Nabha Shimla, India
Renovated
1997
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Heritage Luxe ClassicOutside the door
The house
Oberoi Hotels & ResortsRestored Victorian grand hotel
The property runs with the gentle formality of a classic hill station, from drinks by open hearths to dinners beneath ballroom chandeliers.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Rudyard Kipling wrote on this 1884 site where founder Mohan Singh Oberoi started.
Listed
Valley-view spa therapy suites complement private suites floored in polished Burma teak.
What they say
UK Readers' Choice Awards
Condé Nast Traveler
2025
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
The Viceregal Lodge sits a short walk away on Observatory Hill, and the pedestrian Mall is twenty minutes on foot.
The rooms
Polished Burma teak floors run underfoot, and Premier rooms look straight out across the valley.
The indoor pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The heated indoor pool sits under white timber trusses and classic columns, looking out toward the forest.
The spa and gym
Spa suites overlook cedar woods for Eastern therapies and yoga. A separate fitness room stays open around the clock.
The Restaurant
Tables in the former ballroom look over the valley, and the kitchen serves regional Himachali specialties.
At the table
Evening cocktails are poured at the lounge bar, and open fires warm dinners out on the terrace.
How it began
Mohan Singh Oberoi started at the front desk in 1922 for fifty rupees a month, then bought the hotel in 1943.
Good to know
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The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.