Active India Holidays

Quiet, tastefully, decorated, everything we needed in our beautiful suite… Lovely staff, who are always attentive and available to help… Great location… Beautiful view of New Delhi… The restaurants are excellent, as well… A wonderful stay… We would highly recommend anyone coming to Delhi to stay at this beautiful hotel

Imagine traveling back in time to the golden age of the Mughal emperors… that’s the impression that Juan experiences when they arrive at the Oberoi Rajvilas… elegant facilities, beautiful gardens, fantastic team… Amazing overall experience

We arrived late in the afternoon to an incredible view of the Taj Mahal from our lovely room with a balcony…Oberoi hotels are always excellent, and this one it was no exception… Very friendly, helpful team, great food, beautiful grounds, and facilities… Super location within minutes of the Taj Mahal…

Mr. Dharmender took us on the amazing walk through the monumental district of New Delhi and the historical old Dehli… we went to an historic mosque, explored the back alleys, rode in a bicycle rickshaw, and visited a Sikh temple…

Mr. Dharmender took us on an incredible food tour of old deli… several little shops on side streets… we tried everything from sweets to savory foods and delicious beverages… it was a lot of fun and Mr. D is very knowledgeable

We traveled through the city of Agra to a spot on the river with a view of the Taj Mahal at Sunset… Although there are many people around, the site is unbelievably beautiful… we also toured the very first marble mausoleum ever built!

We met our guide before sunrise and headed toward see the Taj Mahal as the sun came up…quiet and beautiful

We spent the evening at a local temple and observed special worship service

We really experienced where the local people of Agra eat…small street food and back street sources….amazing

Here is a review for the Delhi hotel: Great facilities and staff, but a difficult location for solo travelers Rating: 3/5 stars (Recommended for the interior, not the location) Pros: Amenities: The hotel itself is well-maintained. The rooms are well-equipped, and the overall decor and facilities are of a high standard. Breakfast Quality: When I was able to eat there, the breakfast was excellent with a good variety of options. Cons: Location: This was the biggest drawback. The hotel is situated on a busy main road in an area that does not feel suitable for tourists. After an 18-hour journey, I wanted to be able to walk around or find a local spot to eat, but it felt unsafe and inaccessible for a solo Western woman. I felt "locked in" and unable to explore the neighborhood at all. Logistics/Service: I was disappointed by the lack of flexibility regarding early departures. Despite leaving at 6:00 AM for excursions, the hotel did not provide a packed breakfast or a lunch box. In my experience traveling to other countries, this is standard service. Having to buy my own breakfast on the road because the hotel couldn't provide a box was quite frustrating. Final Thought: If you only need a place to sleep and will be picked up at the door by a driver, the hotel is very nice. However, if you value walkability and a safe-feeling neighborhood to explore on foot, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

The Experience My stay in Dharamshala was wonderful. The room was absolutely beautiful and very tastefully decorated. What truly took my breath away was the fantastic view of the nature surrounding the hotel—it was truly amazing and made me feel completely at ease. I felt very comfortable and at home throughout my stay.

Feedback on "Free Time": Regarding my free time in Delhi, it was unfortunately impossible to utilize or enjoy. Due to the hotel's location, I felt completely restricted. The hotel was situated directly on a chaotic and dirty main road with no sidewalks or pedestrian access. Stepping out meant being immediately in the middle of heavy traffic and pollution, which was an absolute imposition. As a result, I could not leave the hotel at all during my free time. I had hoped to explore the local area or walk to a nearby restaurant, but the surroundings were not suitable or safe for a solo tourist to walk around. I ended up spending my entire free time confined to the hotel. I have since learned that there are many beautiful hotel complexes, especially near the airport or in other districts, that offer safe green spaces and walkable surroundings. I am very disappointed that I was placed in an area that made it impossible to experience the city during my downtime. It felt like a missed opportunity to see Delhi.

Dharamshala was an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life. Everything we did there was absolutely magnificent. The temples, the local villages, the breathtaking views of the Himalayas, and the Kora walk—it was all simply spectacular. I have captured so many wonderful photos, but the memories are even better. This part of the trip was perfect in every single way; it was a true highlight that I will cherish forever.

Dharamshala was an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life. Everything we did there was absolutely magnificent. The temples, the local villages, the breathtaking views of the Himalayas, and the Kora walk—it was all simply spectacular. I have captured so many wonderful photos, but the memories are even better. This part of the trip was perfect in every single way; it was a true highlight that I will cherish forever.

