Thinking of Luxurious Vacations in India?

Travel on the Rise

Lynch and his clients may enjoy the spoils of Indian luxury, but they are a small group. Out of the 4 million people who visited India in 2006, only 20% came for leisure purposes, according to the India Ministry of Tourism.
Luxury hoteliers are hopeful that those numbers will increase, particularly as a generation of affluent adults begins to retire and travel more. Raymond Bickson, CEO and managing director of Taj Hotels and Resorts, says the company has 10,000 rooms in development. That will bring the number of rooms available in India to 100,000 (still 10,000 less than in New York City alone).
"With the graying baby boomers, there's a 'been there, done that' attitude," says Bickson. "They've been to Europe and Phuket. This generation wants to have new experiences."

Top Spots

Bickson is hoping those experiences will take place at one of his many resorts, like the Taj Exotica in Goa.
If you stay at one of the two villas in this 140-room resort, you'll enjoy a private plunge pool, dining room, master bedroom, fully stocked kitchen, private garden and outdoor massage room covered in tropical foliage.

Too lazy to cook? Your personal butler will arrange a private chef and organize room service.
Those looking for a bit of adventure might skip the Taj and head to the Aman-i-Khás on the edge of Ranthambhore National Park, the former maharajah's hunting ground. This boutique resort consists of 10 air-conditioned tents, each with a 6-meter canopy and cotton partitions separating the bathroom, bedroom, sitting and dining areas, and all furnished in minimalist style.
Guests take nature walks through the low hills, and the more adventurous embark on twice-daily guided safaris to spot everything from tigers and leopards to sloth bears. The camp is fully protected, and professional safari guides are on hand at all times.
For an alternative to spa or safari, the Leela resort in Cavelossim, Goa, houses a 24-hour casino, fully equipped with slot machines, roulette and derby games.

It also has four restaurants, two bars, a disco and a 12-hole, par 3 golf course, bringing a little bit of the Vegas strip to the Indian continent.

10 Luxurious Indian Vacation

Lynch, who advises about 300 high-net worth individuals, considers the Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra, just down the road from the Taj Mahal, a sweet spot in last year's expedition. Not only did he enjoy the spa, which offers hot stone massage, honey citrus body wraps and a milk and rose bath sprinkled with petals, but he also appreciated the attention the staff paid to his daughter, who was just 6 at the time.

1. Best Private Pool

Amanbagh
Ajabgarh, Rajasthan
This haveli-style mansion (its grounds are enclosed by walls) was once the site of the Maharajah of Alwar's hunting lodge. It now features 24 suites and 16 poolside pavilions, each with a private swimming pool (cool in the summer and heated during the winter), garden, marble bathtub and a covered outdoor dining and lounge area. Other perks include a private spa that offers yoga, meditation and Reiki, as well as an organic garden where chefs source ingredients for each meal.

For more information, visit www.amanresorts.com

2. Most Powerful Massage

Taj Green Cove
Kerala, India

This 10-acre beach resort provides more than sun and sand. Each thatched-roof granite stone cottage includes a private balcony with a view of the ocean. Those in the presidential villa also enjoy a private pool and sun deck. The resort keeps guests busy with catamaran rides, backwater cruises and a full-service spa with a yoga lounge, and treatments like the powerful Warrior massage and the "house favorite"-a coconut body scrub that exfoliates your skin.

For more information, visit www.tajhotels.com

3. Most Romantic Dinner

The Oberoi Rajvilas
Rajvilas, Jaipur

Each of the 54 rooms and 14 tents in the Oberoi Rajvilas has a sunken Italian marble bathtub looking out onto a private garden, a private bar and 24-hour in-room dining and butler services. It also boasts 32 acres of gardens, pools and fountains. Guests enjoy dinner---as the Rajput princes did--under the stars in the Surya Mahal courtyard, entertained by traditional Indian musicians and dance performances.

