Maharashtra
For a bit of rustic cultural immersion, good-hearted man about town Sadeek and his uncle Rafiq have four simple rooms in their village home, 2km from the…
Must-see hotels in South India
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mumbai's best hostel fills four floors of a crusty, can't-miss-it grey-and-pastel-rosé residential building in Colaba, with tiled stairwells and other…
Maharashtra
Run by a very hospitable family, this long-running place has been hosting happy travellers for years (though slow internet often derails their ability to…
Alappuzha (Alleppey)
Around 12km southeast of Alleppey, long-running Green Palm Homes is a series of homestays in a picturesque village on a backwater island, where you sleep…
Northern Kerala
Amid coffee, fruit and spice plantations with sweeping reservoir panoramas, Amaryllis elevates the humble Kerala homestay into a luxury-boutique affair…
Kochi (Cochin)
Above an astonishing private antiques collection, each of these eight exquisitely and individually themed design-meets-heritage rooms – with glossy…
Alappuzha (Alleppey)
Across the road from the beach, this thoughtfully renovated 1860s heritage home offers Alleppey's most character-filled accommodation. The 10 rooms have…
Kerala
Hidden from the beach but with the backwaters on your doorstep, Les 3 Elephants is a soothing French-Indian-owned resort with boutique flair. The…
Karnataka
The very rustic Tiger Ranch has basic cottages, a thatched-roof dining hall and fine home-cooked food. There's good walking in the surrounding forest, and…
Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)
Respecting (and replanting) the local rainforest, this much-anticipated Taj Group property brings contemporary luxury to Radhanagar. Glossy villas,…
Mysuru (Mysore)
A former maharaja’s guesthouse, built in 1921, this vast building has considerable old-world charm, including a 'birdcage' elevator and fine mosaic-tiled…
Kovalam
All calming ochre tones, terracotta tiling and minimalist flair, this intimate German-owned seafront pick has eight ground-floor rooms finished with…
Kerala
The queen of Kumarakom’s luxury accommodation is this 67-room Keralan-inspired beauty fronting Vembanad Lake, complete with ayurvedic spa, yoga, two…
Kochi (Cochin)
On the site of a Victorian-era shipyard, this grand CGH creation faithfully reproduces 16th-, 17th- and 18th-century Dutch, British and Portuguese…
Kovalam
Tucked into the southern curl of Lighthouse Beach, the 14 elegant and refreshingly spacious rooms at this stylish pad gaze out on the beach from private…
Alappuzha (Alleppey)
In a peaceful lakefront setting 4km north of Alleppey, this welcoming, creative operation amid natural canals sleeps guests on a floating mini houseboat…
Arambol (Harmal)
The five rooms and two suites (all named after days of the week) are part of the refurbished heritage hotel within the walls of the Portuguese Fort…
Varkala
Tucked away behind the North Cliff, this warm, highly regarded guesthouse throws boutique style into its impeccably kept gleaming-white rooms and six…
Maharashtra
Just 3km from Sevagram, Paunar village is home to the Brahma Vidya Mandir Ashram. Simple but well-structured shared rooms are available for overnight…
South Goa
Rajbag is dominated by the presence of this 85-acre five-star. The hotel is particularly popular with well-heeled domestic and Russian tourists, and is…
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Secluded rooms with colourful flourishes, antique beds and photos of the original owners surround two pillared patios at this renovated 130-year-old home,…
Varkala
Six-person, locker-equipped en suite dorms (some air-conditioned) and smartish private doubles with simple murals are the draw at this social budget hang…
Mumbai (Bombay)
India’s most popular backpacker’s hostel chain has come to the northern Mumbai suburb of Andheri. Zostel offers a mix of women-only and mixed dorm rooms…
South Goa
Goa’s largest and most luxurious resort, the opulent Leela is the place to indulge your five-star fantasies. Set amid 30 hectares of land, this enormous…
Kerala
Designed in the style of a colonial-era tea-planter's bungalow, Windermere's graceful, cream-coloured villa opens onto gardens reaching down to a gorgeous…
Mysuru (Mysore)
The maharaja built the Green Hotel in the 1920s as a palace for his daughters. Today it's a heritage hotel set among charming gardens. Rooms in the old…
Kovalam
The Kovalam branch of this glitzy Indian group is nuzzled into lush grounds with direct seafront access. Individual thatched cottages come tastefully…
Varkala
Bold pink and turquoise design meets a homely, social feel at this boutiqueified British-run yoga and surf retreat spread across lush gardens atop the…
Chennai (Madras)
Luxurious without being overly ostentatious, the glittering Coromandel offers a sensibly central top-end retreat from the city. Rooms flaunt a smart…
Aurangabad
This 2018 newcomer has upped the stakes in Aurangabad's budget hotel offerings with upgraded Ginger attributes: clean, modern, attractive rooms that are…
Kochi (Cochin)
What may just be one of the most romantic boutique hotels in Kerala, Malabar flaunts its chic blend of contemporary design and original 18th-century…
Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra
Kerala
Built into natural groves of mango, banana and banyan trees and offering A-list-style seclusion, luxurious Niraamaya's 33 glammed-up traditional Keralan…
Kochi (Cochin)
The first thing you'll notice at the Waterfront Granary is the 1928 Ford vintage car in the lounge. This is a museum-hotel, where relics from the owner's…
North Goa
Below Chapora Fort and terracing down to Vagator Beach, W Goa is the newest and swankiest hotel in North Goa with a price tag to match. This is luxury all…
Kodaikanal (Kodai)
Deep in the valley 22km northeast of Kodaikanal, off the Kodaikanal–Palani Rd, this ecofriendly French-run retreat sprawls across 48 hectares of mountain…
Munnar
An elegant boutique-meets-country retreat, 4km southeast of Munnar, where 18 supremely spacious garden- and valley-view rooms are sprinkled around serene…
Kerala
Wrapped in greenery, 4.5km southeast of Cherai Beach, this blue-washed 250-year-old house makes an intimate, character-filled escape. French owner Marco…
Kerala
For something uniquely creative, seek out these four palm-fringed 'art cottages' attached to an artisan pottery warehouse, which occupies a reincarnated…
Munnar
Handily located near the main bus station, this popular guesthouse has fresh, clean budget rooms (the best on the upper floor), a friendly welcome, and…
Coonoor
This beautifully positioned farm on Coonoor's southeast edge is sustainably run with solar heating, rainwater harvesting and fresh cheeses from the milk…
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