The Oberoi Amarvilas

Overview

About this property

The Oberoi Amarvilas is a resort in Agra, close to the Taj Mahal. The hotel's own site says it is just 600 metres from the Taj Mahal. It is built in a Mughal palace style, with terraced lawns, reflection pools, fountains and pavilions. The resort is the only luxury hotel in Agra that offers views of the Taj Mahal from all its rooms and suites, as the hotel's own site says.

The resort suits people who want a special stay in Agra. Couples on a trip together will like the Taj views from the room, and the private dining options. Families will like the space, the pool and the gardens. People on a Golden Triangle trip will like it as a base, because the Taj is close, and Agra Fort and the other Agra sights are easy to reach by taxi.

The design of the resort follows Mughal palace design. There are courtyards, arches, fountains and water channels, and the lawns are wide and green. In the morning, the Taj is clear in the distance. In the evening, the Taj stands in silhouette, and the resort lights come on. That evening view, from your room or from the lawns, is the main reason many people pick this hotel.

The resort is not a budget hotel, and it does not try to be one. It is for people who want a quiet, well-run stay, with strong service, good food and a room that looks out at the Taj. The butler service is part of the stay: your butler can serve meals in your room, and help with small requests during your stay. If you like old-style grandeur and a calm pace, you will like it here.

One practical point matters a lot for planning. The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, as the hotel's own site says. If you stay here, plan your Taj visit on another day. The resort can take you to the Taj by private golf buggy, which saves a walk in the heat. That buggy ride, plus the Taj view from your room, makes the resort a very easy base for a Taj trip.

At a glance

What you get here

Everything above is taken from the hotel's own website. If something is not listed here, it means we could not confirm it from the official site, so we have not written it.

Rooms

Rooms made for rest

The rooms and suites at The Oberoi Amarvilas all have views of the Taj Mahal, as the hotel's own site says. The room types listed on the hotel's own site are Premier Rooms, Premier Rooms with Balcony, Deluxe Suites, Deluxe Suites with Balcony, Luxury Suites and the Kohinoor Suite. Each room has a king size bed or twin beds, as per the type you pick.

The rooms have a marble bathroom, a walk-in wardrobe and Mughal-style furniture, as the hotel's own site says. The Premier Room with Balcony lets you eat on your own balcony, with the Taj in view. The Deluxe Suite with Balcony is made for candlelit dining on the balcony, with the Taj in silhouette in the evening. The Luxury Suite has a separate living room with a dining area, and a private sun terrace. The Kohinoor Suite is the largest, with views of the Taj from every room, even from the king size bed.

Room services are strong here. The hotel's own room pages list 24-hour butler service, 24-hour in-room dining, a tea and coffee maker, a fully stocked minibar, and high-speed internet for up to four devices. There is also a 24-hour express laundry service, an electronic safe, and a pillow menu with a range of pillows to suit your taste. The bathrooms have a full-length bathtub with a shower head, and a separate shower cubicle in most room types.

If you want a room with a balcony, ask the hotel about it when you book, as only some room types have one. Room types and prices change with the season, so the hotel's own website will have the latest list. We do not show prices here because they change often, and we do not want to show you an old price.

Food & drink

Where to eat

There are two restaurants listed on the hotel's own site: Bellevue and Esphahan. Bellevue serves international and Indian food, with tasting menus and paired wines on offer. Esphahan serves Indian food, with dishes from the kitchens of the Mughal emperors, cooked in a tandoor, with live traditional music. Both restaurants are part of the resort, so you can eat inside the hotel for your main meals.

The Lounge is the third place to eat and drink. It is open from sunrise until nightfall, as the hotel's own site says. From the Lounge, you can watch the light change on the Taj Mahal through large windows, from the open-air terrace, or under a crystal chandelier. It suits a morning coffee, an afternoon tea, or a quiet drink before dinner.

The Bar is being reimagined at the time of writing, and the hotel's own site says it will stay closed during this period. If you want an evening drink, The Lounge is the place to go for now. Please check the hotel's own site for the latest news on The Bar before you plan around it.

For a special meal, the resort offers private dining. You can have a meal for two under the stars, beside the water bodies, with a private butler. You can also have a candlelit dinner on your own balcony, with the Taj in silhouette. Both options offer a four-course dinner or a Royal Indian thali, as the hotel's own site says. If you are staying for one night only, try to have at least one meal inside the resort. The food and the Taj view together are part of why people come here.

Things to do

A slow day at the resort

A good day at The Oberoi Amarvilas starts early. Take the private golf buggy to the Taj Mahal in the morning, when it is cooler and less crowded. Remember that the Taj is closed on Fridays, so plan your visit on another day. The buggy ride is short, and it saves a walk in the heat, which matters a lot in Agra.

