| Taj Ganj, the jumble of narrow lanes immediately | | | | TV, and there's also a fine view of Taj from the |
| south of the Taj, is where most budget travellers | | | | roof. |
| end up in Agra. With their unrivalled rooftop views, | | | | Hotel Raj Agra – New Taj Ganj guesthouse with |
| laid-back cafes and rock-bottom roof rates, the little, | | | | clean and comfortable air-cooled and a/c rooms set |
| guesthouses here can be great places to stay, | | | | around a large courtyard – very good value, |
| although standards are pretty basic and you'll have | | | | though the atmosphere is rather lifeless and the |
| to contend with more or less constant hassle the | | | | rooftop restaurant was still under construction at the |
| moment you step out onto the street – not to | | | | time of writing. |
| mention the fact that the whole Taj Ganj | | | | Hotel Shah Jahan – Centrally located, with a wildly |
| backpacker scene can completely eclipse the area's | | | | varying selection of rooms ranging from the |
| traditional feel. | | | | reasonably pleasant to the decidedly shabby – |
| There are more modern and up market lodgings | | | | though promised renovation sand improvements may |
| along Fatehabad road, southwest of Taj Ganj, while | | | | have led to a general smartening up by the time you |
| the leafier Cantonment area and the adjacent Sadar | | | | read this. There's also a rooftop restaurant and well |
| Bazaar have places to suit every budget, as well as | | | | equipped cybercafé downstairs. |
| offering a convenient location more or less at the | | | | Hotel Shanti Lodge Agra – The most popular |
| centre of the city. | | | | backpackers' place in Taj Ganj, with a lively |
| Hotel Amarvilas Agra– Easily the loveliest (and the | | | | atmosphere and superb Taj views from the rooftop |
| most expensive) hotel in Agra, this luxurious Oberoi | | | | restaurant. Rooms (some with a/c and Taj views) |
| resort offers the closest you can get to the life of a | | | | are a very mixes bag: those in the old block are poky |
| Mughal emperor in contemporary Agra. The whole | | | | and run down; those in the new annexe around the |
| place is virtually a work of art in its own right, | | | | back are larger and smarter. |
| constructed in a serene blend of Mughal and Moorish | | | | Hotel Sheela Agra – Easily the best budget hotel |
| styles around a drop-dead gorgeous charbagh-style | | | | in Taj Ganj, in a secluded and peaceful setting inside |
| courtyard water garden- particularly magical by night. | | | | the no-pollution zone and only 200 m from the Taj |
| Rooms are sumptuously designed, with all mod-cons, | | | | (though you can't actually see it). The clean and |
| and most have jaw-dropping Taj views (in pricier | | | | spacious rooms are ranged around a lovely little |
| rooms you can even regard the mausoleum through | | | | garden, with fan, air-cooled and a/c options. The |
| large picture window whilst lying in the bath). Facilities | | | | dependable restaurant is another bonus, while a |
| include a large pool (guests only), idyllic terraced | | | | friendly Alsatian dog adds to its charm |
| gardens, a pretty spa, two very smart restaurants | | | | Hotel Sheela Inn Agra – An offshoot of the |
| and a very chichi bar. From US$600. | | | | excellent Hotel Sheela, this newest guesthouse |
| Hotel The Host Agra – One of the cheapest | | | | occupies a plain modern building slightly up the road |
| places in town. It looks a bit run-down from the | | | | from its older relation. There's a range of fan, |
| outside, but rooms – though small and mainly | | | | air-cooled and a/c rooms (some also have cable TV): |
| windowless – are clean and perfectly | | | | all are bright, spotlessly clean and very comfortable, |
| comfortable; most have air-coolers and all have cable | | | | though the whole place is a bit lacking in atmosphere. |