There's a lot to photograph on my bumpy ride from Delhi to Agra: camels pulling carts, a bike-riding man balancing a swaying tower of papadums atop his head, women in jewel-hued saris building cabins from cow pies in dusty fields, a painted elephant, a snake charmer at a roadside stop and men in white robes smoking hookah pipes.
By far the most evocative hotel in atmospheric Agra, this haven of classical Mughal architecture, built as a transportive palace, presents the Taj from a multiplicity of panoramic windows, never allowing me to forget where I am.
Oberoi Amarvilas treats every guest like a maharaja - which feels just right in such a regal hotel. Only 1,970 ft from the Taj Mahal, the retreat is an extravagance of great rooms, fragrant gardens, reflection pools, terraces, pavilions and ornate nooks.
Though you'll be tempted to leave the hotel to sightsee, there's something about sipping a cocktail in swimwear with the snow-colored Taj floating cloud-like a breath away. It's a divine way to pass the long afternoon between your cursory morning and afternoon visits to the Taj.
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