December 2025 | 894 words | 3-minute read, 15 slides
Come December, India’s searing daytimes soften to dappled mornings, and balmy evenings melt into cool, cosy nights, ideally spent in the company and comfort of loved ones.
There’s no time like the end-of-year festivities, when work and daily stresses slow down, to escape to greener pastures (or snowier ones). However you may wish to see 2025 off or bring in 2026, Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) is committed to making the season your most memorable holiday yet.
Let it snow
Head north for landscapes blanketed in snow and stillness. As summer tourist hordes leave, popular destinations like Srinagar and Shimla wrap themselves in an alluring hush. Not for nothing has Srinagar earned its jannat moniker; barren chinnar tress stand stark and majestic among teakwood chalets, against the backdrop of the snow-streaked Zabarwan Mountain range and a misty Dal Lake. Experience what locals call the chillai kalan (‘major cold’ in Persian) from the hospitable warmth of Taj Dal View, Srinagar.
In Shimla, Taj Theog Resort & Spa, nestled in a snow-dusted pine forest, offers the White Winter of your dreams. Enjoy sweeping Western Himalayan views from this unique hillside location that is oozing with colonial-era charm and Himachali hospitality.
If the Eastern Himalayas are more your cup of butter tea, IHCL has much to offer in the country’s Northeast. Vivanta Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang, where you can wake up to a rugged Himalayan panorama and Tibetan prayer flags aflutter in whistling mountain winds, and Taj Guras Kutir Resort & Spa, Gangtok, where crisp winters offer some of the best, most unobstructed views of the Kanchenjunga, are just two of the six IHCL properties in the region.
Beaches beckon
Dreaming of warmer climes? The sparkling Arabian coast switches from sweltering humidity to a breezy paradise in the winter. In that eternal end-of-year favourite, Goa, winter means late breakfasts and leisurely morning swims, sussegad afternoons and vibrant evenings at beach shacks thumping to live music. Whether you opt for the iconic Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, overlooking the 16th century Portuguese fort, or the more contemporary Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, perched on a hill with sprawling sea views — you can’t go wrong with any of the IHCL properties in the sunshine state.
Another coastal gem that peaks in the winter is Kochi. Glide along the rippling backwaters and soak up their quiet rhythm, walk the colourful historic streets and enliven your senses in the spice markets, embark on a sunset cruise to admire the silhouettes of ancient Chinese fishing nets, and return to Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin to savour generous coastal cuisine.
If you care to venture farther into the Indian Ocean, consider the pristine Andaman archipelago. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans is a tropical paradise of luxury villas, surrounded by lush mangroves and the famous white-sand-and-turquoise-waters of Radhanagar beach.
Call of the wild
Winter heightens the wild theatre of India’s tiger heartland. Madhya Pradesh’s forest reserves are lush and alive in their post-monsoon glow, a far cry from the dry, crackling heat of summer. Embark on an early morning safari as the forest awakens — its brisk, chilly silence shattered by the lone call of a langur or a barking deer. Witness the first sunrays flood over rippling golden grasslands, shrouded in mist, and race past sal trees, chasing whispers of sightings of stripes and spots. If you’re lucky, you could spot the majestic Bengal tiger, reclusive leopards, sloth bears and herds of barasingha.
Between safaris with trained naturalists, enjoy the comfort of a Taj Safaris stay complete with sumptuous al fresco forest meals and stellar service. Choose to explore Kanha while staying in luxury tents by the river at Banjaar Tola, Bandhavgarh while living in cottages or kutiyas at Mahua Kothi in the Vindhya Range, Panna while residing in luxury stone cottages at Pashan Garh or Pench, while living in a colonial style bungalow in Baghvan.
The royal life
Rajasthan remains a December favourite, and there’s no better way to treat yourself than an end-of-year luxury stay at a Taj palace hotel. Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur is a marble winter dream, made for leisurely city walks past havelis and winding lanes, languid afternoon boat rides and moonlit dinners. Jaipur’s colourful winter bazaars and vibrant lanes peppered with pink are even better appreciated if you’re staying at Rambagh Palace, sipping on afternoon tea in the Verandah Café or strolling through the Mughal Gardens. In Jodhpur, the iconic golden sandstone Umaid Bhawan Palace, glows in the evening winter light, perched above the Blue City amidst 26 acres of gardens.
If you’ve set your sights on a luxury year-end holiday in the South, look no further than Taj Falaknuma, a jewel in the crown of the Nizams of Hyderabad. The grand staircase, palace courtyards and 101-seat dining table are just some of the attractions — the palace also offers stunning views of the 400-year old city.
Winter is a time to look back on the year with gratitude and look forward with eager anticipation. IHCL welcomes you with its unique brand of hospitality and sets you on a well-earned track to rest and rejuvenation. So, where will you choose to go?
—Anuradha Anupkumar
A white winter
Tropical paradises
Into the forests
Palace retreats
