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Luxury Tour of India: Thoughts on these hotels?

Luxury Tour of India: Thoughts on these hotels?

Old Aug 19, 2018, 5:47 am
  #196  
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current thoughts Mumbai properties?

Unexpected three night trip to Mumbai this month and waffling between the flagship Taj and Oberoi properties, both have decent deals for suites. Given the monsoon season I realize weather is so unpredictable but among deciding factors for me is pool. The pool at Oberoi does not look nearly as nice as Taj but I am only basing this on a few photos and am interested in experiences? Interested in other aspects from those of you with experience to help decide between the two. Other properties that I should also consider? Location is not an issue as people will come to meet with me. Thanks and regards!
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Old Aug 19, 2018, 11:34 am
  #197  
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Originally Posted by BOStonTravels
Unexpected three night trip to Mumbai this month and waffling between the flagship Taj and Oberoi properties, both have decent deals for suites. Given the monsoon season I realize weather is so unpredictable but among deciding factors for me is pool. The pool at Oberoi does not look nearly as nice as Taj but I am only basing this on a few photos and am interested in experiences? Interested in other aspects from those of you with experience to help decide between the two. Other properties that I should also consider? Location is not an issue as people will come to meet with me. Thanks and regards!
Ive not been, but the St Regis also seems to have a wonderful pool with an impressive deck and even views. Another option to consider, perhaps. Good luck!
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Old Aug 20, 2018, 6:56 am
  #198  
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Originally Posted by bhrubin


Ive not been, but the St Regis also seems to have a wonderful pool with an impressive deck and even views. Another option to consider, perhaps. Good luck!
It looks like a really nice property and beautiful pool, thanks for bringing to my attention, I am going to consider after some more research. Is the Four Seasons still viewed as substantially below par compared to the other Mumbai luxury properties?
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Old Aug 24, 2018, 4:50 am
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Originally Posted by bhrubin
+1
Exactly. That is why we considered and ultimately rejected the opportunity cost of a 1 day tiger safari at Sariska. The Aman staff were in consensus before and during our stay that almost no one sees a tiger at Sariska, agreeing with almost all reviews that I'd seen. We decided it wasn't worth the time or trouble.
Hrmm, that's not what the Amanbagh staff told us. We took the morning safari to Sariska in May and saw a tiger in the first few hours. The Amanbagh guide works with the tiger reserve and we tipped one of the national park's trackers to help us find one and the tracker drove around with us until we did. We sat there for maybe an hour watching the tiger chill in the dam. I got the impression that the chances of seeing a tiger were more like 1 in 4 but it does depend on the time of the year.

Please no one travel all the way to Amanbagh and do the safari on account of this and then not see a tiger and then be sad with me or the hotel though

Originally Posted by RichardInSF
As to inflexibility, Amanbagh has 4 levels of rooms. The package they are offering includes a guaranteed upgrade from the lowest tier to the second and from the third tier to the fourth. I had asked about the upgrade from the second tier to the third and their response kept glossing over this so I kept pushing -- and they finally said NO. I get the impression that the reservations manager I have been corresponding with exclusively is cut from the same "no waivers, no favors" mold that the airlines went through a while back. Maybe it's necessary to talk to the GM. I'll leave that task to the TA I ultimately use to make the booking, as Amanbagh gives absolutely zero incentive to book direct.
That is strange. I had a bit of an overall odd service experience at Amanbagh earlier this year. We were the only guests in the hotel and booked at the very last minute while in Agra so I think I caught them off guard. No sign of the GM and after that experience the kind of thing that RichardInSF mentions doesn't surprise me all that much.
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Old Aug 24, 2018, 8:00 am
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Originally Posted by ajca
Hrmm, that's not what the Amanbagh staff told us. We took the morning safari to Sariska in May and saw a tiger in the first few hours. The Amanbagh guide works with the tiger reserve and we tipped one of the national park's trackers to help us find one and the tracker drove around with us until we did. We sat there for maybe an hour watching the tiger chill in the dam. I got the impression that the chances of seeing a tiger were more like 1 in 4 but it does depend on the time of the year.
Being there in May’s very high heat and dry conditions makes all the difference in the easier sightings of tigers there and generally throughout India.

We were there in January, a much cooler and less dry time. As much as I want to see a tiger, I couldn’t deal with the heat.
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Old Aug 25, 2018, 4:19 am
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Can you share the pricing of best 3 hotels where i can find British food.

Planning a tour and i need to finialise my budget i am also looking for some volunteer to help me guide out there..
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Old Aug 25, 2018, 4:28 am
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I hear there's good British food in the UK...
bhrubin, Cards1234 and Beltway2A like this.
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Old Aug 27, 2018, 10:27 am
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Originally Posted by chinmoylad
I hear there's good British food in the UK...
Absolutely! For excample some gastro-pubs do a great job.
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Old Aug 27, 2018, 4:29 pm
  #204  
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Could use a bit of help in choosing between two Delhi hotels. Have booked both, but reservations are cancelable. Both rates include airport transfers, club access, and breakfast. The room rates are pretty much the same, only $20 a night difference between them.

