India Supplement 2011

Your one-stop guideto all the latest news and developments in India Produced by

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S01 India Supp 2011 Start_Layout 1 24/10/2011 10:21 Page 1

FA CE TO FA CEW I T H I N D I A

Cox & Kings has been organising travel toIndia for generations. Our journeys encompass the whole country from the soaring Himalaya

to the exquisite palaces and mighty forts of Rajasthan, and the tropical beauty and ornate

temples of the far south. Throughout India, its vibrant cities, timeless villages, cultural

complexities and natural wonders make it endlessly beguiling.

• Small Groups & Tailor-Made Travel

• Highest Quality Services

• Unrivalled Experience

• Exceptional Value

• Expert Planning

• Personal Service

9 DAYS IN INDIA FROM ONLY £1,295


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The British bond with India is a strong one. From our love ofthe country’s food to our hundreds of years of shared history,India, its people and its culture play a big part in our 21st-

century lifestyle.For operators, it is the perfect destination to feature as it ticks

every single box when it comes to the holiday that can delivereverything. From the beaches in the south to the tiger safaris in theheart of the country, from the bustling cosmopolitan cities of Delhi,Kolkata and Mumbai to the Himalayan villages of the north, twoweeks is simply not enough to get under the skin of India, hencewhy so many people go back.

In this supplement in our What’s New section, we look at what iscoming down the line for 2012 from the operators and the airlines.In our Beauty and the Beach section, we speak to the experts tofind out what tours they think will suit visitors keen to combine abit of culture with a few days on the beach.

Hotel development is big in India with all the international chainsheading to the cities to capitalise on the booming economies of thecountry’s leading lights. For the leisure market, style and achinglychic interiors with an Indian twist are the name of the game for thenew kids on the block for this year and next.

For our Nice and Niche pages, specialist operators tell us about allthe new tours in the pipeline that allow clients to get away fromthe crowds and combine their passion for a pastime, such ascooking or photography Indian style.

Finally, in our Regional Round-up and Get the Lowdown, we lookat the highlights of each region and ensure you have all theessential details so the next time a client walks through youragency door with a vague plan for a trip to India, you will have allthe information at your fingertips, courtesy of Travel Bulletin’s AllAbout India supplement.

Angela CroninSupplements editorTravel Bulletin

WelcomeIntroduction

All about India

14 Nice and niche

Published by

Lower Ground Floor, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX

Tel: 020-7834 6661Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe

Written and researched by: Angela CroninEmail: [email protected]

Design/Layout: Ranganath GS & Prashanth APPrinted by: Wyndeham Grange Limited

Cover Picture: Harkanwal SinghISSN: 0956-2419

CONTENTS

8 Beauty and the beach

4 What’s New

17 Regional round-up


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What’s newFrom festivals to village life, from cosmopolitan cities to balmy beaches, operators’ programmes are bursting at the seams with new itineraries, hotels and adventures for 2012

India is a melting pot of cultures,heritage, breathtaking landscapes,beaches, iconic sites, wildlife, and

let’s not forget the burgeoningindustry that is Bollywood. For 2012,operators are building on their classicGolden Triangle and Goa offeringswith new, adventurous tours that aimto give visitors an insight into Indianlife, love and culture.

Let’s see what the operators andairlines have in store for us next year.

On the Go ToursThe operator has launched its new Indiabrochure with a range of tours thatcoincide with the yearly calendar offestivals.

Clients can join in the fun of theJaisalmer Desert Festival, enjoy turban-tying competitions, camel races, firedancing and the ‘Mr Moustache’contest. Other festivals includethe Hemis Festival, Holi, ElephantParade, Diwali, Taj Mahotsav andthe not to be missed – PushkarCamel Fair.

On the Go is currentlydeveloping an online trainingprogramme for agents.

CosmosCosmos has launched its firstdedicated Goa and the Indian Oceanbrochure featuring a range of resortstays, tour and stays, two centres andcruises in Goa, the Maldives, Dubai,Mauritius and Sri Lanka.

Capacity to Goa over the winterperiod has been doubled from bothGatwick and Manchester and twoweeks for the price of one deals areavailable on selected holidays inNovember and December.

The new brochure offers 14 new

properties in Goa as well as the newresorts of Bambolim in central Goa andVagator in north Goa and two new toursof the destination.

Early-booking offers include adeposit of £100 per person and twoweeks for the price of one at a choiceof hotels in Goa such as the AlorGrande Holiday Resort and HotelPrazeres in Candolim and thePalmarinha Resort in Calangute.

Other new deals also include threefree dinners each week at the OsborneResort in Goa.

Prices in the new brochure lead in at

£499 in Goa for seven nights’ bed andbreakfast at the Beira Mar on BagaBeach, north Goa.

Meanwhile, Cosmos Tours andCruises has added the 16-dayEnchanting Kerala and Southern Indiatour, which takes in the temple townsof southern India, including tranquilPeriyar National Park and a cruisealong Kerala’s serene backwaters.

Tour highlights are Chennai city,Mahabalipuram, Madurai,Periyar National Park, BackwaterHouseboat Cruise, Kochi city and Ooty.

Prices lead in at £1,865.

What’s new

All about India

Inntravel's tie-up with Village Ways allows visitors the opportunity to integrate with local communitiesof the destinations they are visiting.


InnTravelInntravel has teamed up with guidedwalking holidays specialist Village Ways tointroduce a selection of new adventures.

As part of the collaboration, Inntravelwill extend its India programme to take inthree ground-breaking new projects inKarnataka, Kerala and Rajasthan, allowingguests the chance to integrate with thecommunity, ensuring their stay willbenefit the many local people they meet.

As part of the Village Ways’s ethos ofsupporting sustainable and rural tourism,Village Ways provides the resources forstruggling rural communities to transformtheir lives by building up a sustainabletourism business of their own.

Prices lead in at £2,170 per person forthe 16-night day, which includes two railjourneys, four nights in Spice House, twoin Mysore, two in Coonoor, four on a riceboat and two in Kochi, most meals, flightsand transfers.

Inspired BreaksInspired Breaks, the operator thatspecialises in gap years for people lookingto have a career break and gettinginvolved in voluntary work or conservationprogrammes overseas, has put together anIndia family explorer package.