The Drive & Logistics The trip to the Taj Mahal was a comfortable drive, and the transportation was high quality as usual. However, the start of the day was frustrating. After an 18-hour journey from Germany and arriving late the previous afternoon, I had to leave at 6:00 AM without any breakfast. Even though it was planned differently, no breakfast box was provided. The Experience at the Monument The Taj Mahal itself is beautiful, but the experience was a bit exhausting. I was approached constantly by people wanting to take photos. While I am perfectly capable of saying "no" myself, after the 100th time, it becomes draining. I would have appreciated it if the guide had been more proactive in shielding me from these interruptions so I could enjoy the monument in peace. The Food Situation I want to clarify that I handle heat and spicy Indian food very well—I ate street food in Dharamshala with no issues at all. In Delhi, I was told I should eat at the hotel because the food "outside" is too spicy, yet the restaurant I was taken to after the Taj Mahal served food that was nearly inedible due to the spice level. It felt like a test rather than a meal. I prefer to choose where I eat myself, as I know my own limits best. Final Thoughts While it was a nice excursion and a comfortable trip, it simply did not compare to the magic of Dharamshala. It was a good experience to see the Taj Mahal, but the logistical hiccups and the food situation made it less than perfect.

Dharamshala was an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life. Everything we did there was absolutely magnificent. The temples, the local villages, the breathtaking views of the Himalayas, and the Kora walk—it was all simply spectacular. I have captured so many wonderful photos, but the memories are even better. This part of the trip was perfect in every single way; it was a true highlight that I will cherish forever.

Dharamshala was an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life. Everything we did there was absolutely magnificent. The temples, the local villages, the breathtaking views of the Himalayas, and the Kora walk—it was all simply spectacular. I have captured so many wonderful photos, but the memories are even better. This part of the trip was perfect in every single way; it was a true highlight that I will cherish forever.

Last Day in Delhi I am unable to provide a review for my final day in Delhi because I never got to experience it. My flight from Dharamshala back to Delhi was canceled without a replacement. As a result, I had to be driven four hours to a different airport and did not arrive back at the hotel until very late in the afternoon. Because of these travel complications, I had no time left to see any of the city before my departure. It was a shame to miss out on the final part of the itinerary due to these logistical issues.

We would rate this hotel very highly. Our "room" was truly a suite with two lovely alcoves overlooking the river and the sparkling view of the city of Udiapur. We enjoyed the swing alcove with a glass of wine each evening. We also ate dinner in their rooftop restaurant and were treated to a colorful light show during our meal. The second alcove offered ottoman style seating, which unfortunately we didn't have enough time for. So we would suggest 3 nights if you'd like to enjoy the full experience! Jacki and Jay Witlen

these caves are an historical journey backing time and well worth a visit

Decent hotel, location is lacking, restaurant was good.

Decent location, very professional staff, hotel is impressive.

Very neat old hotel with lots of character. It could use a little more attention, especially the pool area.

Small boutique hotel that the staff are very proud of and attentive.

Beautiful grounds, peaceful location. The only thing keeping this from a higher rating would be some room updates.

Hotel was under some renovations so may be better soon. Close to India Gate and nice restaurants but gets lost on a side street

A good late afternoon and evening introction to Jaipur.

Our free time was only at the hotel. But we arrived late the first day. The second day we would have walked around if we could but the location wasn't good for that.

Mostly done from the car, a little more time seeing sites by foot would be nice.

The Agra Fort was a great startband build up to seeing the Taj Mahal which speaks for itself, amazing. We spent quite a bit of time here and should have spent more.

Loves the tour, could have spent more time at the sights. The afternoon time to relax was good because of the heat.

Probably our favorite stop of the trip.

To be honest, we weren't expecting much of Mumbai and this was very good. Wish we had more time to go in buildings rather than in and out of the car to look at them from outside.

Udaipur is such an incredible change of pace from the others. This is the one city where more free time to explore is needed since the old town is so walkable.

We had extra time so this was a good filler tour but not a mustbif you are in Mumbai for a short period.

Great room,comfy bed,good bathroom,lovely staff.

Great hotel,modern but athentic.

An absolutely fabulous hotel,like an oasis in the city,I would stay here again,the staff were helpful and friendly,food was very good and my massage was fantastic!

A great hotel,clean,traditional but modern twists.

Great hotel! Very authentic features,great room,clean,inviting.

Loved it all!very interesting.

Loved,loved, loved this experience! Such gentleness from a large animal,very magical time with Lakshmi,beautiful eyes,great feeding,painting and bathing.

