13 Best Hotels in India

Ensconced on the first floor of Colaba's Lansdowne House is a 100-year-old home made over into a hipster-chic boutique hotel with vintage furniture, chrome fans, and old-fashioned tiled flooring. Location, of course, is excellent---it's right next to the royal Taj Mahal Towers and in the pulsing center of Colaba. The in-house dining is rather sparse, although the coffee bar is excellent; luckily, you have all of Colaba's restaurants at your feet.

The best deal in Colaba—a clean, quaint, simple tourist joint in a prime South Mumbai location—is the kind of place young expats send visiting friends to stay at if they don't have room to host them themselves. In the heart of the Colaba Causeway, its side-road setting makes it surprisingly quiet, and any lack of modern amenities is more than balanced by the charm. Rooms, with old-style wooden furniture, come in two sizes. 

This boutique heritage hotel, furnished with antiques, is in the heart of the town, with great views of the palace and fort. It offers a range of tastefully decorated bright-white rooms, from simple budget accommodations to elegant suites, and many have window seats to take advantage of the views. The rooftop restaurant on-site also has good views of the lake and Bundi's Old Town, but the food itself is mediocre.

This small, homey resort south of Kovalam near the beach has specialized in ayurvedic treatment since 1997. Rooms in the marble-floor main building, are simply furnished and spotless; some have balconies overlooking a coconut grove or the pool. The beach is a short walk away.

The quirky, charming, and nearly 500-year-old Juna Mahal, owned by a priestly family once attached to Jodhpur's royal temples, is tucked away from the congestion in one of the upper streets of the Old City (access is by auto-rickshaw) and resembles a carved dollhouse. While first impressions might be underwhelming, the wonderful views from the rooftop vegetarian restaurant and the warm and hospitable owners are good reasons to stay. Rooms are named after Hindu gods and have neatly whitewashed walls, antique furniture, vegetable-dye handloomed soft furnishings, and private bathrooms (some are not attached). The Lord Ganesh room is the best due to its sweeping views and spaciousness.

Famous for its traditional Rajasthani thali available in its rooftop eatery, comfy KB has accommodations that are equally authentic and striking and located smack in the center of town near the historic Patwon ki Haveli. Room highlights are cheery Rajasthani furnishings, window seats, balconies, and accents in stone. Bathrooms are gray-tiled and clean. Views of the Fort and the Patwon ki Haveli from the terrace are impressive. Though KB Lodge's accommodations are more basic than its sister hotel Killa Bhawan, inside the fort, it is still pleasant.

A stone's throw from the sea, and reasonably priced, this rustic collection of beach huts is emblematic of accommodations in Palolem and a good place to get a no-frills beach hut experience. Standard rooms lack air-conditioning, and are thus worth avoiding in favor of the sea-facing air-conditioned deluxe shacks or cottages. The restaurant serves everything from seafood and cocktails to cheese toasties and enchiladas. This property is quite basic, but it's an experience and more comfortable than some of the other huts. 

Perfect for foodies, wildlife enthusiasts, and those who like to engage with locals, this cozy homestay in the upscale C-Scheme residential area is run by an energetic young couple, the Rathores—one a naturalist who runs wildlife tours, the other a food enthusiast who offers cooking and rangoli (a form of folk art) classes. Rooms are simple and modern but comfortable and very clean, with coordinated color schemes and large bathrooms; the upstairs rooms have a rooftop patio. Apart from the four rooms, the homestay also offers a cottage with private courtyard. Outside there's a lush garden with a swing. A simple but enriching continental or Indian breakfast is included, and dinner is an option that's well worth taking up. The homestay is a little hard to locate, so call for directions before arriving.

More than 500 years old, this budget and mildly eccentric hotel is located at the highest point of the Old City, just below the fort, and has a great vibe—traditional, local, and chilled out. The haveli lodging has basic accommodations yet opulent decorations, sprawled across many levels, with each room having a distinct look. The highest rooms, which are spartan, open out onto a terrace and have wonderful vistas of the Blue City; other rooms open onto a second-floor sitting area or into the courtyard. The house was gifted by the maharaja of Jodhpur to his army commander Shri Akheraj Sa Singhvi in 1778.

This large and well-located hotel, right in the middle of town, is primarily used by business travelers. Its neatly furnished rooms with wooden floors are on the small side. There's a spa, a salon, and a swimming pool as well. 

Outside the Old City, this hotel offers a respite from the hustle and bustle, and what it lacks in excitement, it makes up for in hospitality and subdued charm—and children will enjoy the nightly puppet show. The modern rooms are tasteful and spacious with rich furnishings, though they lack the artful decorations of other hotels in the city. Some rooms overlook the pool and some the garden, and second-floor rooms have small balconies. Marwar, the multi-cuisine restaurant with a large breakfast buffet, is open all day, while The Good Earth is open for dinner and offers Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines. For a drink, The Bar, which is open all afternoon and evening, serves cocktails and bar snacks, and the Poolside Grill serves Indian barbecue in the evenings.

There are very few comfortable lodgings located inside Jaisalmer fort, but this is one of them---but note that it is a climb to get to rooms on higher floors or the terrace. The rooms are done in an austere but comfortable manner, and some have nice views. They showcase yellow sandstone, multihued pane doors, and colorful Rajasthani furnishings. The rooftop terraces offer grand vistas of both the city within the fort and beyond.

The Y is about the cheapest you can go and still have a decent, clean, and safe room. Rooms are in a colorless modern block and lack anything special, though the air-conditioned rooms are more pleasant and less drab than the non-air-conditioned ones. Whichever you opt for, expect just the basics, plus a shower. Everything is at an average level of cleanliness, though the halls and stairwells could be spiffier. Ask for a street-facing room; some have balconies. Rates include morning tea and buffet breakfast and dinner in the dining hall (guests only); room service is available for a slightly higher cost. It's essential to reserve a month or two in advance. Most rooms are singles or doubles, but there are also triples and "family" rooms (the latter have four beds). There's a common room, and it's good place to meet fellow travelers.