Bihar & Jharkhand
This charming hotel could be your sole reason for visiting Ranchi. A part-historic railways property located outside the train station, it's a superbly…
Must-see hotels in India
Odisha
A special experience awaits at this small, sustainable and privately run tented camp at the heart of Dangamal village, built with the help of villagers…
Himachal Pradesh
This friendly place, brilliantly run by a French-Indian family, is inconspicuously located on a bend of road between the castle and Roerich Museum. Its…
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
The brainchild (and former family home) of local entrepreneur Archana Mohan, Padmavilasom tactfully reimagines a 150-year-old royal palace into a luxury…
Himachal Pradesh
The Tirthan Valley's original and best-known guesthouse, Raju's has a perfect, peacefully spacious farm-garden location across the river, 400m downstream…
Himachal Pradesh
Head and shoulders above the Kalpa competition, the sensitively managed Shamba-La comes with numerous extras that turn a stay into a memorable delight…
Andaman Islands
Karen conservationist couple Saw John and Naw Doris have opened their traditional wood-and-palm home to guests, with three no-frills but comfy fan-cooled…
Aurangabad
A traveller-oriented budget hotel, the Panchavati is run by ever-helpful, switched-on management who understand travellers’ needs. Rooms are compact but…
Aurangabad
The Lemon Tree offers elegance and class, looking more like a billionaire’s luxury whitewashed Mediterranean villa than an Indian hotel. It’s well…
Odisha
In the village of Aul (also pronounced 'aa-li'), this centuries-old former royal palace has been converted into an intimate retreat. The rooms are…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
The elegant Raj-era Fairlawn bungalow dates back to 1783, and the charmingly mothballed hotel that ran here since 1936 has recently been taken over by a…
Northern Kerala
With a warm family welcome, this wonderfully peaceful and exclusive resort is pocketed away on an incredibly lush 1.5 sq km of working pepper, coffee,…
Leh
With box-spring mattresses and modern bathrooms, the experience here is more comfortable than many midmarket hotels but retains a family feel, thanks to…
Rajasthan
In secluded, tree-shaded grounds off Hwy 32, 12km south of the temple, Aranyawas has 20 attractive rooms in two-storey stone cottages. They aren’t fancy,…
Mussoorie
Located off The Mall, this is Mussoorie’s most romantic hotel. The white Romanesque castle was built in 1836 for a British officer and was bought by the…
Bodhgaya
Clean and serene, with sociable balcony seating, this family home makes for an excellent stay away from the din, even if the welcome is slightly cool. The…
Chennai (Madras)
At this ‘eco-sensitive’ business-style hotel, floors are bamboo or rubber, water and electricity conservation hold pride of place, and AC-generated heat…
Nitin Ratanghayara Family Rooms
Gujarat & Diu
At his family’s courtyard-style home, friendly, golden-toothed Nitin Ratanghayara has several very good rooms for travellers. They’re spotlessly clean,…
Gujarat & Diu
Set in large grounds with lots of trees and birds, this peaceful lodge is around 6km west of Sasan Gir and far enough away from any village to be…
Kolkata (Calcutta)
The Sunflower is what all budget hotels in Kolkata should strive to be. It's housed in a grand 1865 residential building – take the vintage lift to the…
Sikkim
All alone at the western end of Khecheopalri Village, around 10 minutes' walk from the stupa, this delightful wooden homestay has four attractive rooms…
Periyar Tiger Reserve
Grown from its humble homestay origins, Green View is a charming guesthouse that retains its personal family welcome from owners Suresh and Sulekha (who…
Kashmir & Ladakh
On the clifftop lawns next to the Amar Mahal and with similarly royal connections, Jammu's most atmospheric and relaxing property is guarded by bronze…
Spiti
A Buddha figure and local costume displays lead guests into Tabo's most comfortable yet authentic-feeling hotel. Beautifully tiled-floor rooms have…
Kodaikanal (Kodai)
The cream of Kodai’s hotels is a magnificent five-star colonial-era mansion overlooking the lake. Rooms are spacious with extra-comfy beds and, for some,…
Leh
Decorated with thangka (Tibetan cloth painting) and Nicholas Roerich prints, this layered collage of wooden balconies and marble floors has proper king…
Kerala
These charming lakeside cottages are easily the best choice for a relaxing, affordable stay in Kollam. Host Prabhath Joseph offers a warm welcome, with…
Maharashtra
This extremely well-managed and well-presented hotel is only a short hop from the station. Rooms vary in size and layout, but with whitewashed walls, a…
Ahmedabad (Amdavad)
Tucked away in a lively neighbourhood a 10-minute walk from Badra Fort, this glorious restored 19th-century mansion has an air of casual elegance. The…
Periyar Tiger Reserve
Hidden behind popular Chrissie's Cafe, this four-storey, German-Egyptian-owned hideaway somehow blends into its forest-green surrounds and is filled with…
The Western Ghats
Exquisitely located on a rambling tea estate, Sinna Dorai has just six huge rooms bursting with local early-20th-century history. A cosy library,…
Gangtok
An oasis of birdsong some 2km from central Gangtok, this collection of high-quality, lovingly maintained cottage rooms and houselets is interspersed with…
Tamil Nadu
In an unbelievably beautiful beachfront location, this stylish, mellow, surf-mad guesthouse is home to Kovalam's original surf school, Covelong Point. It…
Kerala
Marari stays don't get better than this: four intimate, independent boutique villas dotted along or near the beachfront, washed in dusty reds, whites and…
Kochi (Cochin)
With a smile that brightens weary travellers, welcoming owner Sheeba looks ready to sign your adoption papers the minute you walk through the door. Down a…
Orchha
Live the life of a maharaja in this oriental fantasy hotel with its glittering courtyards, pillars and ponds, as well as luxurious rooms with wood-carved…
Shantidevi Ashram's Guesthouse
Bodhgaya
This unassuming but tastefully decorated boutique-like guesthouse makes a simple Zen-like retreat from the hustle and bustle of the main drags. Fan-cooled…
Gangtok
Quiet yet central, Netuk House is a luxurious B&B with a dozen rooms in three very different buildings. The most visually exciting is a two-storey temple…
Uttarakhand
This hillside hotel feels like a large, comfortable house, and has clean, tasteful rooms, a big-windowed cafe with espresso machine, books and a peaceful…
Sikkim
Tashiding’s smartest rooms and most attractive restaurant (preorder only) are in this unpainted new concrete building tucked behind the central petrol…
