India

JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu pairs a palm-lined pool with Arabian Sea views in the heart of Mumbai's film-world neighbourhood. Will Smith stayed here during his private visit to India in April 2022, retreating to the beachfront hotel before flying home.

Oprah Winfrey is among the celebrated guests of The Imperial New Delhi, joining a hotel history also associated with Elton John and Leonardo DiCaprio. The property carries its glamour with confidence: high-ceilinged rooms, art-filled corridors and gardens that soften the city outside. Near Connaught Place, it feels both central and self-contained—a grand Delhi address made for recognizable arrivals.

Umaid Bhawan Palace rises above Jodhpur in golden sandstone, its Art Deco halls and peacock-filled gardens made for grand occasions. Priyanka Chopra lived inside that fantasy for her four-day wedding weekend with Nick Jonas, staying where the celebrations unfolded.

The Taj Mahal Hotel is a five-star hotel in New Delhi. The experience is deliberately straightforward, giving guests a composed base while the destination itself supplies the sense of occasion.

The Taj Mahal Palace faces Mumbai's Gateway of India with domes, harbour views and more than a century of grand-hotel theatre. Prince William stayed in its heritage wing with Catherine during their 2016 India tour, adding a fourth generation of British royals to the guestbook.

Rajmahal Palace RAAS turns a rose-tinted Jaipur residence into an intimate world of Art Deco colour, heirlooms and shaded gardens. Queen Elizabeth II stayed within these rooms with the Duke of Edinburgh, a visit still echoed by the suite that bears her name.

At Oberoi Amarvilas, the emphasis is on a hotel stay in Agra. The hotel keeps the mood understated, leaving the wider destination at the centre of the trip.

Barack and Michelle Obama made ITC Maurya their New Delhi base in January 2015, occupying the Grand Presidential Suite with its private sauna, study and 12-seat dining room. Barack used the hotel gym each morning, Michelle dined privately at Bukhara, and the presidential limousine waited below. ITC Maurya still feels designed for such arrivals: composed, discreet and grand, with celebrated Indian dining and a diplomatic Chanakyapuri address.

Barack Obama spent a night at The Leela Palace New Delhi, while Tom Cruise stayed in the Maharaja Suite and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have used the Presidential Suite. Few hotels possess a guest history with such immediate star power. The palace-like interiors and Diplomatic Enclave setting create a stay built around privacy, ceremony and the confidence of a property used to major arrivals.

The Fern Samali Resort combines an outdoor pool and private balconies in an unfussy setting in Dapoli. The result feels grounded in Dapoli, with comfort serving the place rather than obscuring it.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her family chose The Rajbari Bawali for a stay, bringing Bollywood glamour to a restored Bengali palace outside Kolkata. Courtyards, gardens and heritage rooms give the property a strong sense of place, while the pool and spa soften the formality. It is the kind of retreat where a public family can withdraw into history rather than simply hide behind modern luxury.

Taj Rambagh Palace draws its character from a garden and a five-star address amid manicured gardens. The stay remains closely tied to Jaipur.

Set in Sawāi Mādhopur, Six Senses Fort Barwara makes its location the centre of the experience. It offers a historic base for discovering Jaipur.

The Oberoi New Delhi is a five-star hotel in New Delhi. The experience is deliberately straightforward, giving guests a composed base while the destination itself supplies the sense of occasion.

The appeal of The Oberoi Rajvilas begins with its position in central Jaipur. From here, Jaipur becomes part of the stay, while the atmosphere remains polished and composed.