253 Best Hotels in India

Trusted, reliable, comfortable, and probably the most efficient family-run hotel in Jaipur—and one of the best bets for a budget stay—the Arya Niwas has that ideal combination of convenience to the heart of the city and cushioning from its noise and chaos. As a busy, large hotel, it loses some characteristic Rajasthani gracious hospitality, but it has a helpful staff, and rooms are clean and unfussy; the bathrooms are decently clean and have reasonable-size showers or tub. The large open area and adjoining café—serving home-cooked Indian and continental vegetarian food—overlooks a well-manicured lawn and garden.

One of the least expensive and most comfortable hotels in the city, rooms here are somewhat small, but the lounge draws a hip crowd every evening. The garden is a great place to chill with a cold beer and tangri kebabs (chicken marinated in yogurt and spices).

The Astoria, with its slightly severe 1930-ish Art Deco exterior, is a decent and reliable midrange hotel. The brightly lit glass and marble lobby provides a cheerful welcome, and the rooms, with wood floors and nondescript furnishings, are neat, comfortable, and clean but a tad institutional—opt for a room on a high floor with a view of the cricket maidans across the street. The Astoria is well located, with Nariman Point, Marine Drive, and Regal Cinema all five minutes away, and it's also away from the bustle because it's set in from the road.

The main draws of this basic resort sandwiched between the roar of the Arabian Sea and the ripple of a backwater lagoon are its ayurvedic treatments and serene surroundings. The midsize rooms, in a whitewashed, one-story building, are simply furnished and well maintained, with cane furnishings and private sitouts (patios) facing the lagoon. A two-minute walk gets you to the public beach. It is 4 km (2½ miles) north of Kovalam, on the way to Trivandrum.

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. 

A seriously steep walk downhill through green environs brings you to a clutter of whitewashed, terra-cotta-roofed cottages, clinging to the slope, where you get a bird's-eye view of tea plantations for miles around, including workers' settlements and a small blue-roofed church. These snug, modest cottage rooms, with parquet floors and interiors done in soothing creams and white, and their verandas, are peaceful and make great spots to catch the valley action.

Located on the bustling Bazaar Road, this 1877 building originally functioned as a granary storing food grains before being renovated into a hotel. The cheerful yellow color of the building's exterior extends to the spacious rooms, which feature high wood-beamed ceilings and vintage-style beds. There’s an inner courtyard garden, a small swimming pool, and a restaurant by the water featuring authentic Kutchi dishes.

This six-story high-rise beachfront hotel is a good choice for those needing easy access to the airport, but not much else. Its chief assets are its big, bright rooms, every one with a direct view of the rolling ocean.

Named after the former hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Jaipur (which still stands in ruins inside Ranthambore Tiger Reserve), this boutique resort features traditional Rajasthani architectural influences like arches and jharokhas as well as a large baoli or stepwell-style swimming pool. The wildlife motif runs throughout with hand-painted murals of tigers, leopards, and other animals adorning the walls of common spaces. Rooms sport modern decor and are set around a large lawn; lower-floor rooms have private plunge pools while those on the upper floor come with views of the Aravallis. Cuisine is a mix of Rajasthani and international fare as well as healthy, vegan, and gluten-free options. The on-site Sansha spa offers indulgent treatments that are great post-safaris, and evenings feature folk performances, bonfire, and guided stargazing sessions.

Cradled in the Aravali hills, this late-19th-century club is where British officers and royalty from Gujarat and Rajputana came to escape the summer heat, and now it combines modern amenities with its country style. Set on18 acres of gardens, with waterfalls and an artificial lake, the main building is a rambling old bungalow with a red-tiled roof and plain but comfortable rooms. There's a restaurant and bar on-site, as well as a billiards room.

A golf course, eight dining options, and private access to the beach add to the mix of this cheery resort, which is spread out over 23 acres. The atrium lobby is a fusion of cathedral and piazza, with wrought-iron garden benches and huge arches and beams. Rooms are big and cozy, and many have lovely views out over the Arabian Sea.

History, style, and attitude combine to make spending time in this 200-year-old Portuguese mansion turned boutique hotel a pleasure. Artfully put together public and private spaces feature stenciled walls with whimsical architectural details throughout, and the open-air lobby has high ceilings and comfortable old-world upholstered couches. Each of the guest rooms (some of which have balconies overlooking the garden or pool) is furnished with antique Goan furniture, four-poster beds, and one-of-a-kind bedspreads.

This rambling, boutique hotel is one of the best places to stay in Baga—the lively beach scene is only a few minutes' walk away, and the friendly staff treat you like family, making up for any upkeep deficits. Open-air public spaces, including the lobby and restaurant, have private seating areas sheltered by varying levels of lush landscaping. Each room is different in size and character, so see what is available at check-in before settling in; choose a second-floor room for more privacy and better views. The finish in the bathroom isn't very high-spec, but you're paying for location and the cool, boutique-y vibe. The restaurant specializes in Goan, Chinese, Continental, and Indian food.

