The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

We had an opportunity to witness the ever marvelous Wonder of the world Taj accompanied by Kishore gupta ji. The overall experience was seamless from logistics, story telling, technical, historical detail to the how personized it was. Great job sir. Thank you very much.

You can talk all you want about Michelin stars or the 50 best list or whatever raring system you want but to me this hotel was perfect and it does not have to be better than this. The room was so lovely, the staff was wonderful and made us feel like royalty, the food was divine. They made us a lunch box for the airport pickup, I loved it. The driver was great. The guided tour to Taj Mahal was perfect. I only stayed one night but will remember it forever. I hope you get to visit, it is a perfect hotel experience!

I have a great time staying at this hotel. And the tour guide Sandeep did a good job showing us around Taj Mahal. He is knowledgeable and we learn a lot from him.

The Taj Mahal is (famously) one of the most amazing buildings on earth. And the best possible way to visit it is from the Oberoi Agra. Not only is the Taj a short walk / drive from the hotel, but you can see it in all of its glory from most (all?) of the windows of the hotel. It is a truly spectacular sight. Almost as amazing is the Oberoi itself. It is elegant, grand and yet somehow cozy and understated. The rooms are beautiful, the restaurants are first-rate and the staff are warm, welcoming and highly professional.

I genuinely do not think I will ever experience another hotel quite like The Oberoi Amarvilas. It may be ranked the #1 hotel in India, but honestly, after staying here, I think even that undersells it. **Also… please do NOT skip the special mention at the bottom about our Taj Mahal guided tour with KISHORE, through the Oberoi — it ended up being one of the most unforgettable parts of the entire experience.** I have stayed in many luxury hotels around the world, and while many are beautiful, very few truly understand hospitality the way The Oberoi does. In the West especially, luxury often feels transactional now. Expensive hotels are everywhere, but very few make guests feel genuinely valued and cared for. The Oberoi did. From the moment we arrived, we were treated with a level of grace, warmth, attentiveness, and sophistication that honestly felt unmatched. We did not lift a finger the entire stay — literally. Bags disappeared and reappeared perfectly arranged in the room, every request was handled immediately, and even the smallest details felt elevated and intentional. The property itself is breathtaking! We had a massive private balcony directly overlooking the Taj Mahal, the grand reflecting pools, waterfalls, and lush gardens which somehow looked equally magical both day and night. There were moments where the hotel itself felt so beautiful and peaceful that we almost forgot one of the Seven Wonders of the World was sitting directly beyond it. The restaurants were exceptional, especially breakfast, which was an enormous elegant spread of both Indian and Western cuisine. The chef even personally came out to ensure everything was to our liking. There was also: *a beautiful gym, elegant boutiques, luxurious grounds, incredible turn-down service, spa, and even a full pillow menu allowing guests to choose different pillow types depending on their sleeping preferences.* Everywhere you looked, there was refinement. And yet despite feeling like a secluded palace retreat, the Taj Mahal itself was only a quick 5 minute golf cart ride away. What makes The Oberoi truly special though is not just the beauty… it’s the feeling that every single person there genuinely cares about your experience and takes pride in making it unforgettable. And that level of hospitality is something I honestly have never experienced anywhere else in the world. **Special Mention: Our Taj Mahal Guide, Kishore** One of the absolute highlights of our stay was our sunrise Taj Mahal visit arranged through the hotel with our guide, Kishore. We are very photography-focused travelers, and I explained beforehand that my priority at sunrise was reaching the iconic Taj Mahal photography spots before crowds arrived. Kishore understood immediately and tailored the entire experience around exactly what we hoped for. He arrived before 5 AM, guided us efficiently to all the BEST sunrise photography spots, even *secret ones*, helped manage crowds and outside photographers seamlessly, and never once made us feel rushed. He clearly has a genuinely creative eye and captured beautiful cinematic photos and videos for us throughout the morning while also happily executing any ideas we personally wanted. Beyond photography, he was hilarious, and also an incredible storyteller. Rather than delivering history like a memorized lecture, he narrated the stories around the Taj Mahal in such a fascinating and engaging way that the entire experience felt alive and immersive. By the end of nearly two hours exploring the Taj with him, we left not only with stunning photographs and videos, but with memories we will genuinely treasure forever. If Kishore represents the Oberoi standard, then the hotel should be extraordinarily proud to have him!!