Great tour of Jodhpur,clock tower very interesting,lovely art work on walls

Great sights! Loved it all

Great time with Divya,loved the city palace,very interesting,great garden visit too

Great free time,much needed after flight,great shopping center around the corner,

Great electric vehicle ride! Very smooth

I experienced a sunset visit which was magical,never to be forgotten.

Great fort,very decorative

Fabulous experience! Such talented dances a great evening.

Loved this,great shopping,wonderful items,a sea of colour!

Loved the pink city,very decorative,interesting history too.

Although the photo provided was NOT at all like the urban gem we encountered, we liked the location, service and amenities provided. We enjoyed viewing the harbor from the roof top restaurant during tea time.

We only wish we had more time to view monuments and less rime in traffic!

Really enjoyed the Jaipur Flower (& Vegetable) Market.

Standing on the balcony where Mahatma Gandhi stood, at his friend’s house on Laburnum Rd., was quite profound.

Very gracious welcome by a local family who shared both their home and family lore/history in Jaipur.

I really liked the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial. The pollinator gardens there were a moving tribute to Gandhi’s work with rural honey production.

We really loved seeing the Taj Mahal with a local guide who could take us to good spots for fantastic photos. His knowledge and pride in the workmanship was inspiring.

The Spiritual Walk in Jaipur was a truly unique experience. The tour guide, a local with excellent English and deep knowledge of the area, provided an incredible amount of detail and fascinating insights. The highlight was undoubtedly our visit to the flower market, where we were showered with flowers. Having experienced markets worldwide, India's public markets were a vibrant and special experience, leaving us with delightful memories.

We arrived late at night and stayed out near the airport for convenience on the first night. This hotel worked well for that purpose. After breakfast, we headed to our historic Delhi hotel.

LOVED this hotel. Building is absolutely gorgeous. Head to the rooftop for kite flying and monkey watching -- magical. Restaurant was excellent and the staff could not have been more helpful or kind.

Beautiful hotel, worth taking the time to wander around. Sunrise over the lake from our room was really special. I feel like we had particularly good rooms for that (thanks, Ravi!). The restaurant patio is lakeside and stunning. We enjoyed watching the early morning bathers and swimmers while eating breakfast. Good breakfast buffet with made-to-order dosa. We had the craziest, most memorable tuk tuk ride through the narrow streets to get back to the hotel one evening. Loved it!

We ended up at a different hotel (Shahpura House) for some reason. We had no issue with the change. Shahpura House was a lovely heritage hotel in a great location.

This hotel was excellent for us and a departure from the heritage hotels to which we usually gravitate. Air quality in December was challenging, and we welcomed a very up-to-date hotel for its modern HVAC system. We didn't have a problem with air quality in the other hotels over the course of our trip, but it was nice to have a bit of a modern reset at this hotel. It's big, it's shiny, it has a huge breakfast buffet. Good choice.

Absolutely stunning. Loved everything about this hotel. Amazing location in a gorgeous old palace. We couldn't get enough of watching monkeys scale the building across from our room window. This was our last hotel of the trip and we highly recommend it. Great restaurant. Varanasi was perfect as the last stop -- top India!

Our group of 5 stayed healthy on this trip, and we attribute that to being directed to reputable restaurants and sticking to the advice on how to eat safely as a tourist. It was really nice to be able to try some street food that we would have avoided without a guide.

This was fun. We got up and danced.

We were not able to do this activity due to crowds. It was busy! Our guide Gaj suggested an alternative and we were happy with the change.

Chittorgarh was very interesting but also very crowded. Traffic was tough. We had fun and even enjoyed the traffic jam from our tuk tuk.

Flower market was awesome! Great city tour.

Quality time with elephants. Our group loved this. The elephants are well cared for and loved.

Beautiful! Loved all of it, especially the Mirror Palace. It must be incredible to see at night.

What a lovely, kind family. This was a really interesting evening that we all enjoyed.

So impressive. Our guide was very knowledgeable.

The Taj Mahal was jaw-dropping. We weren't prepared for how impressive it actually is in person. You really have to see it to believe it and appreciate it.

Our guide Mohan took us to a great viewing location. Afterwards we laughed at where we would have ended up without him. The crowd at the nightly ceremony is huge. We had a perfect, comfortable bird's-eye view.

A must. Defies explanation. This was one of the highlights of a trip filled with great moments.

This was our last walkabout before catching our flight back to Delhi. It was relaxing and interesting.