For more information, visit www.oberoirajvilas.com

4. Best Place For Tiger Spotting

Aman-i-Khás
Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan

On the edge of Ranthambhore National Park--the former maharajah's hunting ground--this boutique resort consists of 10 air-conditioned tents, each with a six-meter canopy and cotton partitions separating the bathroom, bedroom, sitting and dining areas, all furnished in minimalist style. Guests take nature walks through the low hills; the more adventurous embark on twice-daily guided safaris to spot everything from tigers and leopards to sloth bears.

For more information, visit www.tajhotels.com

5. Best Round-the-Clock Butler Service

Taj Exotica
Benaulim, Goa

This 140-room, Mediterranean-style resort overlooks the Arabian Sea and includes two villas, each with a private plunge pool, dining room, master bedroom, fully stocked kitchen, private garden and outdoor massage room covered in tropical foliage. You might have all the resources to cook your own feast, but a 24-hour personal butler service is available to arrange a private chef and organize room service.

For more information, visit www.tajhotels.com

6. Most Luxurious Bath

The Oberoi Amarvilas
Amarvilas, Agra

Close enough to the Taj Mahal to enjoy the view, the Oberoi Amarvilas offers 57 rooms and seven suites, each with marble bathrooms and a private, open-air terrace. The master suite, Kohinoor, has a separate living room, dining room, private study, bedroom and dressing area. The spa, which uses ancient Thai techniques, offers hot stone massage, Ayurvedic treatments and honey citrus body wraps. Sprinkled with rose petals, the milk and rose bath softens the skin.

For more information, visit www.oberoiamarvilas.com

7. Most Luxurious Landmark

Taj Lake Palace
Udaipur, Rajasthan

One of the most-recognizable images in India, the white marble and mosaic Taj Lake Palace was built in 1746 and sits on a four-acre island in the middle of Lake Pichola. Descendants of the royal butlers of the original palace maintain the property, and guests are treated as if they were royalty themselves. Each of the 83 rooms is decorated with richly colored silks and hand-carved wooden furniture, and offer views of the lake. Guests enjoy walks around the palace--with a glass of champagne in hand--as well as more grueling outdoor activities like guided treks and Jeep safaris.

For more information, visit www.tajhotels.com

8. Best Spot For Gaming

The Leela Goa
Cavelossim, Goa

If a personal butler, four restaurants, two bars, a disco and a 12-hole, par 3 golf course wasn't enough, the Leela resort in Goa houses a 24-hour casino, fully equipped with slot machines, roulette and derby games. Its 151 rooms and suites each have a balcony overlooking a lagoon. The largest suite contains a master bedroom, two adjoining bedrooms, a living room, a dining room with kitchenette and a room for your housekeeper. There's also a private terrace with a pool and Jacuzzi.

For more information, visit www.theleela.com

9. Coolest Floating Residences

Kumarakom Lake Resort
Kottayam, Kerala

Each of the 50 suites and villas at this resort has a view of the lake and a private pool, but the houseboats might be the ultimate indulgence. Measuring up to 80 feet long, each air-conditioned boat boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, a bedroom, a living room and kitchen, and is manned by two experienced boatmen to navigate and a private chef specializing in Kerala delicacies and seafood to cook. An aesthetician from the resort's spa will even come aboard for those interested in Ayurvedic treatments.

For more information, visit www.klresort.com

10. Top Deep Sleep-Inducing Spa Treatments

The Oberoi Vanyavilas
Ranthambhore National Park, Rajasthan

The finely embroidered canopies of the Vanyavilas' 25 tents may impress the eye, but it's the turquoise and lapis blue tiled pools, steam showers and three-hour spa treatments that soothe the soul. The Tree of Life treatment includes a 30-minute exfoliating guava scrub-down, a 60-minute softening orange wrap, a 60-minute tension-relieving massage and a 30-minute revitalizing mint bath. The Spirit of Ayurveda treatment incorporates traditional Ayurvedic principles and includes a 30-minute Indian head massage, a 60-minute herbal pouch massage, 60 minutes of Marma therapy and 30 minutes of your favorite specialty bath.

For more information, visit www.oberoivanyavilas.com