India

India has a rich legacy of hospitality, where guests are welcomed as Gods. This tradition continues till date and to prove it there are abundant options of luxury boutique hotels. Visitors in India have now the choice of staying at the small heritage hotels, treehouses, villas, camps, palaces, cottages, and forts. Enjoy comforts of home, up in the mountains, in cities, along the shores in the countryside and dotted on the diverse landscape.

Boutique hotels in India have increased in considerable numbers. Apart from luxury, boutique hotels are well known for providing unique experiences and personalized services to the travelers.

Of the many options, we list the top luxury boutique hotels in India.

1. Imperial Hotel, Near Connaught Place, Delhi

The Imperial is an iconic property in the capital city Delhi. The 5-star hotel built in 1931 is reminiscent of the days of British Raj. Experience the charm of art Deco-inspired architecture, sprawling lawns and magnificent luxuries.

Similar to Delhi, The Imperial Hotel is a mix of history with the modern world. The hotel has been the site of many important instances in history. It is an art gallery, museum and hotel all in one. The dining and spa experiences are truly unrivalled. Fulfill your fantasies for a pampering vacation in India, with your stay at the luxury boutique hotel.

Trivia: The luxury hotel has a bar, Patiala Peg form where the measure for a larger measure of 75 ml pegs instead of the usual 60 ml ones was coined. The bar was frequented by the Viceroy of India during the British colonial rule.

2. Tree of Life Resort & Spa, Near Jaipur

A new addition to the popular boutique hotels in India, The Tree Of Life Resort and Spa in Jaipur is a pleasant escapade. It stands apart, as it an oasis of calm. The lavish resort recreates the charm of a typical Rajasthani village with the modern luxuries to make your stay comfortable.

Set on the foothills of Aravalis, the resort imbibes the royal traditions of Rajasthan. Rose-hued walls, clear blue pools and royal villas are dotted on the sprawling grounds. Indulge in day-spa pampering, poolside lounging and gorging on delicious platters of multi-ethic dishes. Get a taste of village life, indulge in elephant rides and mountain treks. Create cherished memories of your vacation.

Trivia: The hotel highlights the green beauty of the Aravalis which is quite different form the image you have when you think of the desert state.

3. Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore National Park

Wildlife adventures in India are one of the best experiences of the country. Oberoi Vanyavilas is a one of its kind luxury tented camp offering a wild escapade in the Ranthambore National Park. The luxury boutique hotel in India offers comforts with equal dose of adventure.

Oberoi Vanyavilas reflects the style of the safari encampments. One of India’s first luxury tented camps, it offers a faultless Ranthambore experience. Enjoy the roar of the big cats, the melodies of birds and lush green. The resort is definitely a perfect spot to unwind. Go for game drives or safari. The resort acts as your own home, even in the wilderness.

Trivia: The authentic jungle camp in Ranthambore is known for its esteemed luxuries apart from the thrilling adventures.

4. RAAS Devigarh, Near Udaipur

RAAS Devigarh is one of the best choices you make to enjoy a royal vacation in Rajasthan. Housed in an 18th century fort palace overlooking the brilliance of the village of Delwara, Devigarh is a testimony of the Rajputana magnificence.

Remarkable from the inside as it is from the outside, the luxury boutique hotel in India can be counted among the world’s best in this niche. Soak in the bliss of pleasures of the Rajputana royalty without missing on the modern day luxuries. Stay in the majestic suites, dine like royalty and be pampered to wonderful spa experiences. The hotel is quite close to the village of Delwara, which offers amazing architecture, art and activities.

Trivia: Devigarh Palace was the primary location for shooting of the film Eklavya. The film was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars for nomination in the Best Foreign Film category for the year 2007.

5. Samode Safari Lodge, Bandhavgarh National Park

Luxury vacations out in the wild are just the thing for the Samode Safari Lodge. Get ready for a first-hand experience of the Indian jungle in the Bandhavgarh National Park. It is one of the few places in the world where you can still see wild tigers in their natural habitat.  Samode Safari Lodge offers a thrilling adventure-filled vacation with unmatched hospitality and luxury in the heart of wilderness.

In the heart of tiger country, guests can enjoy quite a relaxing getaway.  Enjoy the fresh air of greenery, spot local wildlife and enjoy nature. Spa treatments, delicious gastronomy, a heated swimming pool, and cooking classes are only some of the other temptations.

Trivia: Madhya Pradesh was where the tales of Jungle Book were imagined and the boutique resort rec-creates the thrill.

6. Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling

Would you not love to wake up to aroma of fresh tea and views of misty hills? The Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling offers a charming getaway. The delightful retreat is set above the banks of the River Rungeet in the sleepy hill station of West Bengal. The Prakash family owns the tea planation and have turned it as one of the finest luxury boutique hotels in India.

The 1600 acres tea estate promises an experience like never before. Enjoy the colonial architecture, modern pleasures and bliss. Enjoy a number of outdoor activities like camping, hiking and rafting. Learn about the workings of a tea estate. Take home fond memories of the relaxing stay.

