India Insight| India Inbound Holidays| India Tours Destinations

India Inbound Holidays

India is a country which will enchant you with its beauty and diversity, delight you with colorful pageantry, enrich you with culture, stun you with modernity, embrace you with warmth, and overwhelm you with hospitality…a land where the ancient and the contemporary exist side by side, where thousands of brilliant images fill the soul with wonder and where quaint and startling contradictions lend an extraordinary vitality, texture and poetry to life.

A holiday to India presents you with endless possibilities to create memories of a lifetime. The breathtaking destinations of India can be explored delightfully by booking packages through Designer Indya. Write to us at book@designerindya.com to design the perfect India holiday for you.

Your Place to Stay

Because everyone is different, our brochure incorporates a portfolio of hotels which span a whole spectrum of styles from small and simple to truly world class hotels offering the ultimate in luxury... and everything in between. Some of the properties in our programme may not even be an hotel in the true sense of the word, because we have also included historic palaces, some of which are family owned and the experience is one of being a guest in a friend's own home.Our aim is to ensure that there is something to suit every taste including those special touches which make your holiday unique to you. We have devised a simple grading system to guide you to the properties which are most likely to meet your requirements.

UNIQUE : They may not be hotels at all, but could be family “homes”,country manors, converted palaces, historic buildings or Eco-resorts in areas of natural beauty. Open small and intimate, and always exclusive, they may lack the range of facilities of international resorts, but they all possess something extraordinary which makes them stand out from the crowd. Where a PLUS sign appears with the grading symbol it indicates the property is above average in its category and just short of the next highest category.

PRESTIGE COLLECTION : for those who require the ultimate in luxury, the pleasure of attentive service and amenities of spectacular quality.

PLATINUM amongst the world's best hotels, open acclaimed, elegant, attractive and invariably in a prestigious us location

GOLD a deluxe hotel offering exemplary standards of accommodations, service and a wide range of facilities. Usually graded 5 star or 5 star deluxe locally.

SILVER usually a higher standard of modern hotel or an exceptionally well maintained older property. An above average hotel with some outstanding features. Usually graded 4 star deluxe or 5 star locally.

BRONZE very comfortable, unpretentious, excellent value and ideal for the more budget conscious client. Usually graded 4 star locally.

Know Before You Go...

Travel in Style

Travel in Style with a destination like India, where travel plans open involve a busy touring schedule, you will want to arrive refreshed and raring to go, so why not consider upgrading to a premium cabin, where you will benefit from greater comfort and space? Many airlines now offer a premium economy cabin – a separate cabin with a more comfortable armchair like seat and extra leg room. This is an extremely cost-effective way of making the journey more comfortable without breaking the bank. Business and first class travel usually offers seats which convert into a fully flat bed, a separate check-in, fast track through security and an extensive menu complemented with Champagne and fine wines. Our experienced travel advisors will be pleased to offer you advice and prices for upgrading your flights.

Climate

Climate in a country the size of India, it will come as no surprise, that the weather patterns vary enormously. In general, our summer coincides with the hottest weather in India. From March to May, the North Indian weather is hot and dry and temperatures can reach 40 – 45ºC whilst the south is more sultry and hot with temperatures a more bearable 27 – 29ºC. From June to September, the southwest monsoon sweeps the majority of the country and rainand high humidity dominate the weather. The most popular time to visit is between November and February when the weather is generally warm and sunny with temperatures around 15 – 20ºC in the north and above 20ºC in the south. Temperatures in the foothills of the Himalaya are, of course, much cooler year round and can drop to almost freezing in the winter.

Key Places to Explore

Delhi

The capital of India and gateway to the famed Golden Triangle, Delhi is divided into "Old", where you can visit Gandhi's Memorial and the Red Fort and "New" with its impressive government buildings and wide avenues.

Agra

Home to probably the most famous vision of India - the Taj Mahal, whose white marble exterior changes colour according to the time of day making it one of the most stunning and memorable buildings in the world. A visit to Agra would not be complete without stopping at the magnificent Red Fort, which dominates the centre of the city.

Varanasi

One of India's holiest cities, which draws Hindu pilgrims from around the world to worship and to bathe in the sacred River Ganga. A visit to Varanasi is a true Indian experience and a highlight of any visit to the sub-continent.

Jaipur

Jaipur is also known as the Pink city. It is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and part of the Golden Triangle. A bustling city that has a startling array of stunning palaces and museums with the City Palace at its epicentre. A visit to the Amber Palace on the outskirts of the city is not to be missed.

Udaipur

In southern Rajasthan lies the beautiful lake city of Udaipur, regarded by many as one of the most romantic locations in India. High above the lake stands the imposing palace of the Maharanas and from its rooftop gardens, there are stunning views over Lake Pichola towards the Summer Palace at its centre. Dotted around the lake are the houses and temples of the city backed by the green, lush hills which make this an oasis in the desert.

Ranthambore

Established in 1959 as a sanctuary and now a National Park, it is hailed as one of India's finest wildlife destinations. Its name comes from the 11th century fort of Ranthambore, a vital citadel for the control of central India, which sits on a rocky outcrop in the forest. Once the scene of royal hunting parties, today the park is famous for its tigers and is one of the best places in the country to see these majestic predators in the wild.

Jodhpur

The second city of Rajasthan sprawls around the awe- inspiring cliffop Meherangarh Fort. And outside the city, the art deco Umaid Bhavan Palace is most definitely worth a visit.

Goa

Our hotels in Goa are away from the main charter tourist hubbub. In Panaji, the capital of the state, there is a distinctive Portuguese influence manifested most clearly in the profusion of Christian churches. Away from the city, the countryside is flat and views are of palm trees which stretch as far as the eye can see fringing the long, golden sandy beach. Due to local law, all hotels are set back over 200 metres from the beach in their own private grounds.

Kerala

This South Indian state is India's most densely populated region, but the draw is the beautiful Golden Beach edged by lush, green coconut groves. The incredible backwaters invite you to catch a glimpse of Keralan life, where festivals are characterized by elephant marches, snake boat races and colourful Kathakali dances.

Shimla

Shimla was the so-called summer capital of India during the days of the Raj – a wonderful escape from the heat for the British sahibs. Its British roots are reflected in the colonial architecture and the green hills surrounding it. The famous narrow-gauge railway links Kalka on the plains to Shimla offering an opportunity to view the picturesque scenery of the foothills of the Himalaya as it winds its way on its slow journey to the capital of Himachal Pradesh.

Mumbai

Mumbai is India's most important commercial and industrial centre and its largest city. Home to the rich and famous and India's booming film industry known as Bollywood, where more films are produced annually than anywhere else in the world – including Hollywood! Situated on India's west coast, the city has a natural harbour and life in the city is very much based around its beaches and promenades. The three main areas, Colaba, where the Gateway of India stands imposingly on the waterfront, Fort (the downtown area) and Malabar Hill with its hanging gardens are linked by the Marine Drive, which, as its name implies, curves along the coast.

Jaisalmer

Dominated by Jaisalmer Fort, the city is the oldest Rajput capital and was originally a trading post, which brought the city its wealth. The city houses a number of havelis – the most beautiful of which is the Patwon characterized by the yellowgold Jaisalmer sandstone. The fort itself is a city in its own right with houses, shops and hotels and some fascinating Hindu and Jain temples.