The 10-day trip offered by the specialist,which is part of Tui Travel, includes Delhi,an Indian safari at Ranthanbore NationalPark, Agra Fort and the must-see TajMahal, Rajasthan and Jaipur. Visitors willalso get the opportunity to visit a schooland interact with the local children.

Prices start at £739 per person for the10 days land only tour. The price includes

transfers, accommodation, meals, a tourleader and activities.

TreynEscorted rail specialist Treyn has added anew 11-day train journey to India to itsworldwide programme.

The Tigers and Palaces itinerary includesrail travel on the Shatabdi Express andhighlights of the experience are: asightseeing tour of Delhi; a guided tour ofAgra; sunset visit to the Taj Mahal;excursion to Fatehpur Sikri; two gamedrives at Ranthambore National Park; asightseeing tour of Jaipur; a visit to theAmber Fort; and a guided tour of Patanand Badal Mahal;

Prices lead in at £1,495 per person andinclude flights, nine nights’ hotelaccommodation with some meals and alltransfers.

Abercrombie and KentThe luxury specialist has introduced aColourful India itinerary designed toappeal to keen photographers.

The four-night/five-day trip journeys toVaranasi and Jodhpur, where visitors willbe spoilt for choice when it comes tophotographic opportunities. Jon

Nicholson, a photographer who hasrecently been appointed to be the officialLondon 2012 Olympic photographer totake images for the Games’commemorative book, will be leading thetour.

Prices for the trip start at £2,195,excluding flights, and can be included aspart of a bigger itinerary to India.

Cox and KingsCox and Kings has launched its India andBeyond programme, the first in thecollection of new-look brochures.

The programme features an extensiverange of escorted group tours and tailor-made private holidays throughout India,Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives,including new itineraries that venture offthe well-trodden tourist path.

India product manager Balaji Kandasamysaid there has been an increase in demandfor more off-the-beaten-track areas.“People still want good standard hotels, butare more open-minded about where theystay, meaning they can venture away fromthe crowds and see some of India’s hiddengems. A lot of our clients have travelled toIndia with us before and want to return toexplore places off the beaten track. Ourspecialist sales team can advise hotels tosuit a variety of tastes and budgets,including homestays, lodges, tented camps,converted forts and palaces or havelis.”

New for 2012 is the 13-day, expert-ledtour to Gujarat: Gujarat’s UntamedWilderness, which journeys through themost westerly state in India, and includes avisit to Sasan Gir, the only sanctuary in thesubcontinent for Asiatic lions. The tour is

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What’s new

All about India

Cosmos has doubled capacity to Goa over the winter period fromboth Gatwick and Manchester with two weeks for the price ofone deals available on selected holidays

TransIndus is planning two fam tripsnext year – one to the wildlife parksand another to Kerala. The fam trips

are scheduled to take place nextEaster or after. Agents who are

interested should contact SatyanBhalla on [email protected]

Fancy a fam trip?


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led by Dr Divyabhanusinh Chavda, anaturalist and conservation expert andpresident of the World Wide Fund forNature in India. Prices lead in at £4,995 perperson and include flights.

Also new is the 13-day Villages Walks inthe Himalaya tour. Prices start at £3,095per person and include flights.

The expanded tailor-made section of thebrochure contains suggestions forexploring beyond India’s Golden Trianglesuch as Gwalior, with its dominatingeighth-century fort and Bharatpur and theChambal valley, both popular locations foravid birdwatchers.

The Adventure CompanyThe adventure specialist has introduced aCreated for You modular option ofactivities and experiences. The mix-and-match approach will allow families tocreate a personalised holiday that worksbest for them.

Options include the chance to relax andunwind in Goa after travellers haveexplored the northern regions on India. Therecommended four-night stay includes a

hotel in a beautiful palm-fringed locationon the edge of a private beach wherefamilies can soak up the friendly spirit ofGoan culture. Other options includeexploring the Golden Triangle, five-nightAuthentic India, Wildlife at RanthamboreNational Park, Rishikesh and GangesCamping and Varansi.

Virgin HolidaysVirgin Holidays has introduced a newfamily tour of India to its WorldwideJourneys 2012/13 brochure.

The nine-day/seven-night Taj andTigers Family Adventure features twonights in Deli, a night in Agra, two nights inRanthambore National Park and two nightsin Jaipur.

Prices lead in at £1,595 per adult and£1,195 per child and include flights andtransfers.

Hayes and JarvisThe long-haul operator has introduced aneight-day rail tour to its 2012 programme.

The Palace on Wheels itinerary coversNew Delhi, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur,

Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur,Bharatpur and Agra.

Departing on Wednesdays, prices lead inat £1,785 per person excludinginternational flights.

Travel IndoChinaTravel IndoChina is guaranteeing everysingle departure on its seven-day Taste ofIndia Classic trip and its 14-day Highlightsof Rajasthan tour – both of which are smallgroup journeys.

The Taste of India itinerary visits Delhi,Agra, Taj Mahal, Jaipur and Samode. Pricesstart at £820 per person.

The Highlights of Rajasthan journey,visits Delhi, Agra, Taj Mahal, RanthamboreNational Park, Jaipur, Nimaj, Osian CamelCamp, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Departures arefortnightly in the key travel seasons. Pricesstart at £1,895 per person.

ExploreAdventure specialist Explore has introducedtwo new tours for 2012.

The first one is the Off BeatRajasthan tour, which combines northIndia’s famous attractions with its lesserknown sites including Chambal Sanctuary,the river temples of Bateshwar and thetown of Karauli. Tour highlights includesearching for gangetic dolphins, saruscranes and soft shell turtles on a river safari,exploring the markets and monuments ofOld Delhi and visiting the villages andmarkets of India’s ‘Golden Triangle’.

Prices for this tour lead in at £1,983 perperson and includes return flights, 12nights’ hotel and two nights’ lodgeaccommodation on a B&B basis, transportand the services of a tour leader, driver andsome local guides. The price is based on a25 April 2012 departure.

