TIME’s annual list of the world’s greatest places is out and from India, two hotels and a restaurant have featured in the coveted catalogue—Raffles in Jaipur, Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort in Bandhavgarh and Papa’s restaurant in Mumbai. Raffles in Jaipur, Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort in Bandhavgarh have featured in the ‘places to stay’ category. Papa’s has been named in one of the ‘places to visit’ category. In 2024, two Indian establishments related to food were featured among the ‘world’s greatest places’.
TIME magazine recognised Manam Chocolate (a chocolate factory) in Hyderabad and Naar (a restaurant) in Kasauli. Each year, TIME asks for 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 and lists 100 extraordinary destinations to stay and to visit in a year. For 2025, let’s travel a bit and take a look at the three Indian establishments and some from our neighbouring countries.
Raffles in Jaipur
Raffles Jaipur, a 50-room hotel in Kukas, Rajasthan, is an architecture icon derived from a zenana (queen’s palace). The property has hand-carved marble, Mughal arches, and classic thikri art. The hotel features a rooftop infinity pool, spa, and four restaurants, including the Writers Bar where the Jaipur Sling, a riff on Raffles’ signature Singaporean cocktail, crafted with Indian dry gin, hibiscus, and Chandrahas, an 80-herb royal Rajasthani liqueur, is served. Guests may indulge in local crafts and get exclusive tours of the Jaipur Centre for Art, opened in November within the historic City Palace, through the hotel’s partnership with the museum.
Papa’s Bombay in Mumbai
Papa’s Bombay, a 12-seat chef’s table in Bandra, Mumbai, is one of India’s most in-demand tables. Alum of Eleven Madison Park chef Hussain Shahzad is the man in charge, producing a 13-course tasting menu that marries old-school flavours with international techniques. Standouts include wild rabbit served with weaver ants, rasam served with cured trout, and lamb Wellington prepared korma-style. Shahzad’s personality comes alive in the dining experience, with Negroni shots, sun-dried ants, and metal puzzles making the experience enjoyable. Reservations are available on the first day of each month and are quickly grabbed.
The Pekoe Trail, Central Highlands, Sri Lanka
Next door neighbour, down south, in the Sri Lankan highlands, a 19th-century transport network for tea is now conveying adventurers to remote communities and businesses. The 186-mile Pekoe Trail was completed last March. It was named for the high-grade black tea produced on many Sri Lankan estates and is the country’s first long-distance walking path, linking thousands of colonial-era dirt roads and railway tracks built by the British for exporting tea.
Community Homestay Network, Nepal
In the subdued concrete houses of eastern Nepal, Community Homestay Network (CHN) connects travellers with local families. The social enterprise is the sister company of Royal Mountain Travel, a champion of sustainable tourism and one of Nepal’s leading tour operators. It was launched with just one homestay in Panauti in 2012, and now has grown to more than 200 properties in 18 communities. Hosts are required to maintain high standards of safety and cleanliness, and welcome solo travellers or families.
Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum, Jakar, Bhutan
Wangduechhoeling is Bhutan’s oldest palace and the birthplace of the country’s first King in 1862. It has been meticulously restored and transformed into a museum through a project that began in 2012 led by the Bhutan Foundation and the Bhutan’s department of culture. It celebrates the nation’s cultural heritage while preserving its antique character, replicating distinctive mineral and plant-based pigments that decorate the palace. The museum features bilingual exhibits, artistic displays from art non-profit Voluntary Artists Studio (VAST). Twenty-seven gallery rooms within the Dzong-like palace preserve its craftsmanship and legacy, offering a glimpse into palace life and culture. It houses prized artefacts, including 413 rare manuscripts and a sacred portable shrine, and colourful victory banner-enclosed screens play historical testimonies and songs, while the King’s antechamber resonates with recreated sounds of his court, notes the list.
Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort in Bandhavgarh
The new Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort features luxury tents and villas, a spa, and locally-derived meals. The luxury property, opened in early March, is made up of 19 spacious, air-conditioned tents, each with its own garden, plus two private pool villas. Micato Safaris has joined forces with Oberoi to take tourists to Madhya Pradesh, educating them on tiger conservation and providing special experiences such as night safaris and wildlife conservationist encounters. India’s Royal Bengals are threatened by habitat destruction and hunting. Project Tiger has added reserves from 9 in the 1970s to 57 today. Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh contains the world’s highest density of Bengals. It is termed as one of the best places to experience the decades-in-the-making development of the 593-square-mile national park which is a protected reserve, home to the dozens of other mammals such as sloth bears, leopards, barking deer.
