Hidden Gems

Choose a room plan with meals included. The hotel kitchen is the best reason to stay here, and plans with breakfast and dinner offer excellent value compared with eating out every day.

Ask about scheduled weddings and parties when booking, particularly between November and February. Banquet nights can be loud, and staff can place you in a room further from the halls if they know your preference.

One thing about the dargah: time your visit outside the Urs period unless you specifically want to experience the festival. During the Urs, traffic in the old city stops almost entirely, and hotels fill with pilgrims weeks in advance.

Shopping for surma and zari is better done with a local recommendation. Many shops in the old city sell imitations, and staff can point you to trusted family businesses.

Carry cash in small notes. Street food stalls, e rickshaws and old city shops rarely accept cards, although UPI payments through Indian apps are widely used. Foreign visitors without UPI should keep enough rupees for daily expenses.

For a day trip, Nainital is the classic choice from Bareilly. Leave early in the morning, as the hill road becomes crowded by midday on weekends, and book a car through reception so the driver is experienced with mountain roads.