After the Taj, come back to the resort for lunch and rest. The afternoon heat in Agra is strong, so a midday break in your room makes the evening much better. The temperature-controlled pool is a good place to cool down. The pool has a Mughal-style design, with domes around it, and loungers and parasols for shade. The fitness centre is inside the spa, with treadmills, cross trainers, exercise bikes, free weights, a rowing machine and a multi-gym, for guests who like to stay active.

In the afternoon, the spa is there if you want a massage or a quiet treatment. The Oberoi Spa offers Eastern and Western treatments, and it has a couples therapy suite with views of the Taj Mahal. If you want to learn something new, the resort offers a session with a historian about the Mughal Empire, and a session about Agra's marble inlay craft, where you meet the artisans who keep this craft alive.

In the evening, the resort looks its best. The sun goes down, the Taj stands in silhouette, and the lawns and pools light up. Dinner at Bellevue or Esphahan is easy, as you do not have to leave the resort. If it is a special occasion, a meal under the stars or a candlelit dinner on your balcony is worth asking about when you book.

If you have another day in Agra, use it for Agra Fort in the morning and Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb, known as the Baby Taj, in the afternoon. Both are listed on the resort's own site as sights near the hotel. Fatehpur Sikri is also listed on the resort's own site, and it can be visited on the way to Jaipur on a Golden Triangle trip. Keep one afternoon free if you can, so you are not rushing from place to place. Agra is a city to enjoy slowly, and this resort is a good place to come back to after a busy day out.

Amenities

Most popular amenities

These are the amenities confirmed on the hotel's own website. Anything not listed here means we could not confirm it from the official site, so we have not written it.

Location

Where it is, and what is near

Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal. The hotels on this page are near the Taj area, so the main sights are easy to reach by taxi. The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Mehtab Bagh are the places most visitors go to first.

If this is your first time in Agra, plan one full day for the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Fatehpur Sikri, the old Mughal capital, is a little further out and is worth half a day on its own. The local markets are good for marble work, leather goods and the famous Agra petha sweet.

One important note: the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. Plan your Taj visit on any other day of the week, and go early in the morning to beat the crowds and the heat.

We have not written distances here on purpose. Road work and traffic change travel time in Agra, so a fixed number would go out of date fast. Ask your driver for the time on the day you travel.

Getting here

How to reach the hotel

Most guests reach Agra by road from Delhi. The drive is on a good highway, and most people leave Delhi in the morning and reach Agra by the afternoon. Cheapcab runs Delhi to Agra taxis, and the route pages on this site show the fare.

You can also reach Agra by train. Agra Cantt is the main station, and from there a short taxi ride takes you to your hotel. Keep your hotel's name and address ready on your phone, and share it with your driver before you start.

One practical tip: if you want to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise, stay the night before in Agra. That way you can reach the gate early in the morning without a long drive in the dark. Book your hotel a day early in the busy months, as rooms near the Taj get full fast.

Best time

Best time to visit Agra

The best time to visit Agra is from October to March. The weather is cool and pleasant, and you can walk around the Taj and the Fort without getting tired fast. This is also the time when most tourists come, so hotels get full early. If you plan to come in these months, book your hotel a few weeks ahead.

April to June is very hot in Agra. If you come in summer, see the Taj early in the morning and rest in the afternoon. The marble reflects a lot of heat in the middle of the day, so mornings are much better.

July to September brings rain. The city looks green and fresh, and there are fewer tourists. Remember that the Taj Mahal stays closed on Fridays in every season, so plan around that.

Good to know

Before you book

Cheapcab does not book hotels. You book a hotel on its own official website, using the button on this page. Prices, room types, check-in time and cancellation rules are all on the hotel's site, and they change with the season. Always read them there before you pay.

The photos on this page are from the hotel's official website, and the source link is given under the photo gallery. We do not use photos from booking sites or stock photo sites for hotels.

If you need a taxi to reach the hotel, or to go from Delhi to Agra, you can book it from Cheapcab. The taxi fare and the hotel stay are separate. Your taxi driver will not charge you for the hotel, and the hotel will not charge you for the taxi.

One last practical tip for Agra: carry a water bottle and wear comfortable shoes, as the Taj complex involves a lot of walking. Keep your hotel's name and address saved on your phone, so any taxi driver can take you back without confusion. Small shops near the Taj often prefer cash, so keep some small notes handy along with your card.

Oberoi Amarvilas planning notes: the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, as the hotel's own site says, so plan your Taj visit on another day. The Bar is also being reimagined and stays closed during this period, as the hotel's own site says, so plan evening drinks at The Lounge for now.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

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Hotels are not included in the taxi fare — book them directly. Hotel photos unki official websites se li gayi hain.