Kodagu (Coorg) Region
A great place to socialise with eco-minded Indians, this nature-soaked refuge is immersed within forest and plantations, and has an organic, sustainable…
Must-see hotels in India
Tamil Nadu
Chettinadu's original heritage hotel, this lovingly revamped, efficiently managed whitewashed ‘bungalow’ isn't a typical mansion but has all the requisite…
Srinagar
Taking houseboat luxury to a new level, Sukoon is impressive for its levels of service, excellent food, secluded location and fabulous rooftop terrace…
Haridwar
Hidden away in Bara Bazaar, but right on the Ganges, this superb 1918 haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) is Haridwar’s finest hotel…
Kodagu (Coorg) Region
Nestling in misty rainforest, this supremely stylish hotel incorporates principles of space and minimalism, and effectively blends into its environment…
Srinagar
One of India's friendliest family guesthouses, the Swiss isn't showy but offers high-quality, spacious en suite hotel rooms decorated with plush carpets…
Pune
Set around a manicured lawn right next to the Osho resort, this renovated Art Deco bungalow effortlessly combines colonial-era class with boutique appeal…
North Goa
Comprising the seven-suite Siolim House hotel and the three-bedroom Little Siolim, Siolim House is one of North Goa’s boutique treats. Situated in an old…
Leh
Hidden behind a family garden guesthouse that's delightful in itself, this 'secret' eight-room boutique hotel is one of the best choices in Leh, with…
Nagaland
Just a 10-minute autorickshaw ride (₹200) from Dimapur's airport, Longchen is a great spot to relax, with charmingly welcoming hosts. Four spacious,…
South Goa
This lovely boutique hotel, run by a well-travelled Indian-born British brother-and-sister team, is a gem of the South Goan coast and strictly for…
Chennai (Madras)
Chennai's most talked-about hotel is this ultraluxurious, 600-room, temple-inspired beauty in the city's southwest. A maze of sumptuous iPad-operated…
Kochi (Cochin)
Overlooking a lush garden with lily ponds and a pool, the stylish Old Harbour is housed in a 300-year-old Dutch/Portuguese heritage building. The elegant…
Northern Kerala
Surrounded by jungle and spice plantations, lovely Varnam is an oasis of calm 3km south of Katikulam in northern Wayanad. Varghese and Beena will look…
Himachal Pradesh
Few places in rural India exude such a sense of well-judged classic-contemporary taste as this remarkable tea-estate retreat. The centrepiece is a sports…
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Mick Jagger, Demi Moore and Sting have all indulged in this heritage hotel in Maheshwar Palace owned by Prince Shivaji Rao (Richard) Holkar, an Indian…
Kachchh (Kutch)
Run by a delightful Indian-British couple, Jehan and Katie, this lovingly restored 19th-century traditional Parsi heritage house – Jehan's ancestral home …
Jaisalmer
Italian-designed and superslick, this is Jaisalmer’s most sophisticated hotel and it is beautiful throughout, with a desert-meets-contemporary-boutique…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Saluting guards usher you out of the chaos of Chowringhee Rd and into a regal oasis of genteel calm that deserves every point of its five stars…
Jodhpur
This stunning haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) one of the best and most attractive in the old city, was built by the Thakur of Pal in…
Pushkar
This welcoming budget hotel is nestled in the quiet laneways north of Sadar Bazaar. It’s run by a friendly father-and-son team who can’t do too much for…
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
This former 19th-century palace lost none of its colonial-era charm through conversion into a top-class hotel. Pillared walkways and immaculate lawns lead…
Kachchh (Kutch)
Run by infectiously enthusiastic naturalist Dhanraj Malik, Desert Coursers Eco Lodge is a supremely relaxed place to hole up for a few days and get into…
Bikaner
This hotel on the western side of Junagarh is run by a former Bikaner prime minister’s great-grandson. Rooms are mostly large and are eclectically and…
Bikaner
About 4km east of the centre, this is a home away from home, with spacious, light-filled rooms, a warm welcome and good home-cooked meals. Owner Vijay is…
Jodhpur
This 500-odd-year-old, family-run, red-sandstone haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) is an understated gem. Run by two friendly brothers,…
Krishna Prakash Heritage Haveli
Jodhpur
This multilevel heritage hotel right under the fort walls is great value and a peaceful choice. It has decorated carved furniture and colourful murals,…
Darjeeling
Spotless Dekeling is full of charming touches such as coloured diamond-pane windows, a wood-fired heater in the sociable lounge-library, wood panelling…
Nashik
Sula Vineyard's seven-room flagship resort sits a few kilometres from the winery (hence the name: Beyond) near the edges of the beautiful Gangapur Dam…
Lahaul & Spiti
From outside it looks like a 1930s suburban house, but inside this is the classiest accommodation in Lahaul, new but with exposed stonework, a Tibetan…
Rajasthan
The former hunting lodge of the rulers of Jhalawar sits proudly in acres of peaceful gardens and farmland and is now a family home as well as a very…
Tamil Nadu
Most Tranquebar accommodation is run by the sea-front Bungalow on the Beach, in the exquisitely restored 17th-century former residence of the British…
Nashik
First and foremost a boutique winery known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Vin de Passerillage dessert wine (tastings ₹400; 11am to 4.30pm), not to mention…
Kalimpong
A unique and utterly charming property combining a nursery and a family-run guesthouse, Holumba is located amid sylvan settings a walkable 1km below town…
Kochi (Cochin)
Hotel-quality rooms come with solar-powered showers and a true family welcome from knowledgable hosts Philip and Maryann at this delightful homestay. The…
Bengaluru (Bangalore)
Well-organised, sociable Electric Cats, close to the buzzing Indiranagar area, has good dorms (including one female-only dorm) with a shared bathroom. All…
Dalhousie
This 1895 heritage property, in the same family since the 1930s, has been renovated to give top-class comfort while retaining oodles of charm. There's a…
North Goa
This beautiful Portuguese villa, filled with antiques and enveloped in a peaceful courtyard garden, is a romantic and sophisticated old-world remnant…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Seven perfectly pitched rooms at this stylish address are named after colours, but they also take photographic subthemes – such as Bengali cinema in …
Tamil Nadu
Lost in the riverside jungle, 10km northeast of Kumbakonam, this is a wonderful retreat from temple-town chaos. Comfy modern-rustic, Chettiar-style…
