Maharashtra
This astonishing choice hidden away in forested mountains 16km south of Lonavla buries the competition for the state's best hotel. The 28 pine and red…
Must-see hotels in India
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Assam
Easily the best place to stay in the Kaziranga area, this superb resort 15km west of Kohora near Bagori Police Outpost, combines fine luxuries and top…
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Panaji
One of the original heritage hotels in Fontainhas, the Panjim Inn has been a long-standing favourite for its character and charm. Run by the lovely…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
This five-star, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum-certified hotel channels the most luxurious local character. The details are…
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Northern Kerala
This fabulous, plastic-free beachfront ecoresort consists of 18 sleekly designed thatch-roof cottages inspired by Kerala fishers' huts, with voguish…
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Mumbai (Bombay)
The grande dame of Mumbai is one of the world’s most iconic hotels and has hosted a roster of presidents and royalty. Sweeping arches, staircases and…
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Shillong
This superbly designed resort among lush woodlands is a gem of a getaway. Abundant use of wood, thatch and earth tones gives a soothingly rustic feel, but…
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New Delhi
Classicism meets art deco at the Imperial, which dates from 1931 and was designed by FB Blomfield, an associate of Lutyens. Rooms have high ceilings,…
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Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
Easily the chicest place to stay in the Andamans, this ecoconscious British-owned luxe-boutique hideaway is built into a banana-and-betel-nut plantation,…
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Agra
Following Oberoi's iron-clad modus operandi of maharaja-level service, exquisite dining and properties that pack some serious wow factor, Agra's best…
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Tamil Nadu
A different Chettiar charm inhabits this gorgeously renovated, French-run mansion from 1910, 6km east of Kanadukathan. Rooms combine the traditional and…
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Jaipur
The legendary Pearl Palace continues to exceed guests' expectations with excellent rooms that defy their tariffs. There’s quite a range of rooms to choose…
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Punjab (India)
Built as a garden palace for Maharaja Rajinder Singh, this nostalgic heritage hotel is Punjab’s most graceful place to spend a night. The enormous,…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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Orchha
Thanks to this successful and popular homestay program, started by the non-profit organisation Friends of Orchha in 2009, travellers have a wonderful…
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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…
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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-…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
A wonderful, laid-back wildlife lodge owned by one of India’s most dedicated tiger campaigners: film-maker, photographer and writer Belinda Wright. It’s…
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Gujarat & Diu
Nestling next to the village of Kathiwada in Madhya Pradesh, just near the Gujarat border, this breathtaking 19th-century mansion was once the hunting…
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Ladakh
How often do you get the chance to bed down in a genuine, functioning Himalayan royal palace? The six suites of old rooms here have been stylishly…
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Himachal Pradesh
Unwind amid bucolic views, birdsong and sounds of rushing water, cool off in the plunge pool beneath apricot trees, meditate, learn local cooking and even…
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Shimla
For the full Raj treatment, you can't beat this exclusive retreat crammed with chandeliers, tapestries, antiques and family portraits. Five…
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Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
This award-winning, luxury homestay, the beautiful, spacious home of a couple who are experts in wildlife and travel, makes a great base for the park's…
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Uttarakhand
Binsar's original Raj-era estate was built in 1856 as the home of British high-commissioner Sir Henry Ramsay. Today it's run by adventure-travel-writer…
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Agra
If you aren't set on sleeping under the nose of the Taj, this centrally located travellers' hub offers the best-value accommodation in Agra, if not the…
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Ahmedabad (Amdavad)
Easily Gujarat's best hotel, this 1920s building – once the home of textile magnate Sheth Mangaldas Girdhardas – was converted into a heritage hotel by…
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Varanasi
This homestay in a 1936 colonial home in a residential neighbourhood 1.5km from the old town is a true catch. Good-hearted host Harish, a 37-year veteran…
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Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
Live like royalty in this grand 1880 building with expansive gardens that was built as a guesthouse for the Prince of Wales (later King George V). Every…
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Amritsar
Founded by the much-missed Mrs Bhandari (1906–2007), this slightly mothballed but friendly guesthouse is set in spacious grounds in Amritsar cantonment,…
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Agra
A retired director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism is your host at this wonderful upscale homestay tucked away in a quiet residential neighbourhood near…
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Lucknow
The 1939 Morris by the entrance sets the tone here, with a classy and stylish collection of courtyards and all-white terraces given colour by original…
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Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
It's as if the designers of this exemplary place read a handy guide to creating the ultimate bush-chic safari lodge and complied exactly. Superplush…
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Maharashtra
Passionate enthusiasts run this two-decade-old, conservation-minded lodge, which is deeply entrenched in studying Tadoba tigers. It's located in the…
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Odisha
The mighty 19th-century palace of the raja of Dhenkanal is set against the foothills of the Eastern Ghats, overlooking the quaint town of Dhenkanal. The…
