Delhi, North & Central India, India

Lovers of old-world elegance will find this opulent five-star in the centre of New Delhi a perfect first landfall in India. The building commands a superb view over the treetops to the nearby Parliament Complex and India Gate. Overcome your jet lag while gazing out of the window at Lutyens’ ethereal skyline, or lazing by the poolside below, as Brahminy kites wheel overhead and parakeets careen through the foliage. The rooms are as plush as you’d expect of a landmark hotel from Taj Group, and service discrete and efficient – it’s the kind of place you can expect to find flower petals strewn in your bathtub at turndown time, and your phone charger neatly coiled when you return from sightseeing trips.