Super-Luxury: Oberoi Amarvilas
You go with Oberoi because it’s a safe choice; you stay at Amarvilas for the view out of your window at daybreak and moonrise… and over dinner, lunch and breakfast. Every room and public space in this hotel trains its besotted gaze on the monument of love. Add pomegranate-infused bathing rituals and spa treatments, and you can see why this is a favourite with honeymooners, despite costing an emperor’s ransom! Tariff from Rs 38,000 Contact 0562-2231515, oberoihotels.com
Spa Break: ITC Mughal
It’s old-fashioned — in the best possible way. It cares about the environment, and that concern isn’t restricted to its lobby. The Kaya Kalp spa is the best in town and doesn’t pinch your pocket so hard, an unexpected pleasure in a five-star. The F&B suite ticks all the popular boxes of cravings. The 35-acre lawns are large enough to be divided and named, which means plenty of room for moonlight walks. Tariff from Rs 15,000 Contact 4021700 itchotels.in
Budget: Sheela
Hot water is hard to get despite claims to the contrary. The rooms are spare and the taps a tad crusty. You can’t take a cab there, nor bring your bike. So why would you stay at Sheela? Location, location, location! It’s literally on the doorstep of the Taj (about half a kilometre from its gates). Also: Pretty garden (the restaurant’s part of it) in the low-pollution Trapezium area, in what is ultimately one of India’s most dusty, touristy cities. Tariff from Rs 600 Contact 2333074
Homestay: Heritage Home
In a city where most hotel tariffs reside as far from ‘good value’ as the Taj is from residential architecture, this could literally be your home away from home. A comfortably done-up, expansive Sikh family home, with spacious gardens, this place unfailingly gets rave reviews. The warmth of the hosts and the exceptional care taken over cleanliness and amenities are to blame if this B&B’s five bedrooms are booked up when you call. Tariff Rs 1,200 Contact 9410634333, heritagehome.in
Luxury: Wyndham Grand
Okay, so it’s not the Oberoi. But you can’t com-plain it lacks class. With its 18-acre grounds laid out in tribute to the architectural geometry of the Mughals, it’s a sleepover that matches the sightseeing. If the one odd note is that the spa straddles baroque and bizarre, the luxe bathrooms more than compensate. It’s new, so forgive the website-in-development; but the staff is eager to please. Tariff from Rs 14,000 Contact 2237000 wyndhamgrandagra.com
Getaway: The Bagh
Notwithstanding the Taj and Fatehpur Sikri, actually staying in Agra can hardly be called a glittering getaway. Consider heading to Bharatpur’s Keoladeo National Park, only an hour away. The Bagh is great bang for your buck, besides being a lovely place to stay. A modern take on traditional architecture and decor brightens the 23 rooms across the three buildings, while its public spaces remain tranquil. Tariff from Rs 6,000 Contact 05644-225415, thebagh.com