India is one of Only Exclusive Travel’s newest destinations, and it promises to be a favourite amongst our highly discerning clientele.

Having returned from a trip to a selection of India’s most illustrious hotels, including two luxury safaris, we can certainly recommend an exclusive tour of India. India is a world of excitement, co-existing oppositions and enticing enigma that should be discovered should you get the chance. Full of colour, flavour, noise and heat, India is a feast for the senses that takes a little time to adjust to... but it is well worth it.

Delhi

India’s capital city exudes people, vehicles and tourist attractions; there is a lot going on around you at all times. A particular highlight of our time here was visiting the Gateway of India, the president’s house, the Humayan Tomb and the ancient Qutub Minar temple. A stay in the Taj Mahal Palace in Delhi allows you to truly experience the polar opposites of Indian culture, and everything in between - alongside visiting these striking cultural buildings, we experienced unparalleled luxury. We ate at The Spice Lounge one evening, one of the top restaurants in the world, which is located at The Imperial hotel; as you can imagine, the food was exquisite and the venue is among the most atmospheric we have ever experienced.

Safaris

After embarking on a memorable safari drive in the jungle

If you love wildlife and the outdoors, and have never been on a jungle safari, it should be next on your list. One of the most exciting and invigorating experiences, our four days in the jungle were amongst the most memorable. To see a tiger alive and free in the wild takes your breath away; it is a privilege to be able to glimpse the world of the animal kingdom functioning in the same way as it was centuries ago.

Udaipur

Since returning from my luxury trip to India and conversing with others who have been there, it has become something of a consensus that Udaipur is a particularly popular city in India. One of the first things you notice about Udaipur is the instantaneous hit of fresh air that contrasts the humid and dry heat of the other cities, due to the number of man-made lakes. The city is stunning, with multiple man-made lakes providing beautiful scenery in amongst the town attractions. Taj Lake Palace in India is a charming and romantic heritage palace that is particularly worth a stay when in Udaipur!

The Palaces

At the top very top end of Indian hospitality are some of the most outstanding hotels in the world, with incredibly majestic architecture and impeccable service. I read somewhere that in Indian culture a career in servitude is highly esteemed, as Hanuman, one of the most popular gods in the Hindu religion was a devoted helper of Lord Rama. I can’t say that I am an expert on Indian culture, nor that I can confirm the above idea, but I can say that everyone who served me during my stay did so in joyful earnestness - it was one of the aspects of India that made the biggest impression on me. We stayed at Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur; one only needs to look at images of these properties to be astounded with awe, and so to visit them is an unbelievable, unforgettable experience.

The beautiful, elegant and lavish Rambagh Palace in Jaipur

Mumbai

We stayed in the first ever luxury hotel in India, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. Having recently been highlighted as a true asset to India’s hospitality heritage in the programme “Hotel India” (BBC 2), it has become increasingly well-known as a must-visit attraction. Those who have the opportunity to stay there really must do; we would be happy to help arrange this for you on your luxury tour of India. The hotel itself is beautiful, ornate and authentic; its original air of affluence is still captivating, its lavish features are one of a kind and the attention to detail makes guests feel truly special.

If you’d like to know more about our experience of India, the blog posts from our trip are filled with details. For further information, or if you would like to discuss your dream luxury tour of India, a member of the Only Exclusive Travel team would be glad to do so.