When in Agra I stayed at the Oberoi Amarvilas and I recommend that you do also. This is one of the best hotels in Asia and the World. It was a lovely place to stay and has great views of the Taj Mahal. Just be aware that due to security the Taj is not lit at night, at least it was not when I was there. Night viewing is possible on certain nights including when there is a full moon. You can easily get to the Taj early in the morning, from the hotel, to avoid the huge number of tourists later in the day.
