Traveling India with my sister

 One of my life's most memorable trips was to India planned and executed with my sister Sophia and some special friends. If you are born and brought up in Pakistan a major part of culture and history is influenced by India, Bollywood movies and not to forget the Mogul history most of which has its roots in eastern part of the subcontinent named India. In fact in my view all history students with a major in Indo-Pak history must take a trip to the historic places in India to get the real feel of ancient times.

India has some great tourism to offer to its visitors. For the benefit of those planning to take a trip to India, I am making some eating and lodging recommendations to my readers. India offers a lot to its visitors; from beautiful historical forts dating the regions history back to 18th century to awesome food and comfortable living choices. If you really want to get the worth of every penny you spend on your vacation i suggest you take the golden triangle. Golden triangle of India refers to taking a trip of Dehli, Agra and Jaipur; the culturally and historically rich cities of India which offer you comfortable living in five star hotels and have some excellent food choices.

Below is the review of my personal favorite hotels I stayed in during my trip in summers of 2004.

Le Meridien Hotel

Le Méridien New Delhi is situated two kilometers from Rashtrapati Bhawan – the home of the President of India, the Presidential Palace, Parliament House, and Connaught Place. The hotel is set amidst the most alluring shopping and entertainment districts in New Delhi and if you are lucky chances are you might bump into some Bollywood starts staying at the hotel. The per night room rent for a couple for one night varies between 8,000 IN rupees to 11,000 IN rupees based on the timing you book the hotel in. So if you plan to take a trip in summers its best to book at least three to four months in advance.

Le Meridien is not far from Agra – the site of the world’s most beautiful tribute to love, the Taj Mahal and 5,000-year-old stone temples still intact, the city is home to the famed Red Fort Palace and the Yamuna, one of the most revered rivers in India.

The Taj Hotel (Rambagh Palace)

If you are lucky enough to visit Jaipur, the city popularly known as Pink city, you must try and stay at Rambagh Palace, a chain of the prestigious Taj Hotel in India. Jaipur was built in 1727 A.D by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. The city is spread over 64.75 SQ KM and lies at an altitude of 431 meters. 

Rambagh Palace offers 79 rooms and stunning restored suites which were the chambers of the former Maharaja. If you carry a good book on the subcontinent's history dating back to the 18th century you will just cherish reading it while staying there and my personal recommendation is to watch the movie, Laiken starring Dimple Kapadia parts of which were shot in Rajhistan and also in Rambagh Palace. A standard luxury room for two adults booked 6 months in advance will cost you 17,500 INR per night at Rambagh, however, if you arrive without a prior booking a double room might cost you close to $1000 per night.

The Oberois Amarvila

When comes to staying in Agra, there is no better place better than the fabulous Amarvila of the Oberois chain. The Oberoi Amarvilas offers the best view of the Taj Mahal constructed in Agra. The hotel is located 600 meters from the Taj Mahal and all rooms, suites, lobby, bar and lounge offer breathtaking views of the monument. Walking in the hotel takes you back in the Mughal era and makes you feel like a mughal heir. My personal favorites of the trip included enjoying a cup of tea on the terrace of the presidential suite at Amarvila having a direct view to the famous Taj Mahal, which is no less than a lifetime experience - one I will cherish for life. So friends try and make the most of your trip and see if you can squeeze your budget a bit and make Oberois a part of your stay in Agra. For latest on rates go to http://www.expedia.com/Agra-Hotels-The-Oberoi-Amarvilas.h551355.Hotel-Information  

Part 2 of the blog will talk about eating and hang out places (coming soon). If you have enjoyed reading the blog, kindly like us on FaceBook or Twitter. Feel free to share your experiences.