At its peak one of the most formidable kingdoms across continents, the Mughal Empire was a picture of prodigious power and prosperity and the grandeur is what this palatial 233-room hotel was inspired by. Set in the erstwhile capital of the dynasty, the only Indian hotel a winner of the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture not only retains romantic medieval allure but sits in close proximity to belts of renowned forts, museums and monuments, heart-stirring attractions of which include the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

Ornate fountains, large outdoor rain showers and rolling expanses of lush greenery at the spa – the largest in the country at that-along with paradisiacal landscape features such as snaking water channels and blooming trees cleverly mirror the elemental luxuriousness of Mughal magnificence. In-house restaurants Pehwari and Taj Bano honour the region’s epicurean heritage and manner of fine dining by way of delectable cuisines and sophisticated interiors, promising not just a gastronomic affair unrivalled by any other in the city but also an experience reminiscent of the magic of feasting in the warmth of tents amid a cold desert terrain.