique property as it is the only closest property to the Taj Mahal. It was time to say good-bye as we headed to the Pink City of India, Jaipur the following day. Our transfer time from Agra to Jaipur was 5 hours on the coach. Once again the welcome at the Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur didn’t fail to impress us. This resort is spread over 32 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens with around 200 peacocks roaming around freely adding to the beauty and charm of this place. We stayed at the Premier room which was decorated with local handicrafts and artwork from the region. The four poster bed and the sunken marble bathtub added to the charm of the room. The hotel grounds turned into a place of magical beauty at dusk as the moon began to peek through the clouds. A very romantic setting indeed! You can choose to stroll through the hotel grounds with your partner or enjoy folklore music and dance over cocktails at one of the courtyards. Jaipur was the last stop on our four day journey of the Golden Triangle in India. We took the direct flight out of Jaipur on Thursday back to Dubai on the following day with a flying time of three and a half hours.
India by the Oberoi was truly an Incredible experience and I can recommend this journey to anyone looking to immerse in the rich culture of India, learn about its ancient past and history, appreciate the architecture and its bountiful nature. This particular trip can be a good idea for honeymoon registry or a gift idea as a wedding gift for that special couple. I hope to return back to explore more of India with India by the Oberoi.