1. Oberoi --- Premier Plus room, 550 sqft, booked through Amex FHR, also get one included dinner

2. Leela Palace -- Royal Club Parlor room, 700 sqft, booked through "Discovery" to get a discount, includes butler service.

I'm leaning towards the Leela Palace. Please speak up if you have stayed at both or even either!

Thanks
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Old Aug 27, 2018, 8:12 pm
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Originally Posted by RichardInSF
Could use a bit of help in choosing between two Delhi hotels. Have booked both, but reservations are cancelable. Both rates include airport transfers, club access, and breakfast. The room rates are pretty much the same, only $20 a night difference between them.

1. Oberoi --- Premier Plus room, 550 sqft, booked through Amex FHR, also get one included dinner

2. Leela Palace -- Royal Club Parlor room, 700 sqft, booked through "Discovery" to get a discount, includes butler service.

I'm leaning towards the Leela Palace. Please speak up if you have stayed at both or even either!

Thanks
Been to both, stayed at Oberoi.

Leela - the rooms are certainly nice but the whole place has a very 'faux' air about it (better done than most places I've seen, but still). Rooftop pool is nice but questions over how much you'd really use it at all in Delhi. The Japanese restaurant I ate at was extremely good value. Service was slow the short time I was at the hotel (getting someone to attend to me for what I needed etc).

Oberoi is a classic, but it also draws in a crowd because it's a 'place to be seen' (think Peninsula Hong Kong - not quite as bad though). I stayed here pre-renovation, and even then, it was superb. Sure the hard product was dated, but it was kept in excellent condition. Exciting to see what they've done with the refresh. Food is good throughout. Service was spot on. Really impressive considering the size of the hotel, the constant in- and out- of random strangers etc.

I would much prefer to stay at Oberoi than the Leela.
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Old Aug 28, 2018, 9:30 am
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Originally Posted by chinmoylad
Been to both, stayed at Oberoi.

Leela - the rooms are certainly nice but the whole place has a very 'faux' air about it (better done than most places I've seen, but still). Rooftop pool is nice but questions over how much you'd really use it at all in Delhi. The Japanese restaurant I ate at was extremely good value. Service was slow the short time I was at the hotel (getting someone to attend to me for what I needed etc).

Oberoi is a classic, but it also draws in a crowd because it's a 'place to be seen' (think Peninsula Hong Kong - not quite as bad though). I stayed here pre-renovation, and even then, it was superb. Sure the hard product was dated, but it was kept in excellent condition. Exciting to see what they've done with the refresh. Food is good throughout. Service was spot on. Really impressive considering the size of the hotel, the constant in- and out- of random strangers etc.

I would much prefer to stay at Oberoi than the Leela.
Agreed.

I visit my in laws there and the Oberoi is higher regarded and a place where the well to do (and those looking for a special occasion) go to for food. The food is excellent and classic luxury.
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Old Aug 31, 2018, 12:08 pm
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Thanks for the input.
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Old Sep 7, 2018, 9:47 am
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Originally Posted by RichardInSF
Could use a bit of help in choosing between two Delhi hotels. Have booked both, but reservations are cancelable. Both rates include airport transfers, club access, and breakfast. The room rates are pretty much the same, only $20 a night difference between them.

1. Oberoi --- Premier Plus room, 550 sqft, booked through Amex FHR, also get one included dinner

2. Leela Palace -- Royal Club Parlor room, 700 sqft, booked through "Discovery" to get a discount, includes butler service.

I'm leaning towards the Leela Palace. Please speak up if you have stayed at both or even either!

Thanks
The Leela - I disagree about the 'faux' comments. It is not as though the Oberoi is wildly historic either!
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Old Sep 7, 2018, 12:25 pm
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Originally Posted by chinmoylad
Been to both, stayed at Oberoi.

Oberoi is a classic, but it also draws in a crowd because it's a 'place to be seen' (think Peninsula Hong Kong - not quite as bad though). I stayed here pre-renovation, and even then, it was superb. Sure the hard product was dated, but it was kept in excellent condition. Exciting to see what they've done with the refresh. Food is good throughout. Service was spot on. Really impressive considering the size of the hotel, the constant in- and out- of random strangers etc.

I would much prefer to stay at Oberoi than the Leela.
I stayed at Oberoi Delhi a few months back post-renovation and thought it was excellent. The new fit out was done with no expense spared. The architecture and design in the common spaces is beautiful and the rooms are really luxurious.

@chinmoylad I didn't notice any random people there 'to be seen' at all, but maybe I was there at a quiet time. Actually I found the lobby etc really, really quiet. Could have just been luck or the fact that it was 45 degrees outside My understanding is that the Oberoi in Gurgaon is more known for being "Instagram-friendly"

@RichardInSF Make sure you check out Indian Accent and Bukhara while you're in Delhi if you have time! Have fun
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Old Sep 7, 2018, 1:28 pm
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Originally Posted by ajca
@RichardInSF Make sure you check out Indian Accent and Bukhara while you're in Delhi if you have time! Have fun
+2!

We dined at and loved them both. They are the biggest reasons we stayed in Delhi for 2 nights, in fact.
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