Where to Stay in Agra

Rajasthan dominates India's heritage accommodation sector with converted palaces, forts, and havelis offering stays in royal settings. The state features everything from budget guesthouses in painted havelis to some of India's most expensive palace hotels. Major tourist circuits around Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer offer dense accommodation options, while rural areas provide heritage properties and desert camps. The Thar Desert region features unique luxury tented camps combining traditional aesthetics with modern comfort.

Kerala offers distinctive accommodation including traditional houseboats on backwaters, plantation bungalows in hill stations, Ayurvedic resorts, and beach properties along the Arabian Sea coast. The state pioneered responsible tourism with homestay networks allowing guests to experience local life. Accommodation ranges from simple homestays to luxury resorts, with unique options like treehouse stays, spice plantation estates, and heritage properties in restored colonial and traditional Kerala architecture featuring wooden construction and courtyards.

Goa's accommodation landscape reflects its beach tourism focus and Portuguese colonial heritage. North Goa beaches like Baga, Calangute, and Anjuna offer dense concentrations of budget guesthouses, beach shacks, and party-oriented properties, while South Goa features more upscale resorts, boutique hotels, and quieter beach settings. Portuguese-era houses converted into heritage hotels provide atmospheric alternatives, particularly in Panaji and Fontainhas. The state offers everything from backpacker hostels to five-star international resort chains.

The Himalayan states offer mountain accommodation ranging from colonial-era hill station hotels to Buddhist monastery guesthouses, adventure lodges, and spiritual retreat centers. Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, and Rishikesh provide well-developed tourism infrastructure with all accommodation categories, while remote valleys offer basic guesthouses and homestays. Unique options include riverside camps in Rishikesh, Tibetan monastery stays in Dharamshala, and apple orchard cottages in Kinnaur and Kullu valleys.

Delhi offers India's most comprehensive accommodation range, from international luxury chains to budget backpacker hostels. Areas like Connaught Place, Paharganj, and Aerocity near the airport concentrate different accommodation types. The city features heritage hotels in converted havelis, particularly in areas like Hauz Khas and Civil Lines, alongside modern five-star properties from every major international chain. Delhi serves as a gateway hub with accommodation catering to business travelers, tourists, and transit visitors.

Agra dominates this region's accommodation with properties clustered around the Taj Mahal, particularly along Fatehabad Road and in Taj Ganj area. The city offers everything from rooftop guesthouses with Taj views to five-star chains like ITC Mughal and Oberoi Amarvilas. Varanasi provides similar range with heritage properties, Ganges-view hotels, and basic pilgrim accommodations. Lucknow features Nawabi-era heritage hotels and business properties, while smaller heritage circuit towns offer limited but characterful options.

Karnataka offers diverse accommodation from Bangalore's business hotels and boutique properties to Mysore's palace-view heritage hotels, Hampi's budget guesthouses among ruins, and Coorg's coffee plantation stays. Coastal areas like Gokarna provide beach shacks and yoga retreat centers, while the Western Ghats feature wildlife lodges near national parks. Bangalore hosts international chains and India's boutique hotel scene, while heritage cities maintain palace hotels and restored properties.

Ladakh's brief summer season (June-September) features guesthouses in traditional Ladakhi homes, monastery accommodations, and luxury tented camps in remote valleys like Nubra and Pangong. Leh town concentrates most accommodation options. Kashmir's Dal Lake houseboats provide iconic stays, while Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam offer hotels ranging from budget to luxury. High-altitude areas feature basic guesthouses and homestays, with accommodation standards generally simpler than plains regions due to extreme climate and remote locations.

Tamil Nadu's accommodation centers around temple towns, Chennai's metropolitan options, and coastal areas. Temple cities like Madurai, Thanjavur, and Kanchipuram offer heritage properties and pilgrim accommodations, while Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry feature beach resorts and French colonial heritage hotels. Hill stations like Ooty and Kodaikanal provide colonial-era properties and tea estate stays. Chennai hosts international chains and business hotels, while Chettinad region offers unique heritage mansion stays in restored merchant houses.

Mumbai dominates with India's highest concentration of luxury hotels including iconic properties like The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, alongside business hotels and budget options in areas like Colaba. Pune offers business and educational institution accommodations. The Western Ghats hill stations like Lonavala and Matheran feature colonial-era resorts, while coastal Konkan region provides beach homestays and resorts. Wine country around Nashik offers vineyard stays, and Aurangabad serves as base for Ajanta-Ellora visits with heritage and standard hotels.