TRAVELMAN INDIA: I Eat Lunch at a Five Star Hotel in Agra, India Looking Out on the Taj Majal

I went to see the Taj Mahal but I had a more memorable time having lunch at a five star hotel with a view of the opulent mausoleum in the near distance.

I stumbled upon the Oberoi by chance. My morning trip to the Taj Mahal had been mildly disappointing and boring.

I remembered that I’d passed a hotel that looked upscale on my walk up the road. I was hungry and felt like treating myself so I decided to check it out. I was feeling wealthy that day... I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

That’s the Taj Mahal beyond the trees...

That pic was taken from a second story patio connected to the bar. The restaurant was on the first floor, directly below.

I walked up the long drive and entered the front courtyard. Okay, this was a nice place. I half expected to see James Bond and Blowfeld having a pot of tea at those couches in the back of the picture...

I walked into the lobby, a giant crystal chandelier hung above my head. I asked if I could eat at the restaurant. The employee who greeted me asked me to have a seat on one of the couches. I sat.

The employee spoke to someone at the front desk, they looked over at me, spoke some more, the employee returned to me. “Follow me please.” I followed.

This pic and the next are taken at the entrance to the lobby. The doors are behind me...

She led me to the back of the lobby and down some stairs. We passed a jewelry store on the way. The restaurant was large. Diners sat at only three of the tables. I was handed off to a hostess. She took me to a table by the window that looked out at the pool. She asked if it was okay. Yes, it was okay.

A table of two British couples in their seventies sat at the table next to mine. I opened the menu. The prices were extremely expensive for Agra, India but only normal expensive for the USA. I ordered pasta and a fancy glass bottle of water. My bill came to 27 dollars.

I had the Gnocci. It was good, but I’ve had better...

They brought me this basket of assorted breads. I ate the entire basket before my pasta arrived. They brought me another basket of bread with my meal. They also served me a complimentary fancy mixed fruit drink after I ordered my meal (Non-alcoholic). I think they were worried that they’d offended me because they kind of gave me a “This is out of your price range, perhaps you would enjoy something from the fruit truck on the street instead” vibe when I first walked in the place.

They also brought me a newspaper and a notepad for my pleasure and convenience. I couldn’t eat the second basket of bread so they put it in a fancy box and bag for me to take with me.

After I ate, I went up one story to the bar and took that photo at the begininng of this post from the balcony. I used their fancy bathroom, and went on my way.

Guess how much it costs to stay there for a night. Go ahead, guess! How much? .... ....

No, higher....

...More....

$900 USD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m lucky my lunch was only twenty-seven dollars. (I could probably have the same amount of food for three dollars most everywhere else in India).

Other than walking through the poor part of town (most of the town) on the way back to the train station, this lunch was the favorite part of my day. The Oberoi had a pool, friendly employees, complimentary fancy drinks, and free newspapers and notepads, and lots of bread! The Taj Majal had the bodies of two dead rich people, people taking selfies, and men soliciting to be your tour guide. But who knows, maybe the Oberoi had rich people corpses as well? After all, they aim to please.

!steemitworldmap 27.1678 lat 78.0488 long . I Eat at a Five Star Hotel on My Day Trip to the Taj Majal, d3scr