The second new tour is a budget tour ofIndia that explores the Golden City ofJaisalmer and the fort of Jodhpur, withtransfers on local transport andacccommodation in family-run hotels. Thenew Rajasthan Explorer tour rides throughthe great Thar Desert by camel andexperiences the nomadic lifestyle campingunder the stars. The tour costs from £1,264per person and includes flights, sevennights’ hotel, one night train and one nightcamping accommodation, 11 meals,transport and the services of a tour leader,driver and some local guides.Inspired Breaks family explorer package takes visitors on an Indian safari at Ranthambore National Park

What’s new

All about India


…from the hote ls Alila Diwa GoaThe contemporary resort of Alila Diwa Goaon Majorda beach has launched a series ofspecial offers available until 31 March2012.

The deals offer free stays for childrenunder 12 to stay. The packages includeaccess to the kids’ club, the teen zone and aprivate children’s pool including day bedsand outdoor children’s park.

The resort also has a wealth of AlilaJourneys to allow guests to explore theregion, from visiting the local markets andspice plantations with the hotel’s chefbefore returning to rustle upGoan/Portuguese specialities, or enjoying asunrise picnic at one of Goa’s sacredtemples.

The resort offers three nights in afamily/Diwa suite from £791 whichincludes all day breakfast at Bistro, pluscomplimentary resort credit of £197 perstay that can be redeemed against diningand select Leisure Concierge activities.

Leela Palaces, Hotels and ResortsThe Leela Palace New Delhi and the LeelaPalace Udaipur are celebrating the 100th

anniversary of the Delhi Durbar with afour-night package to mark the occasion.

Back in 1901, the Delhi Durbar sawKing George V along with Queen Mary,the then Emperor and Empress of India,announce the move of the Indian capitalfrom Kolkata to Delhi.

To celebrate the centenary, guests canenjoy two nights at the Leela Palace NewDelhi and two nights at the Leela PalaceUdaipur, taking in the spectacular sites ofboth cities.

Audley Travel offers four-nightpackages from £1,865 per person,including flights and transfers.

…from the airlines Jet AirwaysJet Airways, the airline that operates thelargest domestic network in India, hasseen a 21.4% increase in the totalnumber of passengers it carried over thelast year, taking the overall figure to14.67 million.

In May alone, Jet Airways flew a recordnumber of two million guests – thehighest number of passengers carried byany airline of Indian origin in its domesticand international network.

The airline has recently taken delivery of11 Boeing 737-800 and it has alsointroduced QR Barcode technology offeringguests immediate access to flightinformation via their smartphones inaddition to Jet’s mobile site which wasadded last year.

Also, as part of Jet Airways’s ongoingdrive to redefine the in-flight experience,passengers can now customise their mealsto suit their individual tastes.

As well as its extensive domesticnetwork, Jet Airways flies internationally toa number of destinations including London,New York, Toronto and Hong Kong.

Qatar AirwaysQatar Airways has launched daily flights toKolkata from Doha.

The new route takes Qatar Airways’capacity in India to 95 services a weekacross 12 destinations, which includeKolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai,Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Trivandrum,Cochin, Kozhikode, Goa, Amritsar andBengaluru (Bangalore). ■

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The Patan Mahal Palace Hotel

What’s new

All about India

India State Tourist Office

7 Cork Street , London WIS 3LH.

Tel: 020 7437 3677, 020 7734 6613

Fax: 020 7494 1048,

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.incredibleindia.org


With so many palaces andforts to see, World Heritagesites to experience, markets

to shop in and culture to soak up,trying to cram everything in one visit isalmost impossible. The best way foryour clients to see as much as they canin a few weeks is to book a guided tourthat will combine the must-see sightswith a few days relaxing on the beachat the end. We spoke to some operatorsto get the lowdown on some of thebest tours around.

Gujarat Textiles and TribalsAlthough 10 days visiting the GoldenTriangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipurfollowed by a few days relaxing on thebeach in Goa is a popular choice, SatyanBhalla, sales manager at TransIndus,suggests Gujarat Textiles and Tribals touras the perfect alternative for customerslooking for something different.

Gujarat was often the first port of callfor Arab traders in their dhows and later

an important commercial centre for thePortuguese, the English, and the Dutch.

Here, they established trading postswith the local rulers, dealing, amongother things, in printed cotton andembroideries, for both of which Gujaratis still famous for. The sights includeAhmedabad’s famous Textile Museum;the complex of mosques at Champaner;the Jain temples of Palitana, perched onthe tip of the Shatrunjaya hills; the IndusValley site of Lothal, dating from 2500BC and the Gir Forest, preserving theAsiatic lion. Guests can opt to end thetour with a stay at the tented camp onMandvi Beach. How much? An 18-day private journeycosts from £2,845 per person and isbased on two people sharing.

Taj Mahal, Palaces and BackwatersNikhil Chhibber, India product managerfor W&O Travel, says the operator’s TajMahal Palaces and Backwaters tour witha few days on the beach in either Goa or

Kerala tagged on at the end of theitinerary is the perfect combination ofsightseeing and relaxation.

The tour starts off with two nights inDelhi, followed by a trip to the Red Fortof Agra and the Taj Mahal.

A two-day visit to the forts andpalaces of the pink city of Jaipur follows,which includes overnight stays at the TajRambagh Palace. Visitors will get thechance to soak up the atmosphere ofJaipur with a stroll through the city’sbustling streets and market.

From Jaipur, the itinerary takes gueststo Udaipur for two nights to experienceLake Pichola, home to two island palacesin the lake. Visitors are sure to be enchantedby life on the banks of the lake.

Next stop is Kochi city for two nightsto take in Fort Kochi followed by anovernight cruise on the backwaters ofKerala on a houseboat. The 14-day tripends with two nights at KumarakomLake Resort, however there is theopportunity to bolt on a few days at the

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Beauty and the beach

All about India

Sun, see and sightsWant to see some of the major sights in India before chilling out on the beach atthe end? Operators have come up with some amazing tours that guarantee to include a lot of culture and a bit of beach.

View from the Alila Diwa Goa swimmingpool out on to the paddy fields

S02 India Supp 2011 Beauty and the Beach_Layout 1 24/10/2011 12:22 Page 8

beach at one of the luxury hotels in Goaor Kerala.How much? The 14-day Taj MahalPalaces and Backwaters tour costs from£3,875 per person, based on two people

sharing, and includes a driver, guidedsightseeing, meals and flights.

