Lucknow's top hotel resides in an enormous stately building built as a domed homage to Taj's famous Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai and evokes a head-of-state vibe in those alighting here. Rooms are modest but well-honed at the 110-room property. Newer rooms offer whimsical refinement without stuffiness, with fun cubicle showers and hardwood headboards.
The excellent Nawab restaurant, Oudhyana, is a special treat.