Review Overview
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Summary : Agra's most expensive hotel
Luxury/Expensive (US$50-150 per room night) Agra’s most expensive hotel, the five-star Mughal Sheraton, Fatehabad Rd (tel 101701, fax 0562-361730, tlx 0565-210), is a somewhat pretentious place with a president elephant, a resident camel, and an astrologer in the lobby. Still, it has a lovely pool, good facilities, six (nice) speciality restaurants, and a few superb taj-facing rooms with imagined Mughal decor at US$125-165. The Taj Group’s venture, Taj View Hotel, Fatehabad Rd (tel 361171, fax 0562-361179, tx 565-202), Is a worthy alternative—if anything, the rooms here (US$90 single, US$100 double) are even classier than at the Sheraton. They certainly have better views of the Taj. All other features-food, facilities, service and (twin) swimming-pool-are just fine. No complaints either about Hotel Clarks Shiraz, 54 Taj Rd (tel 361421, tx 0565-211). This old-style hotel with cosy and personal service is located a little further, but still within sight of the Taj. It has a popular roof-top restaurant, decent pool, efficient room service, and large Taj-view suites. Rooms range from US$65-147. Nearby, the new Hotel Agra Ashok, 6B The Mall (tel 361223, tx 565-313) is friendly, but tacky. It’s supposed to have the best air conditioning in town, and rooms range from US$35-60.
Mid-range (US$10-35/Rs250–1000 per room night) The best mid-range deal is Hotel Amar, Fatehabad Rd (tel 360695, tlx 0565-341), with good bar and restaurant, new swimming-pool, useful amenities, and well-furnished rooms at Rs450 single, Rs650-750 double. All rooms have TVs, with in-house movies. The Mumtaz, Fatehabad Rd (tel 361771, tix 0565-222) has more rooms with views of the Taj than the Amar, rates are the same and it is a good alternative. Also recom-mended is Grand Hotel, 137 Station Rd, Cantonment (tel 74014), a large bungalow-style place with lots of character. One of the oldest hotels in town, it has a cosy TV lounge a cheap air-conditioned restaurant (try ‘Les Oeufs of Pates’, ‘Aloo Stuff’ or ‘Choke ; Bar’), cheap beer, some swish air-con rooms with TV /fridge at Rs400, and many other rooms from Rs280-450. The Grand is well-located—close to airport, rail and bus-standtions— and has a useful ticket-booking service. Like all the above hotels, 25-3 ” discounts are possible in the low season.
Budget (Under US$1O/Rs250 per room night) The priority in Agra is a room with a view, but surprisingly few upmarket hote ; have them. If anything, it is the small group of budget lodges round the back of the Taj South Gate that fill the need. Shanti Lodge has air-cooled rooms, three of the; with unequalled sunset/moonlight views of the Taj Mahal. There’s also one nice ” ‘suite’, with private bathroom. The nearby India Guest House is rather more basics but rooms are cheap and it’s run by someone who keeps all touts at bay. Down by, the tourist office, Jaggi Hotel, 183 Taj Rd, is a modest, serviceable option with great advertising (‘homelike care and moving honour from Welcome to Au Revoir’) and clean single/double rooms.