Golden Triangle and KeralaOn the Go launched a new 14-daygroup tour this season, which aims touncover the delights of India’s famed

Golden Triangle of Delhi, Jaipurand Agra, before

heading south to Kerala. The tour kicksoff with two days experiencing thesights and sounds of Delhi, including theRed Fort, the Jama Masjid – the largestmosque in India – and the Raj Ghat, thememorial that marks the spot on theYamuna River where Mahatma Gandhiwas cremated after his assassination.

Two days in Jaipur follow, taking in theCity Palace, which is a blend ofRajasthani and Mughal architecture, andJantar Mantar, an observatory ofastronomy built by Jai Singh in 1728. Thesecond day in Jaipur includes an early-


The Taj Mahal tops the list of most people'smust-see sites on a trip to India


morning, hot-air balloon flight overJaipur before journeying outside the cityto the 16th-century Amber Fort. Visitorswill arrive at the palace in traditionalstyle – on elephants.

The following day, the tour heads toChand Baori, a ninth-century step well inthe village of Abhaneri. Then it’s off tothe rural village of Perharsar for aninsight into local life and traditions.Visitors will be able to go to the villageschool where On the Go operates itsChange for Children programme.

Next stop is the Keoladeo GhanaNational Park, a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site. Its swamps and lakesconstitute one of the most importantbreeding and migratory areas in theworld. Day six, the tour heads up to Agrafor a visit to the must-see site of the TajMahal before getting a flight the nextday from Delhi to Kochi.

From here, the tour takes in thehistoric Fort Kochi before heading eastto explore the tea plantations ofMunnar. An overnight stay in Munnar isfollowed by a trip to the Keralanbackwaters for an overnight stay on aluxury rice boat.

The last two days of the experienceare spent on Kumarakom, a cluster ofislands on Lake Vembanad.How much? Prices lead in at £1,199 perperson excluding flights.

Travel the UnknownRahul Aggarwal, director of Travel theUnknown, recommends the operator’s

17-day Spirit of South India tour. Startingin the former Portuguese enclave of Goa,visitors get the chance to explore thequaint colonial streets of Panjim and OldGoa’s churches before relaxing on Goa’ssandy beaches.

The tour then moves on to theundiscovered state of Karnataka, hometo India’s most ancient temples,including the sixth-century cave templesin Badami, gravity-defying ancientboulders of Hampi and the regalsplendour of Mysore Palace.

Then it’s off to Nagarhole NationalPark to track elephants and otherwildlife before crossing into the tropicalmountain forests of Wayanad in Kerala.

The experience finishes off with a fewdays on a Keralan houseboat glidingamong the islands of Lake Vembanad.How much? Prices lead in at £2,195 perperson, excluding flights, and £2,745 perperson including flights.

Mumbai and GoaElegant Resorts suggests Mumbai andGoa as the ideal combination of citysights in Mumbai – India’s Bollywoodcapital –and the pure rest and relaxationof beach life in southern Goa.

The holiday kicks off with three nightsat the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower inMumbai before heading off to the AlilaDiwa Goa. Set amid peaceful paddyfields and Majorda beach, the hotel isone of the newest and mostcontemporary resorts in Goa and is faraway from the crowds of the north.

The hotel has recently introduced aspa for guests who are really keen todestress. However, for visitors who wantto get to know the region, there areplenty of opportunities to do so fromvisiting spice plantations to enjoying ahome-cooked Portuguese/Goan lunch ata traditional colonial house.How much? Seven nights’ bed andbreakfast at the Alila Diwa Goa andthree nights’ B&B at the Taj Mahal Palaceand Tower start at £1,455 per person.The price is based on two people sharingaccommodation and includes flights andtransfers. ■

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Sunset at Majorda beach in southern Goa


All about India

While Goa is the obvious choicewhen it comes to beach breaks,Abercrombie and Kent suggest

visitors consider heading to Chennaiwhere the new Leela Palace Hotel isset to open in 2012. Located right

on the beach overlooking the Bay ofBengal, the 14-storey hotel will have

329 rooms and is a good base tostart exploring the east coast of India.It’s the ideal place for repeat visitors

looking for something different.

Something for repeatvisitors



Tel: 020 7437 3677, 020 7734 6613

Fax: 020 7494 1048




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New rooms with a view

New hotels

All about India

From Srinagar in the north to Chennai in the south, hotel expansion in India israpid with properties opening all over the country

The Roadhouse Party bar at the DoubleTree byHilton's new property in Delhi

Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar

Regularly appearing in newspaperstories about emerging markets,figures from industry trend reports

highlight India as a country with a sectionof its population that is rapidly becomingmore middle class and investing their new-found wealth in overseas travel.

While the UK is one of the destinationsIndians are heading to, the growth inIndia’s economy is fuelling an expansion ofthe domestic travel industry – both leisureand business.

As a consequence, new hotels areappearing all over the country on amonthly basis. Here is a look at the newhotels that have opened this year, withsome in the pipeline for next year. HiltonHilton Hotels and Resorts has opened anew hotel in Delhi under a managementagreement with Eros Resorts and Hotels.

The Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur

Vihar is a 20-minute drive from thecommercial hub in Noida, a primedestination for information and softwaretechnology and IT-enabled services. The168-room, newly-built hotel has tworestaurants and a lobby lounge and bar.

The business and recreational facilitiesat the hotel include a 24-hour businesscentre, outdoor pool, a fitness centre witha range of cardiovascular and strengthtraining equipment and a spa that offersamong the finest city spa amenities.

The opening of this hotel in Delhiexpands the Hilton portfolio in India tofour hotels, including Hilton NewDelhi/Janakpuri, Hilton MumbaiInternational Airport and Hilton Chennai. Room rates start at £190 per night.

Double Tree by HiltonHilton Worldwide has announced theopening of the DoubleTree by Hilton NewDelhi-Mayur Vihar, the first DoubleTree by

Hilton hotel in India. Owned and operated by Eros Resorts and

Hotels and managed by Hilton Worldwide,the new hotel is located in Mayur Viharwithin a 20-minute drive of the businessdistrict in Noida including the bustlingSector 62 and Film City in Sector 16.