Trivia: The Glenburn Tea Estate was started in started in 1859 by a Scottish family by the name of Glenburn. It offers a first-hand experience of tea making.

7. Casa De Goa Boutique Resort

Created of all fantasies you have of Goa, Casa De Goa Boutique Resort is one of the popular luxury boutique hotels in India. Tucked away in the Calangute Beach, the resort is away from crowds. The private property comprises of  luxury vacation villas which are perfect for exclusive holidays in Goa.

The tropical house relaxes your senses. Enjoy the comfort of your lodging. Food and every other service is personalized accommodating all your needs. The privacy of the resort is its biggest draw. Enjoy an uninterrupted honeymoon or vacation with your family. You return to your home with fond memories of your stay here.

Trivia: The renowned Conde Nast Traveller includes Casa De Goa Boutique Resort in “The 25 Best Beach Villas in the World” for the exquisite design and attention to detail.

1. Rajasthan

2. Kerala

3. Goa

4. Darjeeling 

5. Ranthambore

India’s most popular beach destination, Goa earns its spot on the popular destinations of the world at the Trip Advisor's Travellers' Choice Award 2020. India’s tropical paradise gets the 11th rank on the elite list. Goa is synonymous with its wonderful beaches, therefore undoubtedly it is India’s favourite beach getaway. Set along the cerulean spread of the Arabian Sea, Goa is the land of sun, sand and sea. The tropical haven is the most-preferred holiday destination in the country. Be it a family vacation, romantic honeymoon, fun-time with friends or any kind of vacation, Goa tours suit all!

Under the rule of the Portuguese till 1961, Goa still retains its colonial past. The Indo-Portuguese character of the culture of Goa is very visible amongst its architecture as well as its people. Churches in Goa are elegant specimens of architecture that has been named among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. On a walk through Old Goa, come across the beautiful churches. Also, a part of the glorious past are the forts of Goa. These defensive structures now serve at beautiful lookouts that still retain the charms of the olden days.

The major tourist attractions of Goa are its sparkling blue of the waters and the sky in contrast of the golden sands, green paddy fields, swaying coconut trees and not to forget the lively spirit of the people. Goans make you feel at home, every moment spent here is nothing like you have experienced before. In the smallest state of India, there are quite a number of big surprises. Cruises that you cherish forever, casinos to try your luck, nightlife that keeps you up till the early hours of the day, food that combines the delicious flavours of the sea and the very different culinary style are some highlights of your holiday in Goa.

Beyond the stretch of the golden coastline that comprise of more than 50 beaches, Goa has much to offer. Watersports add to the pleasure of your dream beach holiday. The lush Western Ghats are close by, where there is much to explore. There are scenic waterfalls, especially the Dudhsagar Falls that is unmissable. The wildlife sanctuaries are blessed with rare flora and fauna, it is also a rare bird watcher’s heaven. If the unexplored backwaters, beautiful villages and best of all history that is fascinating. So, be it relaxation, sightseeing, adventure or whatever your heart desires, Goa has it all.

The allure of Goa is that it remains quite different from the rest of India. While it is small enough to be explored in a way that other Indian states are not, it still has so much to provide you a wonderful vacation. Undoubtedly, Goa's tourism byline of "Goa - 365 days on Holiday" is absolutely true.
 

Wildlife tourism is a very important part of the Indian tourism. And, this World Tourism Day 2020, the incredible range of travel experiences needs to be explored with wildlife tour packages in India. And I would guess rightly so, given the fact that, after Africa, India perhaps has the most species of endangered wildlife that one could see in the wild. The star attraction of India's National parks is, of course, the Royal Bengal tiger, and this majestic animal is certainly the main draw for the wildlife tourism in India.

India now has almost 40 notified tiger reserves spread across the country, from Kaziranga and Manas in the east to Tadoba in the west, from Corbett in the north to Periyar and Bandipur in the south. Even the offbeat Sundarbans to the popular wildlife sanctuaries of Bandhavgarh National Park, Ranthambore, Pench  The big plus point of having so many Tiger reserves is that one can combine and include the nearest one into an India itinerary easily and even those not coming for a wildlife only focused trip, can easily fit in a few days at one India's many National parks.

Having been in the industry for almost 30 years now, I've been lucky to have had a chance to visit quite a few of the Tiger reserves, as well as interact with several wildlife enthusiasts from across the world. The general consensus is that the Tiger is definitely the most regal and majestic of all mammals, and irrespective of how many times one has seen a Tiger, the thrill of spotting a Tiger in the wild, remains and does not diminish with repeated sightings. After a recent trip to Africa, where we saw lions in the wild, I was actually wondering as to whether the Lion actually deserves its title of "King of the Jungle", in my view, and plenty of people actually agreed with me on this, that, the Tiger actually has a larger presence, and greater karishma.

The Indian wildlife experience is actually very different from the African safari experience, and it is extremely important for travelers to understand this fact. Africa has an abundance of wildlife, so a tourist traveling to lets say, Kruger, is sort of guaranteed sightings of all the big 5, perhaps within the first few hours of entering the reserve, whereas, even in Bandhavgarh, the National Park with a good Tiger population, it is possible to have done half a dozen safaris and still not having sighted the Tiger !! 

Not just the tigers, Indian wildlife tourism also covers sighting of Asiatic Lions, One-horned Rhincoeros, colorful birds including migratpry species, gharials and many other rare species.

In the last couple of months, there had been a lot of uncertainty regarding the opening of the National Parks in the Covid-19 Global Pandemic, which was subject to the decision f the Indian Supreme Court. Fortunately, the Courts did allow the Parks to open, and it is now backing to business as usual. As a consequence of this, there have been some changes in the rules and regulations. The number of vehicles allowed into the Parks has been further curtailed, thereby making advance reservations all the more important, and also, the Central Indian reserves of Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench are now completely closed every Wednesday.

One of the other positives in recent times has been the opening of several wildlife resorts  and boutique lodges in the vicinity of the National Parks. Unlike Africa, even the Luxury lodges are not situated within the forests, but are outside, but, there are now a few Jungle lodges and camps in India, that are at par with the finest in the world. In addition to the Taj Safari lodges in Pench, Kanha, and Bandhavgarh, others that stand out are, the Samode Safari Lodge in Bandhavgarh, Singinawa, Flame of the Forest and Shergarh in Kanha, Forsyth’s Lodge in Satpura, and there is, of course, the Sherbagh tented camp in Ranthambhore. 

Over 1000% growth! Whoa! Sounds unbelievable! But it's true that the number of foreign tourists coming to India on e-tourist visas has jumped by over 1000% in 2019.

These numbers are evidence to the success story of e-Tourist Visas in India.  Ever since the launch of the e-visa facility by the Indian government, there has been no looking back and the Ministry of Tourism has been continuously recording a sharp increase in tourists' number visiting India. Are e-tourist visas/visa-on-arrival attracting more tourists to India? See, the numbers bespeak its bemusing success story!

With the launch of the e-tourist visas, the dynamics of tourism in India have changed drastically. It has emerged as a game-changer by bringing up new growth equations in the tourism arena.

According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) report, a total of 445,300 tourists visited India on e-tourist visas during January-December 2015 as compared to 39,046 during January-December 2014. This was a phenomenal growth of 1040.4% in tourists' number entering India on e-visas.

The month of December 2015 had 1,03,617 tourists visiting India on e-tourist visas as compared to 14,083 during December 2014, recording a growth of 635.8%.
In January 2016, 88,162 tourists arrived in India on e-tourist visa as compared to 25,023 during the same month last year, registering a growth of 252.3%.

Similarly, in February 2016, a total of 1,17, 210 tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 24,985 during February 2015, registering a growth of 369.1 per cent.

UK stood on top to avail the e-tourist visa facility to visit India, followed by the USA, Russia, Australia and Germany. The New Delhi Airport grabbed the maximum share of tourists arriving and leaving the country on e-tourist visas in 2015, followed by the Mumbai Airport and the Goa Airport.

It was on November 27, 2014 when the Indian Government had introduced the TVoA, enabled by Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), presently known as e-Tourist Visa scheme.

At initial stage, the ETA enabled TVoA scheme was limited to 43 countries, however, later, it was extended to 113 countries, enabling a large number of international tourists to take advantage of the facility. Recently, 37 more countries were added to the list to take the final number to 150.

Presently, the tourist travelling to India with an e-visa is allowed to enter and depart from 16 international airports in the country. However, at the time of launch of the facility, it was limited to 9 international airports in 9 cities of the country.

The e-tourist visa fee structure has also been revised with effect from 3rd November, 2015. The 113 countries that can avail the e-tourist visa facilities have been divided into four groups where each group has to pay a different rate. Even the bank charges are reduced now for the e-tourist visa fees.

These initiatives have helped to increase the number of tourists travelling to India.

The new system has really made things easier for tourists! While they can apply for a visa online without having to visit the Indian embassy, they will can also receive an email authorising them to travel to India when their visa application gets approved. This notification can then be presented to immigration authorities at one of 16 Indian airports, allowing the visitor to obtain a visa-on-arrival. The ETA remains valid for 30 days from the date of approval.

It will be valid for entry at the following 16 airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, and Varanasi.

Looking at the spectacular rise in tourist numbers, it seems that eTourist Visa would help tourism in India attain newer heights.

As more people become net-savvy, there is a high possibility that the number of tourists visiting India with e-visas will grow many times in the coming years. Also the government has permitted to issue an E-Tourist Visa twice in a calendar year increasing the possibility of attaining higher foreign tourists’ number.

So let’s keep the fingers crossed and wait and watch to see the ETA scheme smashing old records by registering higher growth in the number of foreign travellers visiting India!

The countries eligible for an E-Tourist Visa!

Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Island, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Russia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Island, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

Author Bio: Archana Sharma is freelance writer who is passionate about her profession. Travelling is something which excites her. She has been in the creative field for over 15 years and has been writing for print media and digital media.