For the full Raj treatment, you can't beat this exclusive retreat crammed with chandeliers, tapestries, antiques and family portraits. Five supercomfortable bedrooms are available within the lavish family mansion of a raja's grandson who lovingly maintains the aristocratic flavour of bygone days. A huge gold-toned drawing room, monkeys playing on the lawn, impeccable service and fine meals all add to a memorable experience.
Chapslee is perched atop Elysium Hill on the northern edge of Shimla, within walking distance of The Ridge and The Mall. There's no sign – double back through green gates when you reach the Aukland School. The house, which dates back to 1830, was bought in 1938 by the Raja of Kapurthala, a Sikh-ruled princely state in Punjab. It still reflects a mixed British/Indian/European aesthetic favoured by Indian nobility in that era – and, unlike in some heritage hotels, everything still works perfectly!