The DoubleTree by Hilton New Delhi-Mayur Vihar has 196 guest rooms,including four suites. Every guestroomfeatures wired and wireless internet access,LCD television, media hub, electronic safe,refrigerated private bar, tea and coffee-making facility and iPod docking stationwith alarm clock.

Additional amenities include 24-hour, in-room dining, laundry, concierge, a 24-hourbusiness centre and a boardroom thatseats up to 16 guests.

The hotel also includes an outdoor,infinity pool and a fitness centre equippedwith the latest in cardiovascular and weighttraining equipment. Dining options at the

S03 India Supp 2011 Hotel Hotline_Nice & Niche_Layout 1 24/10/2011 11:36 Page 11

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DoubleTree by Hilton New Delhi-MayurVihar include the American-stylerestaurant Roadhouse Bar & Grill andCafé , a 24-hour brasserie and deli.

Room rates start at £97 per night.

Fairmont JaipurLuxury hotel chain Fairmont is making itsfirst foray into India with the opening ofa hotel in Jaipur in January.

The Fairmont Jaipur will have 238guest rooms, seven one and two-bedroom suites, nine villas and onepresidential villa. Each room will feature:oversize bathrooms and separateshowers, with plunge pools in the villas,and an open-air rain shower in thepresidential villa; Bose sound system insome rooms; flat-screen TVs; and high-speed internet access.

The Fairmont Gold lifestyle experiencewill be available with 40 rooms alllocated on one private floor. The hotel ishoping to attract business travellers andhas developed an extensive conferenceoffering, including a facility thataccommodates up to 1,520 people, fivemeeting rooms and a screeningroom. Dining options will include all-day,buffet-style, international cuisine and apan-Indian speciality restaurant. There is

also a lobby lounge, cigar room, a poolbar, a rooftop bar and a spa with 12treatment rooms.

Room rates are not yet available forthis property.

Mountbatten Lodge, Ranakpur A new boutique hotel in Ranakpur,which is located in the Pali district ofRajasthan in western India, is openingits doors in January.

The Mountbatten Lodge will only havefour suites and is the perfect overnightstay destination for visitors travellingbetween Jodhpur and Udaipur. Two ofthe suites have a plunge pool and theother two suites share a swimming pool.

Ranakpur shares its boundary with theKumbalgarh wildlife sanctuary and hasthe Ranakpur Jain Temples and TheKumbalgarh Fort, which is famous forhaving the second longest wall after thegreat wall of China, right on its doorstep.Besides the temple and the fort, thesanctuary is a haven for leopards, slothbear, barking deer, wild boar, blue bull,grey jungle fowl and a host of bird life.

The hotel can organise picnic lunches,champagne sunsets either by elephant orhorse, along with it a tribal village visit.

Abercrombie and Kent offers threenights’ full board from £750 per person.

ITC Grand Chola ITC Hotels is set to open a new 600-room flagship property in the SouthIndian city of Chennai in January.

The 10-storey, three-wing hotel willinclude the first luxury serviced apartmentsin the city as well as 14 suites and a grandpresidential suite featuring its ownswimming pool, gym, living room, drawingroom and kitchen.

The range of accommodation optionsinclude: ITC One rooms with private butlersand an exclusive lounge; the Towers roomsand the Executive Club featuringworkspace for corporate travellers. ITCGrand Chola will also feature an Eva wing,designed to meet the needs of femaletravellers, with lady butlers, in-room videophones and special amenities all on offer.

There will be a choice of 10 restaurantsand bars, a Kaya Kalp Spa, outdoor poolsand gyms for each of the three wings and ashopping area.

Room rates are not yet available. Alila BangaloreAsian hotel chain Alila has opened a five-star property in Bangalore.

Designed by London-based architects,Allies and Morrison and a member ofDesign Hotels, Alila Bangalore is set in atranquil oasis in a beautiful suburb of thecity, which has built a reputation as beingIndia’s IT city

The hotel’s 101 contemporary studiorooms feature private balconies, while the12 SOHO Suites provide a separate living

area with guest bathroom,

New hotels

All about India

Vivanta by Taj has plans to open a number of hotels this year andnext, building on its presence in destinations such as Kerala


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New hotels

All about India

ideal for use as an office or meeting room.The seven leisure suites feature over-sizeddaybeds on the balcony and have beendesigned specifically with couples inmind.

The two Alila Residences will appeal tofamilies as they comprise a living room,kitchen, three bedrooms, library, largebalcony and maid’s quarters. The hotelalso has a spa along with an Alila PersonalPreference Menu which allows guests totailor-make their experience.

The opening of Alila Bangalore followsin the footsteps of the Alila Diwa Goa,which opened in December 2009.

Alila’s expansion plans also includefurther Indian developments in thesouthern state of Kerala.

Room rates for the Alila Bangalore leadin at £89 for one night’s bed and breakfastbased on two sharing a room.

The Park HotelsContemporary hotel group The ParkHotels is expanding its presence in SouthIndia, with the opening of two newproperties – one on the beach in NorthGoa and one in downtown Kochi.

Guests at the 33-room property onCandolim Beach in Goa, which will openthis winter, will have exclusive access tothe beach and views of the Arabian seafrom the residents’ beach area or up at thepool-deck lounge and restaurant.

The bedrooms will be furnished inminimalist white and deep purple,decorated with contemporary works of artand furniture.

Aura Spa therapists will be on handthe day to offer treatments poolsideor in-suite. Resident DJs will performthroughout the day and the evening.

The Park Kochi, which will open inspring 2012, will be located in the city’s

new business district and will have a

rooftop restaurant serving up freshlysourced seafood with views of theArabian sea, topped by a Helipad. Therewill be 24-hour dining, a delicatessen,lounge bar, night club and ‘Aqua’signature poolside bar.

Vivanta by TajThe Indian hotel chain whose strapline isthat it offers options for “work-hard-play-hard traveller across metropolitancities” is embarking on a big growth planwith four hotel openings this year andnext.

The contemporary, stylish hotel chain,opened a hotel in Bekal in Kerala inAugust, which was quickly followed by anew resort in Srinagar, Kashmir.

A Vivanta is scheduled to open in Delhiin December with a property poised toopen in Madikeri, Coorg next year.

The Leela, Chennai The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts isset to open its eighth property in Januaryin Chennai in the southeast of India.

Located in a quiet residential area ofChennai, the 14-storey high-rise hotel isbeing developed on a site facing the Bayof Bengal and will have 329 rooms andsuites, four restaurants, an extensive ESPASpa, swimming pool and fitness centre aswell as round-the-clock butler service andthe exclusive Royal Club.

Room rates are not yet available.

Le Sutra, MumbaSet in Mumbai’s posh Pali Hill in Bandra,Le Sutra is the first-ever Indian Art Hotel.

With just 16 rooms spread over threefloors, each floor depicts a differenthuman trait in philosophical terms. Thefirst floor is Tamas (colourful and erotic),the second is Rajas (passion and style) andthe third is Sattava (minimalist, celestial,aesthetic). There is an art gallery attached

to the hotel and a restaurant.

TransIndus features La Sutra with ratesfrom £150 per night per room.

Talliar Tea Bungalow, MunnarAn estate bungalow in the tea country ofMunnar, a three-hour drive from Kochi,offers old world charm, hospitality and anoutstanding chef.

Talliar Tea Bungalow is undergoing majorupgrading and is due to open just afterChristmas. Ideal for walks in thesurrounding hills, seeing the tea factory andenjoying tastings or just relaxing andenjoying the sumptuous food with a glassof fine wine.

TransIndus features Talliar Tea Bunglowwith rates from £130 per night per room. The Oberoi, GurgaonOberoi Hotels and Resorts opened a newproperty in the business and shoppingdistrict of Gurgaon earlier this year.

The 202-room property is located 15minutes from Delhi International Airportand within easy reach from the Delhi citycentre. The hotel’s facilities include heatedfull-length swimming pools; an olympic-sized swimming pool and the first 24-hourspa to open in Delhi, that offers a range ofAyurvedic therapies alongside moretraditional treatments, as well as BastienGonzalez pedicures.

Room rates lead in at £404 for onenight’s bed and breakfast.

Devi RatnDevi Resorts opened the long-awaited DeviRatn this summer.

The futuristic 63-room property wasinspired by the gem-craft of Jaipur andRasa. The rooms are arranged on crescents,with views of the Araveli hills and comewith terrazzo floors in black and white zig-zag patterns, glossy surfaces, gemstonehues and sunken marble baths. Devi Ratnfeatures a L’Occitane spa designed in theform of ancient circular stepwall.

Room rates lead in at £379. ■



Tel: 020 7437 3677, 020 7734 6613

Fax: 020 7494 1048,




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Specialist tours

All about India

So your customers have done theGolden Triangle and experiencedthe beaches of Goa and Kerala, but

are keen to go back and discover more ofIndia. There are plenty of experiences tooffer: from luxury train journeys totrekking in the Himalayas, from trackingdown tigers in Ranthambore NationalPark, to knocking up the most deliciousIndian meal, repeat – and first-time –customers are spoilt for choice. Weasked the experts to recommend someitineraries so the next time a customerwalks into your agency looking for areturn trip to India, you will be able tosuggest some perfect options for them.

Maharajas ExpressLuxury train service, the Maharajas

Express, has introduced a new journeyon the back of the soaring success of itslaunch last year.

The UK trade has been integral to thetrain’s success with UK passengersaccounting for 70% of total bookings. New for 2011/12, the Maharajas Expressis adding the Royal Sojourn taking in anew route and experiences throughImperial India from Delhi through Jaipur,Kota, Ranthambore and Agra.

The eight-day/seven-night journey hasmonthly departures until April 2012 andoffers guests the chance to discover theheritage, architecture and mix ofcultures of Imperial India.

New highlights will include thehistorical city of Kota in southeastRajasthan, with visits to the 13th-

century Garh Palace; a boat cruise on theChambal river, breeding ground forcrocodiles; and a royal dinner at theUmed Bhawan Palace.

Also included in the experience is achampagne breakfast overlooking the TajMahal, tiger safaris in Ranthambore andelephant polo in Jaipur.

The train has 20 deluxe cabins, 18junior suites, four suites, the one-carriage grand presidential suite, tworestaurants and two bars.

The Royal Sojourn joins the PrincelyIndia journey from Mumbai to Delhi; theRoyal India journey from Delhi toMumbai and the Classical India round-trip from Delhi with highlights includingVaranasi on the river Ganges.How much? Cox and Kings offers a 10-

From train journeys that evoke the romance of India to photography tours for families, thespecialist operators have an amazing array of tours to cater for all types of activities

Nice and niche

Demand for trekking breaks that explore theHimalayas are on the increase


15

Experience the backwaters of Kerala on a rice boat

Specialist tours

All about India

day /11-night Royal Sojourn journey onthe Maharajas Express from Delhi pricedfrom £5,795 per person. This price includesall flights, full-board on the train, twonights before and after the train.

Himalayan Village Walk and Holistic Spa For visitors who want to get away fromit all and immerse themselves in the lushmountain scenery of the Himalayas andexperience village life in India at thesame time, then Nikhil Chhibber, Indiaproduct manager for W&O Travelrecommends the operator’s HimalayanVillage Walk and Holistic Spa tour.

The 15-day holiday offers visitors thechance to combine gentle trekking in theHimalayan foothills. Guests will be basedat the eco-friendly resort of KalamtiaSangam in the Uttaranchal province fortwo nights for a three-day village trek,followed by two nights at the CampForktail Creek. From here, guests candiscover Corbett National Park onelephant safari where they will haveplenty of opportunities to seek outtigers, deers, wild boars andleopards. The journey continues on tothe luxurious Ananda in the Himalayas.Built high on a mountain ridge, theAnanda offers stunning views acrossRishikesh city and the river Ganges and

is world famous for its outstanding

spa, which boasts an extensive menu ofrestorative treatments that combineAyurvedic, Oriental and Europeantechniques,How much? From £2,785 per person,including a private driver, private guidedsightseeing, meals and flights.

Darjeeling High TeaOn the Go offers a whole range of‘unique adventures’ for customerslooking for something different to theGolden Triangle, including six scenicrailway train journeys from Kolkata toDelhi via Darjeeling and a number ofitineraries that link in with India’sextensive calendar of festivals

New for this year is the seven-dayDarjeeling High Tea tour that exploresthe chai plantations in the Himalayas.The tour also takes in the GhoomBuddhist monastery, the EverestMuseum and the Padmaja NaiduHimalayan Zoological Park.

Alternatively, head south to Kerala ontthe nine-day Munnar and Ooty tour,which explores the Plantations and Hillstations of the magical Nilgiri Hills.

Another option is to take the kids on aclassic family holiday that follows in thefootsteps of Tintin. The 15-day familyadventure tries to recapture the imageryportrayed in Tintin’s travels with visitsto: Delhi; Agra, home to the Taj Mahal;Ranthambhore National Park; the pink

city of Jaipur; Jodhpur – perched on theedge of the Thar Desert; and Shimla theromantic hill station and summer capitalof the British Raj.How much? Prices lead in at £799 perperson, excluding flights.

Tigers and Lions of IndiaRahul Aggarwal, director of Travel theUnknown, recommends visitors lookingfor something different take a walk onthe wild side with the operator’s Tigersand Lions of India 15-day tour.

One of the objectives of this tour isto track down the rare Asiatic lion, sothe experience will take guests to theBandhavgarh and Kanha National Parksin central India – prime tiger territory –and then on to Satpura, which has aunique ecosystem that provides theperfect habitat for tigers, leopards,sambars and Indian Giant squirrel tomention just a few.

Finally, the tour heads westto Gujarat’s Gir National Park, home toIndia’s only lions.

The operator’s 21-day Monks, Tribesand Rhinos takes visitors on a journeythrough northeast India where they willencounter the ancient Apatani tribes ofArunachal Pradesh, chill out in bamboohuts on Majuli Island, the world’s largestriver island.


16All about India

Specialist tours

They will also get the chance to learnhow tea is grown in Assam’s tea estates,spot unicorn rhino and other wildlife inKaziranga National Park and rise abovethe Himalayan clouds to Tawang, whichperched on the mountain edge overlookingBhutan, is home to the world’s secondlargest Buddhist monastery.How much? the 15-day Tigers and Lionsof India tour leads in at £2,195 perperson excluding flights and £2,745 perperson including flights. The 21-dayMonks, Tribes and Rhinos tour costs£2,395, excluding flights, and £2,945 perperson including flights.

Trip Feast ToursThis operator specialises in providingcooking tours for foodies that take guestson a journey through Indian cuisine.

The 15-day Delicacies of North Indiaoffers visitors the opportunity to cook inthe foothills of the Himalayas and inmajestic forts, dine with families in theirhomes, go shopping for fruit andvegetables in local markets, and enjoyauthentic food in Indian restaurants.

In between the cooking and eating,guests get the chance to weave theirway through India’s rich culturaltapestry, taking in colonial cities,mountain scenery, and ancient forts andtemples, while savouring a whole rangeof cuisines on the way – from Kashmiriand Rajasthani delicacies to Awadhi andBengali dishes.

The 14-day Taste of South Indiatakes guests on a journey from east towest. With the assistance of expertchefs, guests will be serving up spicyChettinad seafood and vegetariandishes enjoyed in Tamil Nadu, anddelicious dosas and idlis, South India’ssignature food. The tour also includes avisit to spice and pepper plantations,ancient temples and forts, and cookinglessons on the banks of Kerala’sbackwaters and in the lawns ofhomestays.How much? Delicacies of North Indialeads in at £1,995, excluding flights,£2,445 with flights. The Taste of SouthIndia experience costs £1,695,excluding flights, and £2,245 withflights.

India Insights Young PhotographerAs part of a range of new familyphotography trips, the AdventureCompany has introduced the IndiaInsights Young Photographer tourdesigned for families with childrenaged seven and above.

Professional photographerAndrew Newey will help kidsdevelop their techniquethroughout the tour as theyexplore Delhi, the TajMahal and thewilderness ofRanthambore NationalPark.

During the eight-day trips, familieswill enjoy a series of camera-basedchallenges, from taking portrait shotsand photographing moving targets toblack and white imagery, all of whichfollow the GCSE/Key Stage 4Curriculum. The groups then gathertogether at the end of each day toreview their final photographs beforediscussing the next day’s focus.How much? Departing on 8 April,prices lead in at £1,359 for adults and£1,269 for children including flights,six nights’ bed-and-breakfastaccommodation, transport, somemeals, expert tuition from AndrewNewey and an experience local groupleader. ■

The Adventure Company has introduced a new India In-sights Young Photographer’s tour, tailor-made specifi-cally for keen, young snappers



Tel: 020 7437 3677, 020 7734 6613

Fax: 020 7494 1048




The NorthDominated by the Himalayas, while thisregion is perhaps the most remote partof India, demand to leave the hustle andbustle of modern life behind and getback to nature is fuelling a growth in thenumber of operators that are offeringtours to the region.Jammu and Kashmir: home to the oldcity of Srinagar – Vivanta by Taj hasrecently opened a hotel here – on thebanks of the river Jhelum, Srinagar is fullof medieval charm with labyrinthine ofroads, bazaars, mosques and shrines.Himachal Pradesh: the mountain state ispopular during the summer season whenpeople head to this tiny hill station toescape the heat of the plains. The mainplaces to visit in the area are: Dalhousie,a hill station, located in the western partof Himachal Pradesh. Kullu Valley on theBeas river bank, in the lower reaches ofthe Himalayas, is well known for itsancient temples, festivals, applesorchards and its handicraft work.

Shimla is the state capital and oncethe summer capital of the British Raj,and is a must for any visitors to theregion. Dharamsala is the home of theDalai Lama and India’s largest Tibetancommunity. Uttaranchal: this state pulls out all thestops on the scenery front, from glaciersand snow-clad mountains to valleys offlowers, ski slopes and dense forests.The Punjab: bordering Pakistan, thePunjab the perfect place for culturevultures, keen to learn about ancientcivilisations and spirituality – the GoldenTemple in Amritsar is a must.Haryana is home to Kurukshetra, a placeof pilgrimage for Hindus, there are anumber of temples to visit.

The EastWest Bengal: most visitors to theeastern region of India will first head toWest Bengal to visit Kolkata, the formercapital of the British East India Companywhere evidence of the Britishcolonisation still exists, such as theVictoria Memorial. Other attractionsinclude the Howrah Bridge, theDakshineshwar Temple and the templesof Kalighat and Belur. If you fancygetting out of the city, head to the hillstations of Kalimpong and Darjeeling,famous for its flavoured tea.Bihar: Buddhism and Jainism started inBihar and it also provided firmfoundations for the growth of Sikhismand Hinduism. Bihar was also the centreof the first republic in the world atVaishali and some of India’s mostimportant dynasties, so there is plentyof sightseeing to be done. Patna, thestate’s modern-day capital, home toNalanda, the Buddhist university thatwas founded in the fifth century by theGupta emperors, is well worth a visit.Jharkhand: if it’s spectacular scenery youwant, then Jharkhand is the place tohead to. Think evergreen forests, wildlifesanctuaries, lakes, waterfalls andnational parks packed full of tigers,panthers, elephants, deer and manyother animals.Orissa: temples, sea beaches, India’slargest Lake, and wildlife in ShimilipalNational Forest are just some of thisstate’s highlights.Sikkim: located at the base of MountKanchendzonga, Sikkim is an adrenalinejunkies’ paradise with trekking a plentyand two main rivers for white-waterrafting.Arunachal Pradesh: home to the tea

plantation state of Assam, it has greatappeal for its national parks, wildlife andbird sanctuaries and its archaeologicalsites.

The SouthKerala: known as God’s own country forthe paradise-like feel of its miles ofgolden, sandy beaches, Kerala is alsofamed for its network of 45 rivers in theAleppey region of the state, wherevisitors can spend a night or two cruisingaround the backwaters of the rivers onrice boats. Kovalam beach is known forfive-star hotels that specialist in holistichealth and wellbeing treatments.For visitors who want to escapethe heat of the beach, they can

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Regionalround-up

Regional round-up

All about India

S04 India Supp 2011 Travel Ess_Regional Round-up_Layout 1 24/10/2011 11:39 Page 17

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head up to the hill stations in Munnar, or for a bit of retailtherapy, check out the markets and shops of Kochi.Tamil Nadu: called the Land of Enduring Heritage, Tamil Naduhas a number of fabulous temples dating back to the seventhcentury.Karnataka: home to the IT capital of Bangalore and thehistorical city of Mysore which has a number of temples andpalaces. Andhra Pradesh: popular with tourists for its beaches, naturalcaves, temples, museums, hill stations and Buddhist pilgrimsites. Its capital Hyderabad is rich with culture and tradition.

The CentreMadhya Pradesh: known as the tiger state, a third of its area iscovered by forests and as a result it has 11 national parks and31 wildlife sanctuaries. The state is believed to have thehighest density of tigers in the world and is one of the fewplaces where you are guaranteed to see a tiger in its ownhabitat. The bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines ofKanha National Park provided the inspiration for RudyardKipling’s Jungle Book.

The WestGoa: popular with Brits for a number of decades for a bit ofsun, sea and sand, Goa has a number of breathtaking beachesto brag about. These include the more well-known ones ofCalangute, Colva and Anjuna, with the quieter options beingBetul, Palolem and Bambolim. Being a Portuguese colony forhundreds of years makes Goa an architecturally impressiveplace to visit and for that reason the capital Panaji is wellworth a trip.Gujarat: one of India’s most industrialised and prosperousstates, it also has an abundance of tourist attractions inGujarat including the state’s capital Ahmedabad, which hassome spectacular 15th-century monuments that are a goodmixture of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles.Maharashtra: the first experience of Maharashtra most peoplehave is when they land in Mumbai. The capital alone has itsfair share of tourist attractions and experiences to enjoy. Some of the most famous museums and art galleries in India

are found here too including the Prince of Wales Museum andthe National Gallery of Modern Art. Perhaps, the best part ofseeing Mumbai is the experience. It is great for shopping fromthe many bazaars selling everything from jewellery to shoes tothe more upmarket shopping arcades attached to the five-starhotels. The nightlife is spectacular and if you have time, take ina Bollywood film in a local cinema. Other places to visit in thestate of Maharashtra include the Elephanta Caves, six miles offthe coast of Mumbai, that date back to 450 to 750 AD, and thehill stations on the Western Ghats mountain range. ■

local lady sat surrounded by chillies

Regional round-up

All about India

Time: GMT + 5.5 hoursCapital: Delhi. Geography: India shares borders to the northwest withPakistan, to the north with China, Nepal and Bhutan, and tothe east with Bangladesh and Burma. To the west is theArabian Sea, to the east, the Bay of Bengal and to the souththe Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka lies off the southeast coast, andthe Maldives off the southwest coast. The far northeasternstates and territories are all but separated from the rest ofIndia by Bangladesh as it extends northwards from the Bayof Bengal towards Bhutan. The Himalayan mountain rangeto the north and the Indus River (west) and Ganges River(east) form a barrier between India and the rest of Asia. It isthe seventh largest country in the world and the secondmost populous.Language: the main language is Hindi which is spoken byabout 40% of the population but English is widely spoken.Social conventions: visitors are asked to remove footwearwhen entering places of religious worship. Most Indians alsoremove their footwear when entering their homes; visitorsshould follow suit. In Sikh temples, your head should becovered. In mosques, women should cover their head andarms and wear long skirts. Photography is prohibited insidemany places of worship. Many Hindus are vegetarian andmany, especially women, do not drink alcohol.Visa: you must obtain a visa before travelling to India. If youarrive without a visa, you will be refused entry. Contact theIndian High Commission in London.Passport: must be valid for a minimum of six months.Getting there: there are direct flights from the UK withBritish Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air India, Jet Airways andKingfisher Airlines. Indirect services are available withEmirates, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa,Air France, KLM, SAS, Austrian Air and Swiss.

India State Tourist Office 7 Cork Street , London WIS 3LH.Tel: 020 7437 3677; 020 7734 6613Fax: 020 7494 1048E-mail: [email protected]: www.incredibleindia.org

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India Supplement 2011