Travel + Leisure Readers’ 3 Favorite City Hotels in India of 2023

Amid the fast-paced energy of India’s metropolises, these are the places travelers love, as voted in our annual “World’s Best Awards” survey for 2023.

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From Mumbai’s art galleries and incredible eats to New Delhi’s historic sights and lively markets, such as the Chandni Chowk shopping center, India’s bustling cities welcome travelers into their exciting rhythm — and that’s part of the fun of visiting. Travel + Leisure readers have voted the best places to stay in these urban hubs.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

  • Rooms/facilities
  • Location
  • Service
  • Food
  • Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

Bedroom in suite at Taj Lands End, Mumbai

Courtesy of Taj Lands End, Mumbai

What Readers Loved

T+L readers highlighted three locations in Kolkata, New Delhi, and Mumbai. In the No. 3 spot, the century-old Oberoi Grand sits on Kolkata’s Chowringee Road, just across the street from the 1,000-acre Maidan park that's home to the white marble Victoria Memorial museum. This hotel’s sprawling rooms and suites host “beautiful service and food,” noted one reader, while the three restaurants are standout Kolkata spots among locals. One voter kept it short and sweet: “This place is simply the best.”

Bumped up to No. 2 from the fourth spot last year, The Leela Palace New Delhi beat all its rivals in India’s capital city. Voters love the stately rooms, swathed in gold and royal blue, and the dining options, from Jamavar (which highlights North Indian cuisine) to the Japanese-inspired Megu to the European-leaning Le Cirque. 

The No. 1 spot goes to the Taj Lands Ends, Mumbai, which jumped to the top rank from No. 3 last year. 

The Winner

Taj Lands End, Mumbai: Mumbai, India

Suite living room at Taj Lands End, Mumbai

Courtesy of Taj Lands End, Mumbai

Located in the posh suburb of Bandra West and facing the Arabian Sea, the 493-room Taj Lands End has all the bells and whistles: sprawling rooms with fantastic views, an outdoor pool, an Ayurvedic spa, and several restaurants, whether you’re craving Indo-Chinese or Italian. The property’s prime address in one of Mumbai’s coolest neighborhoods means guests have easy access to the coffee shops and designer boutiques lining the leafy streets. Whether they’ve traveled for work or business, T+L readers called out the Taj Lands End for its “exceptional service” and “beautiful location.”    

The Full List

1. Taj Lands End, Mumbai: Mumbai, India 

Reader Score: 97.98

2. The Leela Palace New Delhi: New Delhi, India

Reader Score: 95.48

3. The Oberoi Grand: Kolkata, India

Reader Score: 88.67

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