Kanchipuram
This brand new hotel has good-sized rooms with thick mattresses, couches, tea kettles and glassed-in showers. With online discounts that can knock ₹700…
Must-see hotels in South India
Varkala
A cheery, brightly painted guesthouse in a tranquil spot tucked back from the cliffs, Lungi Vibe offers unfussy, clean rooms (some with small terraces)…
Palolem
The latest offering from the Hostel Crowd is minimalist in design but all the facilities are there, with free breakfast, lockers, communal kitchen and…
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Though often full with groups, this efficiently run guesthouse with helpful staff remains a clean, secure and central choice; some of the doubles are…
Hotel Mayura Adil Shahi Annexe
Karnataka
One of the better government hotels, with a very central location close to the citadel. Its four rooms are massive, with balconies and a garden setting.
Anjuna
Near the German Bakery, Headquarters ticks all the budget boxes for cleanliness and comfort with upstairs dorms, kitchen and common areas downstairs and a…
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)
An ever-growing collection of varied, clean-enough, nothing-special rooms, from boxy fan-cooled singles to spacious air-con doubles, all under helpful…
Port Blair
Popular with budget travellers, friendly Amina offers four clean rooms with TV and an hour's free wi-fi, in a handy though somewhat-noisy location in the…
Tamil Nadu
This newcomer is efficiently run by a manager fluent in English and helpful staff. Rooms are spacious and clean, delivering solid value. It's on the main…
Mysuru (Mysore)
This rambling government-owned hotel is a time warp, but it's still worthy of consideration as rooms certainly have some character and rates are…
Tamil Nadu
Plain, gleaming, cream-clad rooms for two to six people, with AC, 24-hour hot water and spotless bathrooms, make this new-build block a popular choice and…
Andaman Islands
A warm, family-run guesthouse with nine bungalows amid the palms. Rooms are unfussy, with the cheapest sharing bathrooms. Fresh Indian meals, surfboards…
Hyderabad
These serviced apartments and spacious rooms enjoy a good location off Rd No 12 and boast well-presented, comfortable accommodation. They're ideal for…
Kodaikanal (Kodai)
Although it's bland on the outside, rustic flourishes like polished-teak floors, plus keen staff, in-room tea/coffee sets and a central location make the…
Mysuru (Mysore)
This yoga school offers neat rooms with private bathrooms and studios with kitchenettes and balconies. There's a great cafe, a Finnish sauna, a plunge…
Lakshadweep
Kadmat Island Resort has 28 modern cottages facing the beach, some of them with air-con. The island can be reached by overnight boat from Kochi, or by…
Chennai (Madras)
Easily your smartest choice on hectic Kennet Lane. Rooms are clean and inviting, with kettles and flat-screen TVs, though not as exciting as the shiny…
Gokarna
In the middle of Om Beach, these graffiti-splashed bungalows have private porches and hammocks, and there's a sandy garden full of coconut palms.
Telangana & Andhra Pradesh
The Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD) runs vast dormitories and guesthouses near the temple in Tirumala, intended for pilgrims. To stay, check in at…
Kannur
Opposite the train station, in Kannur's market area, the Meridian is hardly palatial but it's friendly enough and offers a cornucopia of clean budget…
Coimbatore
More modern, more comfortable and less noisy than some of its neighbours, iStay offers some of the best-value AC rooms across from the railway station –…
North Goa
Rainbow has some colourful, decent-value huts behind its convivial beachfront restaurant (mains ₹110 to ₹400) and bar. It’s at the end of Morjim Beach Rd,…
Konkan Coast
This sparkling little green-and-red guesthouse has clean, basic rooms with TV and attached bathrooms with hot water. The family owners are friendly but…
Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)
Plain cottages with Smurf-blue exteriors sit between palms and more contemporary rooms painted in creams, blues and pinks at this welcoming resort, 500m…
Gokarna
Tucked around the corner at the beginning of Kudle, this bucolic guesthouse has a laid-back owner and a sea-facing vegetarian restaurant.
Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
This popular, sprawling place covers most budgets, from doghouse A-frame bamboo huts (the cheapest share bathrooms) to colourful concrete rooms offering a…
Coimbatore
Touches of modern art add colour to the glossy, cosy rooms here, all of which have modern bathrooms with moody lighting. It's smart, helpful and near the…
North Goa
Friendly Dona Florina is a no-frills guesthouse in a pleasant tangle of laneways and family-run hotels just back from the beach. Front-facing upper-floor…
Calangute & Baga
Across the Baga River, Melissa Guest House has just four neat little rooms, all with attached bathrooms and hot-water showers, in a tatty garden. Good…
Mangaluru (Mangalore)
Set amid palm groves on a remote patch of Ullal Beach, Summer Sands offers kitschy bungalows in a tropical-resort-style set-up. Its restaurant has a great…
Kochi (Cochin)
A welcoming, expertly maintained homestay, 900m south of central Fort Cochin, with bright, unadorned rooms, some of them air-conditioned, and homemade…
Karnataka
Mainly geared to pilgrims, this local Jain organisation handles bookings for its 15 guesthouses. The office is behind the Vidyananda Nilaya Dharamsala,…
Kodaikanal (Kodai)
Rooms don't have quite as much character as the exterior suggests, but this is a decent-value budget choice sporting clean bathrooms, plenty of blankets…
Trichy (Tiruchirappalli)
The best option if you want to be close to the temple and market action. Rooms are small but smart enough, with a fresh wood-and-whitewash theme, and…
Gokarna
Very simple huts just off the Half Moon Bay shoreline are constructed here each year by the friendly owner. Bathrooms are shared.
South Goa
Beachfront Sarita’s has clean but unremarkable rooms with air-con and TV, and a common balcony offering an unimpeded view of the beach. Also has a bar and…
Gokarna
Functional bungalows at Kudle, with the option of more comfortable rooms, and a beachside restaurant where the good times roll.
Thanjavur (Tanjore)
Thanjavur's best value in the town centre has smallish but well-kept rooms with good mattresses and (sometimes) wi-fi. Plus, it's kitty-corner to an ice…
Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)
An ever-expanding world of pricey rooms, from fuss-free wooden cottages to modern, balcony-equipped air-con pads, plus a decent restaurant (mains ₹150 to…
Hampi
Very basic little rooms for shoestringers, with an pleasant open-air restaurant. Staff members are helpful, but the shared bathroom and loo could be kept…
