9 of the best family-owned boutique stays across India

While India is home to some of the world’s finest hotels, including palaces and safari lodges, local, family-owned boutique stays are emerging as a beloved choice for visitors seeking personal and immersive experiences. From savoring home-cooked meals to hanging out with the hosts and experiencing history in heritage homes, these hotels promise a homey ambience while traveling. 

Some families have opened up their residences to travelers, while others have repurposed ancestral homes into hotels, offering a glimpse into the history and culture of the place and the people who once lived there. These stays are appealing to families seeking a quiet vacation, solo travelers looking for a connection, and sustainability-conscious travelers wanting to contribute directly to the local economy.

Here’s a list of some of our favorite family-run boutique stays across India. 

1. Vivenda Dos Palhaços, Majorda, Goa 

Best for beach vibes 

Tucked in the quiet village of Majorda in south Goa, Vivenda Dos Palhaços is run by two siblings, Simon and Charlotte Hayward, and promises a slice of authentic coastal village life just a kilometer away from the beach. Expect the sounds of chickens and crows, barking dogs, chatty neighbors and church bells. The eight-room hotel is a renovated 120-year-old Portuguese-style house, one of the many vestiges of Portugal’s colonial rule that ended in 1961. The rooms are named after Indian cities – Madras, Ooty, and Darjeeling, among others – and come with rammed earth walls, airy verandas and mezzanine floors. Visitors can also park themselves at a huge tent with a queen-sized bed. You’ll find the resident pet dogs Kitten and Gigalo on duty at the property.

2. Kayal Island Retreat, Alleppey, Kerala 

Best for an experience in the backwaters 

Time slows in the lush backwaters of Kerala, and a stay at Kayal Island Retreat allows visitors to slow down and soak in the surroundings. Located on an island in Lake Vembanad, the four-cottage rooms are inspired by local architecture – think thatched tiled roofs in between coconut trees – and curated with reclaimed and recycled materials. Kayal was founded by Maneesha Panicker, who returned from New York to Kerala to build the boutique retreat. Staying at the resort means plenty of leisure time, from strolling with the founder and chatting with islanders to watching fishers on the lake and doing yoga. Make time for stargazing at night.

3. Chapslee Hotel, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 

Best for a hill station getaway

Shimla, once the summer capital of British India, remains an escape from the scorching north Indian summers. The charming English-style residence of Chapslee has been passed on to generations since 1938. Its doors were opened as a small exclusive hotel in 1976 by the late Kanwar Ratanjit Singh and his wife, Pronoti Singh, who now oversees the place. 

Its expansive outdoor garden and an indoor antique charm are a window to a bygone era. Expect to see the heirloom Venetian portieres and a Murano chandelier at the entryway, while the drawing room, which once hosted many soirées, has a grand piano along with a collection of antique brass and marble statues. 

For breakfast with a view or an afternoon tea, the hotel’s Glazed Room, also known as the Conservatory, is a perfect spot – its glass windows offer views of the Jhakoo Hills and the western hills of Shimla. 

4. Kanha Jungle Lodge, Kanha, Madhya Pradesh 

Best for a jungle safari 

Kanha Jungle Lodge is located in the dense forest of the Kanha-Kisli National Park, the largest in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, and is a fine example of ecotourism. It is founded on the legacy of Kailash Sankhala, who led India’s Project Tiger to protect and revive the big cats in the early 1970s. His son Pradeep Sankhala opened the lodge in 1989, with his grandson Amit Sankhala now taking the reins. 

The jungle lodge is spread over 11 acres, with its 200 rooms and cottages overlooking the sal tree forest. To explore the wilderness, a daytime safari with experienced naturalists or a night walk will introduce visitors to the diverse landscape, as well as the flora and fauna in the jungle. Eco-minded travelers can indulge in farm-to-table meals and take comfort in knowing that the property is plastic-free. And a fun fact: it is widely believed that the national park is said to have inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.

5. Abode Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra 

Best for quaint city vibes

A 5-minute walk from Mumbai’s iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel takes you to the hotel founded by Abedin Sham, aptly named Abode Bombay. It’s located in the Colaba neighborhood, where you can expect leafy streets, art galleries and art deco buildings. The 25-room Abode is housed in a colonial era building, with each room crafted with vintage furniture and artworks from local artists. The hotel is also big on social responsibility, hiring single mothers for its pick-up and drop services, training visually impaired people as massage therapists and selling products made by organizations empowering disadvantaged communities. Come here to experience the ultimate anti-chain hotel.

6. The Manor, New Delhi

Best for an urban oasis experience 

It’s not difficult to find an urban oasis away from the cacophony in the heart of Delhi. The Manor is a family-owned hotel located on nearly an acre of lush, secluded garden space in the Indian capital’s Friends Colony neighborhood. The hotel has continuously reinvented itself since its inception in the 1950s and was last renovated in 2018. It re-opened with 14 sleek, modern-chic rooms, a restaurant, cafe and patisserie, as well as an events space. Its fine-dining restaurant, Inja, blending Indian and Japanese cuisines, was ranked 87th among Asia’s Top 100 restaurants in 2025.

7. The Grand Dragon, Leh, Ladakh 

Best for high-altitude adventure

Ladakh’s dramatic landscapes, with mountain ranges, desert valleys and high-altitude lakes, have a heavenly charm, and The Grand Dragon Ladakh is redefining hospitality in high altitude. The hotel is built incorporating indigenous architecture and owned by the Abdu family, who have been in the tourism business since the region opened to tourists in 1974. The 76-room hotel comes with panoramic Himalayan views and designs that mirror Ladakhi interiors, with brocade furnishings and teak wood cornices that can also be seen in the Tsemo Castle in Leh. As the hotel is located at about 3500m above sea level, rooms are also equipped with humidifiers that alleviate low oxygen levels and dry air.

8. Hotel Narain Niwas Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan 

Best for a royalty-like stay

India may have ceased its princely states over half a century ago, but many of the fairy-tale palaces that once belonged to the maharajas have been converted into opulent hotels. The Narain Niwas Palace comes with an almost century-old history and opened its doors with just four rooms in 1978. Today, the palatial hotel is managed by the third generation of General Amar Singh, the Thakur of Kanota and Commander of the Jaipur State Forces. 

Spread over 10 acres of land just 3km from Jaipur’s walled city, the hotel has 52 plush rooms, each giving a taste of Rajasthan’s heritage and royal past. Bar Palladio, inspired by Caffé Florian and Harry’s Bar in Venice, is a feast for the eyes with its rich blue decor and frescos, while the Shikaar Bagh restaurant is inspired by a royal hunting lodge, exuding royal leisure vibes.

9. The Rajbari Bawali, Bawali, West Bengal 

Best for heritage architecture 

Located in the Kolkata countryside, the magnificent Rajbari Bawali encapsulates the lavish wealth and residences of Bengal’s zamindars, or estate holders. Though the hotel is not family-owned, it’s a single-owner-managed heritage boutique property, owned and overseen by entrepreneur Ajay Rawla, who acquired and meticulously started restoring the 300-year-old former palace in 2010. The structure, built in neoclassical style with pediments, columns and courtyards, hosted opulent parties and guests during the British rule, but today welcomes travelers to rooms featuring four-poster beds and a variety of artefacts, books and musical instruments in its royal suite. The property has also served as a set to notable Indian movies, including Chokher Bali (2003) and Bulbbul (2020).