Gadling

As odd as it was to have some of the most extreme poverty I'd ever witnessed co-existing with the most grandiose luxury, it was no coincidence that the nicest hotel I'd ever been to was in India. I didn't have the privilege of staying at the JW Marriot on Mumbai's Juhu Beach (I was there for a wedding reception), but I did spend plenty of time getting lost in the lavishly decorated hallways leading to the pool and deck area. While the hotel guests were served fantastic, Indian-flavored hors d'oeuvres on one side of the massive, guarded concrete pillar, thousands of Mumbai's poorest combed the beach for broken bottles, and peddled their wares to the tourists on the other.

And this hotel wasn't even one of the "nice" ones. Udaipur, India's Oberoi Udavilas (pictured right) scored the number one spot in Travel and Leisures 2007 World's Best Hotels award. This is the first time an Indian hotel as scored first. Here are the top ten hotels in the world:

1. Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India
2. Singita Sabi Sand/Kruger National Park, South Africa
3. The Oriental, Bangkok
4. Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet, Turkey
5. The Milestone, London
6. Relais Il Falconiere, Cortona, Italy
7. Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, South Africa
8. Mandarin Oriental, Munich
9. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Hawaii
10. Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, India

For the rest of the list, visit Travel +Leisure. [via]

Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations