Varanasi
Varanasi's most expensive hotel is set in the beautifully renovated former palace of the local maharaja. Its 10 rooms ooze luxury and refinement,…
Must-see hotels in Asia
Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel
Dhaka
Perfectly located for the airport and Cantonment train station, the Radisson Blu might look close to a busy highway, but the rooms themselves mostly look…
Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps
Russ the Kiwi has everything covered in Donguri, high above Hakuba. The dorm rooms are tight, but communal lounge, kitchen and party rooms make this a top…
Guwahati
In a quiet residential area, this delightful place run by ex-professor Shiela and her husband, Mahesh, is one of the best homestays in India. The property…
Dhaka
Everything about this small but top-quality hotel, from the modern glass bathroom fittings to the rooftop pool and the excellent restaurant, is simply…
Panaji
The Panjim Peoples is an atmospheric and beautifully restored heritage hotel with just four enormous upstairs rooms in what was formerly the Peoples High…
North Male Atoll
Astonishingly impressive Gili Lankanfushi is the original pioneer of barefoot luxury in Maldives, where the 'no shoes, no news' philosophy reigns supreme…
Northern Atolls
This stunning new arrival to Baa Atoll has instantly joined the ranks of the finest resorts in the country, having transported the glamour and style of…
North Male Atoll
One & Only Reethi Rah is still king of the Maldivian resorts. There may be resorts that cost more, but none have surpassed this extraordinary and…
Northern Atolls
Rightly one of the most famous resorts in the country, ecofabulous Soneva Fushi is the place to get back to nature in style. The personal creation of…
Northern Atolls
This extraordinary place is a palace of a hotel in the grand style. The combination of vast, brilliantly designed rooms, great beaches and perfect service…
Southern Atolls
Six Senses Laamu is an amazing place, combining thoughtful luxury, rustic simplicity, outstanding culinary options and plenty of activities. The island…
North & South Male Atolls
Meaning 'vastness of space' in Dhivehi, Jumeirah Vittaveli is actually half created from reclaimed land, though you'd never guess that from looking at it…
Northern Atolls
Kanuhura is a sumptuous, impressive place with magnificent beaches, stunning accommodation and top-notch food. It’s classy and stylish without being too…
Southern Atolls
This gorgeous resort, spread between two lush islands, is an extremely impressive fusion of alluring white beaches, ultra-high-end accommodation and…
Northeastern Thailand
Bunloed and Angelina (he's Thai, she's French) welcome guests to this charming cluster of self-built huts they call home on the edge of peaceful Ban Kham…
Orchha
Thanks to this successful and popular homestay program, started by the non-profit organisation Friends of Orchha in 2009, travellers have a wonderful…
Rihiveli by Castaway Hotels & Escapes
North & South Male Atolls
One of Maldives' less mainstream resorts, Rihiveli has almost nothing in common with islands pitched at package tourists, and remains true to the spirit…
Shangri-La Villingili Resort & Spa
Addu Atoll
This enormous but beautifully and thoughtfully conceived island ranks among the absolute top resorts in Maldives. It's right in the south of the country,…
Ari Atoll & Around
W Maldives is sleek and imaginative, a boutique luxury island loaded with more casual cool than any other in the country. W manages to get it right on all…
Negros
The most luxurious resort in Dauin, possibly all of Negros, Atmosphere has a dash of Miami Beach style leavened with Filipino warmth and a dedicated team…
Northern Atolls
Surrounded by a perfectly circular reef, the thickly vegetated Kihavahuravalhi is ringed by gorgeous white-sand beaches: you couldn’t ask for a more…
Central Java
Housed in a faded but charming art deco structure built in 1926, Vogels is a backpacker institution that's barely changed since it opened in 1978 – even…
North & South Male Atolls
This wonderful place was an early Maldivian resort, and since its lavish refit at the hands of COMO, Cocoa Island has consistently impressed with its…
Eastern Tibet
Set on a slope above the Parlung Tsangpo beside Bakha Gompa, this family-run guesthouse is one of the most scenically placed in all of Kham, overlooking…
Northern Atolls
This excellent place is spread out along a gorgeous 1km-long white-sand beach on Hanimaadhoo's remote northern shore. It's perhaps the closest melding of…
Himachal Pradesh
If money was no object, regal Wildflower Hall would be almost anyone's top choice of lodgings in Himachal Pradesh. It looms like a modernist Bavarian…
Southern Laos
Run by a Lao-Italian family, the Kingfisher Ecolodge is set on 7 hectares at the edge of the wetland, about 700m past Kiet Ngong village. It's a beautiful…
Odisha
This gorgeous rural four-room lodge, made of local materials and decorated by tribal artists, is run by Heritage Tours. Activities on offer include half-…
Lodges Ekologika on Portibi Farms
West Java
Set on the terraced slopes of Gunung Salak (2211m), this organic farm and gourmet kitchen has developed a reputation for imaginative meals crafted from…
Odisha
Run by Aussie Leon, this is an earthen-walled refuge with beautiful terracotta flooring, a colourful sari ceiling and five contemporary rooms. The Western…
Buriram Province
Bringing artistic flair and fantastic value to the rice fields of rural Buriram, this family-run place is fun, attractive and utterly relaxing. Many of…
Shimla
Some 40 steps down through a barely signed green gate take you from busy Cart Rd into a magical forest-garden wonderland. Here nestles this wonderfully…
Naoshima
A stay at this unique Ando-designed hotel-museum is a treat for art and architecture enthusiasts. Accommodation is in four different wings – Museum, Oval,…
Sikkim
If you'd like to escape from techno-modernity, yet unwind with highly educated, thoughtful hosts, it's hard to imagine anywhere better than this isolated…
The Terai & Mahabharat Range
This is one mountain resort that actually deserves to be called Shangri La. The long way in resembles the movie version of Lost Horizon, the book that…
Sabah
Located on the bank of an oxbow lake, far from any village, this wonderful place is great for wildlife spotting. Digs are simple: six twin rooms with bug…
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
This riverside lodge 2km from Madla gate is a superb base. Eight large, very comfortable cottages are spread around the grounds, with thick, cooling mud…
Nusa Tenggara
Upon arriving at the airport, drivers shout, 'La P'tite Kepa?' – thus is the popularity of this French-owned, solar-powered dive resort. There are 11…
Southern Atolls
The first resort in remote Thaa Atoll is this glorious creation of the COMO group. The highlights include superb food, an excellent holistic spa and state…
