Hyderabad, India Hotels and City Guide

Hyderabad, the Kohinoor diamond of India, is a legendary city rich in ancient arts, handicrafts and dance. It is a city filled with grand monuments, mosques, temples, minarets, and bazaars that is set against stunning countryside.

Nestled on the Deccan (Dakkan) Plateau, 1776 feet above sea level, Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh and is the 5th largest city in the Indian Sub-continent.

Its royal palaces, fine tenements, gardens and streets have a history and an architectural individuality dating back 400 years, all giving light to Hyderabad as a city of enchantment.

The name Hyderabad originated when King Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah from the Qutb Shahi Dynasty christened his kingdom after his loved wife ‘Hyder Begum’. In Urdu, ‘abad’ translates to: Live Long. Therefore, the name Hyderabad means 'long live Hyder'.

Over the years, Hyderabad has invested heavily in digital infrastructure and is well regarded globally for its booming technology sector, which recorded US$1 billion in Information Technology exports during the year 2004.The growing number of IT and IT Enabled Service companies located in Hyderabad - both local as well as multinational companies - have led civic boosters to label the city as ‘Cyberabad’.

Hyderabad is the country’s biotechnology capital as well as an educational hub where many leading scientific research organisations and academic institutions are based. Hyderabad is also a major centre for pharmaceuticals with Dr Reddy's Laboratories, an emerging global pharmaceutical company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, being headquartered here. The region is home to the Ramoji Film City which received honours when it was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest film studios. Hyderabad is also one of the world’s leading pearl markets and manufacturers of silverware, saris, paintings, lacquer bangles, rich fabrics, as well as unique Bidri handicrafts.

Hyderabad has a majority Hindu population and a sizeable Muslim population. English is the most preferred language used for trade and commerce. The city of Hyderabad boasts the oldest functioning shopping compound in India - Laad Bazaar, famous for its lacquer bangles.

Hyderabad Facts
Hyderabad Population: 6,145,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)
India Population: 1,096,917,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)
Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)
Time Zone: GMT 5.30 (+)
Language:Telugu, Hindi, English, and Urdu

Hotels in Hyderabad, India