Mumbai, West India, India

Enjoying a prime spot at the southern tip of the trendy suburb of Bandra, the Taj Lands End is the pick of the area’s hotels. All of the luxuriously fitted rooms have superb views over the Arabian Sea, as does the palm-edged curvi-form pool outside, perfect for a refreshing swim, followed by a sauna, Jacuzzi or steam bath in the state-of-the-art health club.

Taj Group’s legendary hospitality is very much in evidence throughout, especially in the restaurants, which specialize in gourmet Indian and Szechuan cuisine.