The Oberoi Hotels of India

Over the years and miles of travel, we have stayed in some very nice hotels. Of course Hampton Inn is a favorite for one or two night stays and is certainly not a five star. The Oberoi Hotels that Uniworld put us in for our Ganges adventure were no Hampton Inns.

The first one in New Delhi was impressive from the pick up at the airport to walking into the lobby and then our room. We arrived a few days earlier than the Uniworld tour was to begin so that we could adjust to the time and rest from the 22 hours of travel. The room we booked included a pickup at the airport and as soon as we exited immigration and customs, we saw our name on a sign. The man holding the sign would be our driver and he pointed to us to show another young man that we were the Robbins.

That hotel representative led us out of the fray, took the time to wait as we got some money at the ATM and then led us through a busy terminal and arrivals area to find the driver who was ready to handle our suitcases. He tucked them into the trunk of the  black Mercedes and once we were seated, set a tray between us with cool washcloths and cold bottles water. The Mercedes even had its own WiFi which Bob hooked into to check mail, etc., as we drove. Me? I was fascinated by the streets and the sights we were passing and yes, saw my first cows.

Our check in was smooth. The room was absolutely spacious with a huge bathroom that included a tub and a shower and as some friends of ours would be delighted to know, a ToTo, a toilet that helps you get really clean after—well, you know.

The main restaurant was wonderful. The special restaurants, a bit pricey. The Passterie we found was a delightful place for coffee and light fare.

The concierge was cordial and helpful in arranging whatever we wanted to do as long as we didn’t want to walk. As we were told, this is not a “walking” city. It was the first we realized how careful all of those involved in our tour would be to insulate us.

The grounds were not expansive but there was a nice pool area as well as a courtyard with a calming pool/fountain. You didn’t want to stay out to long in the heat anyway. There was also a beautiful spa that we didn’t find until later.

We received the kind of care and attention that you would get on a luxury cruise line, perhaps better. If you read my earlier post, you’ll remember that when the laundry came back, there was a rose on top of the package.

Our next Oberoi Hotel was in Agra. This one was a bit of a surprise as we drove through a rather poor section of town and suddenly turned into the gates of the hotel to find a beautiful building and grounds. There would not be much time to explore the grounds as we were only there overnight, long enough to see the Taj Mahal at sunset and then again at sunrise. But when the door opened to our spacious room, the window took up most of the opposite wall and looked over a garden surrounding the pool and in the distance, the Taj itself. Awesome!

Again, the food offered in the restaurant was amazing. The service, unbelievable.

On to Jaipur. We arrived at this Oberoi at dusk and were amazed at all the birds making noise. It sounded like starlings but I’m not sure what kind they were. They were all in the trees. The layout of this complex was quite different from the other two. Rooms are in clusters throughout the campus. We walked quite a ways before our guide opened the door to ours. The good news he said was that we were right across from where the evening’s special Uniworld dinner was to be held.

This room was every bit as spacious and maybe more so than the others. We would have two nights here so I quickly put a bag of laundry together. With the heat and humidity you couldn’t wear your clothes more than a day (sometimes a few hours). The rule at each hotel was, have your laundry in by 7 am and it would be returned by 7 pm. Sure enough, it was, but this time without a rose. Oh well, the clothes were perfect.

This hotel advertised that it was also a bird sanctuary of sorts and yes, there were several peacocks roaming around and perching in odd places. We caught sight of a parrot in flight also.

Because the grounds were so expansive, there was a courtesy golf cart that would pick you up if you desired a ride to the main building that housed the restaurant. All you needed to do was call.

Lovely breakfast buffet. Wonderful dinner. Read my post on Jaipur that tells of our nice evening.

I know hotels are only rated up to five stars but they need to up the level of excellence with another star. These hotels were spectacular and I will cherish the opportunity we had to enjoy them.