Ista Amritsar

• NR This hotel has not yet been rated by Tablet Hotels guests.

• 1 Verified
  Guest Review

  View

Ista Amritsar

Style: Contemporary Classic

Atmosphere: Lively

248 Rooms

Amritsar is best known as the spiritual center of the Sikh religion and the home of Harmandir Sahib — the Golden Temple — a few miles from the Pakistani border in northwest India. In recent years, an economic boom and a cycle of urban growth have given rise to gleaming, high-end shopping malls and the equivalent upscale condominiums. Five-star hotels followed suit, with the glittering Ista Amritsar proudly becoming the first.

As a statement of intent, Ista Amritsar’s exterior is fairly easy to interpret: luxury on a grand scale, bathed in golden light. These are not quirky boutique accommodations. Inside, guests are greeted by a spacious lobby, the kind of place where torches (think Olympic, not kerosene) and placid indoor ponds don’t feel the least bit ostentatious or out of place.

In the rooms and suites the color palette is beige and cream, with some deep reds for contrast; this brand of decadence is more earthy than vibrant. Roomy showers are enclosed by walls of floor-to-ceiling glass. Some windows provide panoramic views of the city, while others overlook the lush hotel gardens and plunge pool.

The spa is comprehensive, even by five-star standards. Traditional massage and wellness treatments are augmented by Ayurveda, the ancient practice of Indian holistic medicine. For a different kind of relaxation, the Lotus Lounge serves cocktails in the courtyard, while the Thai Chi restaurant features a menu of Thai-Chinese fusion dishes, and a second restaurant, Collage, offers everything from tempura to wood-fired pizza.