Courtyard by Marriott Agra

Courtyard by Marriott Agra is our mid-range pick for an overnight in Agra, which is the best way to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise without a pre-dawn drive from Delhi. The hotel sits on Fatehabad Road, Agra’s hotel strip, about three and a half kilometres from the Taj Mahal, roughly seven minutes by car, so you can be at the gate for opening and back for breakfast. It has 189 rooms and a resort feel, with an outdoor pool and children’s pool, the Tattva Spa, which blends Indian healing traditions with international treatments, a fitness centre and gardens. Dining covers the main bases: MoMo Café for buffet meals, Anise for seasonal dining between October and March, Grills by the Pool, the MoMo 2 Go coffee shop and the Onyx Bar lounge. Parking and valet are free, which helps if you arrive with a driver from Delhi or Jaipur. Expedia lists it as a five-star property with an excellent guest rating of 8.8 from more than a thousand reviews.

Location and getting around: the hotel is in Taj Nagri on Fatehabad Road, south of the Taj Mahal. The Taj’s gates are a short taxi or auto-rickshaw ride away, Agra Fort is about fifteen to twenty minutes, and Agra Cantt railway station, where the express trains from Delhi arrive, is a short drive. Agra’s small airport is about 9.5 kilometres away, with a paid shuttle on request.

Rooms: rooms are modern and comfortable, with pool, city or terrace views; the hotel does not advertise Taj views from the rooms, so look at the rooftop and terrace hotels nearer the East Gate if a view from bed matters to you.

Who it suits: couples and families who want a reliable international standard, a pool and good food after a hot day of sightseeing, and travellers doing the Golden Triangle by car.

Good to know: breakfast is charged separately unless your rate includes it, and payment is digital only. Anise is open only from October to March, which suits a November visit.