Taj Garden Retreat, Trivandrum

Advantages: you would get to see TajMahal.
Disadvantages: may be you would encounter lots of cheats!!!

...Agra is one of the oldest cities in India. It is located in the northern plains on the banks of river jamuna & is a city which speaks the true tales of glory , power, war and love. Agra is a city of traditions and culture , it’s a city which has one of the most beautiful and preserved cultural monuments -the TajMahal ,the Agra fort, etmat-ud-duala , dayalbagh temple, a beautiful garden called Ram Bagh , Sikandara where lies Akbar’s (the Mughal Emporor’s) grave. For ages both Hindus and Muslims have lived here with the feelings of unity and brotherhood. It is famous for both art and architecture. One of the most talented Artisans are found in Agra who excel in making beautiful bags, clothes and other accessories and decorating the same with astonishing embroidery done with silver and gold thread known as zari work. It is also famous... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good location, beautiful building and cosy rooms
Disadvantages: Very expensive!

...I stayed here recently and felt that it was the perfect end to a great but exhausting trip around India. I booked into the Tower but was upgraded to the Tiger Club in the Palace which was a nice treat. The Palace is stunning and you should just look up the staircase, even if you can't afford to stay there. The restaurants are heavenly, we went all out and ate at Zodiac Grill, it claims to be India's top restaurant and we concurred! The 'snake coffee' at the end of the evening was theatrical and the coffee tasted delicious. The rooms are cosy, remembering that this is a 100 year old building, the architecture and service make up for the room which I felt was on the smallish side. The bathroom is small with a shower-over-bath which I'm not very fond of, but the shower was excellent nonetheless. The swimming pool is a nice retreat from... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Takes the work out of a complicated tour.
Disadvantages: Personality clashes.

...to the Lal Bagh botanical gardens gave us our first real experience of beggars. The next day a small coach picked us up and this was to be our mode of transport for much of the rest of the tour. Mysore and hotel Southern Star was our next destination, a pleasant evening was spent visiting the Brindivan Gardens laid out below the massive Krishnaraja Sagar Dam where illuminated fountains draw crowds of tourists each day at dusk. Next day having seen the Nandi Bull, this one in the open air, it was on to the Maharaja's palace, a magnificent structure. Open to the elements on all sides it presides over a flat plain that you just have to let your imagination populate for you. The interior was as you would expect, sumptuously decorated with marble, carved woods and mosaics, the central throne room was lined with paintings of the maharaja with eyes... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful