Two Indian hotels and a restaurant have made it onto TIME magazine’s "World’s Greatest Places 2025" list.
The list profiles one-of-a-kind spots and experiences around the globe and categorises them according to the "World’s Greatest Places to Stay" and the "World’s Greatest Places to Visit." In India, the Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort in Bandhavgarh and the Raffles Jaipur hotel made it onto the world’s top places to stay, while Papa’s Bombay restaurant in Mumbai was feted among the best places to visit.
Located in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh National Park, the Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort is a luxury property made up of 19 spacious, air-conditioned tents, each with its own garden, plus two private pool villas. There’s a spa, library, swimming pool, and fitness centre, lush garden spaces overlooking a lake and walking paths, an eight-seat bush kitchen, and an open-air restaurant serving meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients such as kodo millet and mahua flowers. Guests can enjoy bespoke safaris, including ones conducted at night, a tiger-painting workshop, and drinks with a local wildlife conservationist when they book a stay.
Meanwhile, the Raffles Jaipur in Rajasthan, which was inspired by a zenana (queen’s palace), is a sumptuous visual masterpiece thanks to the swirls of hand-carved marble, Mughal-style arches, perforated latticework screens called jaalis, and thikri art that are weaved into the architecture of the building. Reflecting the rich heritage of Rajasthan, each of the 50 rooms and suites preserves age-old traditions passed down through generations while being enhanced by luxurious modern comforts. The property boasts outdoor soaking tubs or plunge pools, a rooftop infinity pool overlooking the Aravalli Hills, a spa with mineral pools and hammam, butlers, and four dining venues.
Papa’s Bombay in Bandra is situated in the attic of a former bakery. Its 13-course tasting menu blends traditional flavours and global techniques with a healthy dose of nostalgia. Highlights include the Bugs Bunny, wild rabbit meat marinated with weaver ants and grilled over charcoal; a rasam, or peppery South Indian broth, flavoured with cured trout and watermelon; lamb Wellington cooked korma-style; char siu shaped like modak, a festive local sweet; and samosas stuffed with tuna instead of potatoes.
Properties like the Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe in Ensenada, Mexico; the Maxx Royal Bodrum in Türkiye; Celestia in Indonesia; the Few and Far Luvhondo in Waterpoort, South Africa; and the Community Homestay Network of Nepal were all featured on the World’s Greatest Places to Stay.
In the World’s Greatest Places to Visit list, the magazine recommended trips to the Zebun Nessa Mosque in Ashulia, Bangladesh; the Nintendo Museum in Uji, Japan; the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico, USA; the Notre Dame of Paris, France; and the Stockholm Archipelago Trail in Sweden, among others.
Each year, TIME magazine solicits nominations of places—including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, parks, and more—from its international network of correspondents and contributors, as well as through an application process, with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences.
