ARRIVAL Takeover: Holi Festival India, Taj Mahal, Rajasthan and the Heart of the North

A modern three-star hotel sitting close to Indira Gandhi International Airport, which makes it the right choice for the first and last nights of a trip where the last thing you need is a complicated transfer after a long-haul flight or before an early departure. Rooms are clean, spacious and properly comfortable, with wooden flooring, modern furnishings and everything you need to sleep well. Breakfast is included every morning.

This hotel is as close to the Taj Mahal as you can get. Taj Resorts sits near the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal, close enough to walk to the entrance in the early morning before the crowds arrive and the heat builds. Clean, modern rooms with everything you need after a day of serious sightseeing. Rooftop pool and a terrace restaurant with views that make the location feel even more extraordinary once you are up there with a drink as the sun goes down. Breakfast included.

A well-located, comfortable three-star hotel sitting in the centre of Jaipur, close to the railway station and within easy reach of everything the Pink City has to offer. After two days of significant driving and sightseeing, this is the perfect base. Clean, modern rooms with city views or views toward Nahargarh Fort, which gives you Jaipur on the horizon. Three dining options on site, including a rooftop restaurant serving Indian cuisine with views across the city and a multi-cuisine restaurant for the evenings when want to lay low. The rooftop alfresco space at Jaipur Adda runs live music and Bollywood DJ nights, with daily breakfast included.

Hotel Mahendra Prakash is a family-run heritage haveli in the heart of Udaipur, a short walk from the City Palace, Jagdish Temple and Lake Pichola. Lush gardens surround the swimming pool. A courtyard fountain that provides the kind of ambient sound that makes an afternoon rest feel actually restful. Breakfast is served to live santoor music, and the restaurant leans into regional Rajasthani cooking using age-old recipes and seasonal local produce. Three nights in a heritage property that feels like staying in someone's exceptionally well-kept family home rather than a hotel.

A newly built resort sitting in the heart of Pushkar with a spectacular view of the Aravalli Hills and everything the town has to offer within easy walking distance. The Brahma Temple, the sacred ghats and the bazaar are all close by. The property blends Rajasthani architecture with modern comfort, traditional artefacts, antique chandeliers and hand-painted details throughout. This is two nights somewhere with genuine character and a view of the Aravalli Hills from the window, with daily breakfast included.