Agra, a medium-sized city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Agra Fort, the short-lived Mughal capital of Fatehpur Sikri, and (last but not least) the Taj Mahal. Visitors to these sites have range of luxury resorts and business hotels to choose from.
As Agra is neither a walkable city nor well-developed for tourism beyond the hotels and tourist sites, travelers hoping to see the major sites while also taking time to relax will want to choose their accommodation carefully. In this traveler’s opinion, the ITC Mughal should be an easy choice. This resort hotel offers elegant (and quite reasonably-priced) rooms, excellent amenities, and a beautiful architectural and horticultural setting of 23 acres of gardens and three interconnected courtyards.
In this post:
Location, Arrival & Check-In
The ITC Mughal is located close to a station on Agra’s new metro line, but travelers may find it easier to hail a tuk-tuk or taxi from one of Agra’s rail stations or the Agra Fort Bus Stand. This traveler took a tuk-tuk, which was not allowed passed the outer gate. After a short walk past the resort shopping plaza, travelers will reach a security checkpoint, which is the norm at luxury hotels in India. From here, staff can take baggage while the guests pass through a marble corridor with ample natural light to the hotel’s grand lobby, the Akbar Mahal.
For sightseeing, the metro provides relatively good access to the historic Agra Fort. To reach the Taj Mahal, guests may take the metro one stop and walk or take a taxi or tuk-tuk to one of the entrance gates. For the adventurous, the Taj Mahal complex’s south gate exit is within walking distance of the property.
Hotel staff at check-in were efficient and considerate and, like practically everyone working at ITC Mughal, spoke and understood English well. A refreshing watermelon juice-based welcome drink was available at check-in. Staff provided a helpful overview of where various hotel amenities were located, as well as directions to the room, necessary in light of the hotel’s somewhat convoluted room-numbering system.
Architecture
Uniquely among hotels, ITC Mughal is a recipient of the Aga Khan aware for Islamic architecture. The modernist red brick design takes numerous formal queues from the traditional Mughal architecture of North India. Rooms facing north and south have bay windows for extra natural light, while those facing east and west have recessed windows to reduce the intensity of direct sunlight.
Of the three courtyards, two have gardens with fountains and waterfalls, including one in the traditional Char Bagh configuration with four quadrants of greenery surrounding the central fountain. The third courtyard hosts a swimming pool. Guests can move from one part of the hotel to another through the courtyards, or by the skybridges that divide them. Although the building is minimally ornamented, the rhythm of bay and recessed windows and variations in the height of the different masses around the courtyards add visual interest to the structure.
Hotel Room
Except for a few dozen “Royal Mughal Suites” and several unique suites, the ITC Mughal’s 233 rooms are effectively identical in size and furnishings, except for cushioned portions of the floor in rooms with bay windows. Your traveler was given a room with a recessed window on the ground floor facing the garden.
The room included ample storage space, a roomy rain shower, a comfortable bed, and a chair and a sofa. Your traveler was not especially impressed with the comfort of the sofa, which was a fold-out type to provide extra sleeping space for family groups. The bathroom offered a spacious shower and appeared to have been recently updated. Bedding was comfortable and high-quality. The air conditioning was never excessive and ran quietly almost the entire time.
Dining
ITC Mughal offers three restaurants, a bar, and an ample room service menu. The Taj Bano buffet serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a range of Indian and Western options. Highlights including the Indian breakfast, fresh fruit, and desserts at dinner. Your traveler also enjoyed the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Peshawari, which specializes in “Bukhara cuisine” from the Northwest Frontier of Pakistan. The wait staff at Peshawari were exceptionally attentive and knowledgeable.
Amenities
When not visiting Agra’s historic sites, guests at ITC Mughal will find much to enjoy: the hotel offers two swimming pools, a spa that was Asia’s largest when it opened in 2008, mini golf, and horseback riding, among other activities. The hotel staff will also help to organize outings to tourist sites and shopping destinations, including the Kalakriti shopping center, which offers a wide selection of high-quality handicrafts.
The Firdaus pool in the courtyard was closed for tile and gutter work during your traveler’s stay, which was no issue as the stunning outdoor pool near the spa was open. This pool has a substantial expanse of open water with several side canals under pergolas. Afternoon temperatures approaching 100 degrees during your traveler’s stay, but the pool was kept at a cool 70 degrees. The deck has loungers for sunbathing and a counter from which guests can order food.
The spa, which shares a group of buildings with a fitness center, hair salon, and pool changing rooms, offers a wide range of treatments, as well as men’s and women’s saunas and steam rooms. Your traveler enjoyed the Mughal Hamman treatment, which included a series rejuvenating scrubs in a marble-lined steam room.
Conclusion
ITC Mughal offers excellent creature comforts for travelers who might have had the Taj Mahal on their bucket lists but been intimated by the prospect of travel to India and to anyone looking to explore Agra’s historic sites at a leisurely pace. Service rises to a high standard, and the building has been lovingly maintained since it was built more than four decades ago. The Peshawari restaurant, gardens, and pool near the spa will form a memorable part of guests’ experience of Agra.
Rating:
A Room with a (re)view 