ITC Mughal

Inspired by the Mughal designs of Agra’s princely-era, this stunning 35-acre property scored the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2010. Accommodations feel like miniature palaces with pastel interiors bordered by jharokas, intricate, over-hanging balconies. Recent expansions include a wing named the Khwab Mahal (literally, the palace of dreams), comprised of 42 rooms and suites, some with leather-embossed wallcoverings and personal plunge pools. An evening at Peshawri restaurant is not to be missed:  the menu is painted on a wooden block and dishes, including Dal Bukhara--simmered for hours on the tandoor--are ladled into earthenware pots. In the Northwest Frontier tradition, you're invited to eat it all with your hands (fear not, checkered aprons are also provided!).