Loutolim's laid-back charm is captured in Norman and Carol Steele's warm and inviting country inn, with its lovely rooms and great home-cooked food. Relaxation is the order of the day, and the well-landscaped 1½ acres have some delightful nooks and crannies to do exactly this. There's also the lively pool area, with colorful Rajasthani accents and an innovative jungle shower. The couple is happy to share maps for nearby nature walks as well as arrange any other trips. Six dogs and six cats are on the premises, but the pets are obedient and in general stay out of the way.

Perched on a hillside high above the Arabian Sea, this smart and stylish contemporary hotel overlooks the wild beauty of Vagator Beach, which guests can reach by following a winding path that descends rather sharply. White leather sofas, glass tables, and designer lighting complete the look of the dining room and bar. The guest rooms have sleek built-ins, spare modern art on the walls, and comfortable beds. An open-air terrace is a lovely viewing spot for a dramatic sunsets.

The cottages here are spacious, clean, and refreshing, and the experienced staff looks after all your needs. The garden is small, but well kept.

Located close to the Old City and its attractions, this moderately priced boutique hotel sports a blend of Rajput and Mewar architecture. Rooms are compact (even the suites are only slightly larger), but they do have all the basic amenities and are immaculately clean; two of the suites also come with views of the City Palace. Savor a mix of Rajasthani, North Indian, and international fare at the rooftop restaurant, which has great views of the city and the palace. The pool on the rooftop is rather small but has pretty jharokha-style architecture, and of course, lovely views.

Suited to Palolem's long-term backpackers, Ciaran’s has evolved over the years from beachfront, coco palm–thatched huts into proper cottages, all with an individual veranda and set around a small garden. Don't expect luxurious amenities, but rooms are clean and well-maintained, and visitors tend to spend most of their time on the beach, just outside their doors, anyway. It is also probably the most popular of the local bunch, so make sure to book well in advance. There is free Wi-Fi, affordable massages on request, and a multi-cuisine restaurant.

One of the cheapest decent hotels on the Juhu strip, and right on the beach, the Citizen is a deal in a city where you seemingly pay for every square inch. The hotel isn't going to win awards for style, either inside or out, but the rooms are quite comfortable, and there are beach views from the windows. Bathrooms are tiny, with just showers (no tubs). The open-air seaside restaurant, Bay View, is pleasant, and ideal for a beer and lazing around.

In 1950, three years after Independence, an Indian family was talked into building a hotel with a British aesthetic, and the result was a winner: tasteful yet unpretentious, in a central yet quiet location. The old-fashioned charm starts on the front lawn strewn with cane chairs, and in the lobby, with its two swing staircases. Standard rooms are medium-size, but all rooms facing the pool have either a window seat, terrace, or balcony. Rooms in the newer wing have plasma televisions, marble floors, and immaculately designer furnishings.

With upscale amenities amid lots of greenery, Clarks makes a good option for a quiet stay, and has been the choice of Indian celebrities such as Hrithik Roshan. Rooms have lots of natural light and wood laminate floors; the best ones overlook the palm-fringed pool or lawn. The plush hotel lobby is all cool white marble and chandeliers, looking out onto a green driveway.

On a dense coconut plantation, just a two-minute walk (about 500 yards) from Bogmalo Beach and a 5-km (3-mile) drive from Dabolim Airport, this charming little resort with spotless, airy rooms, and a small swimming pool is run by friendly staff. Unlike many of Goa's mid-range resorts, it succeeds in creating a mellow vibe, despite the occasional noise of planes from a nearby Indian Airforce base.

This serene Kerala backwaters resort, bordered by the lake and the backwaters on three sides and crisscrossed with canals and footbridges, is dotted with bungalows, private pool villas, and mansions. Ettukettu, one of the restaurants here, is painstakingly reassembled from parts of an approximately 300-year-old Kerala tharawad (traditional house). The hotel has a butterfly garden.

Set in a restored 1921 home, this sprawling boutique hotel is an intricately carved sandstone structure with individually styled rooms, all of which look out over the garden. Room decor steers clear of Rajasthani kitsch and is understated with vintage furnishing, a cozy window nook, and spacious bathroom. The rooftop infinity pool is perfect to relax in (with a view of the neighborhood) or get a champi (vigorous head massage) in the garden. The in-house restaurant and bar—both called Old Loco—serve great cocktails with Indian and global cuisine. The hotel collaborates with local entrepreneurs and creatives to offer curated experiences that range from tours of top attractions to offbeat trails in and around the city.

One of the more moderately priced hotels in Jodhpur, this quiet hotel is in a spacious, pleasant garden, with plenty of spots to relax in the open air, and a nice pool. The homey rooms—with a choice of two sizes—are tastefully furnished with antique furniture and bathrooms with attractive black-and-white checked floors; some rooms have window seats. A small restaurant, open only to hotel guests, serves thalis. Safaris around Jodhpur can be arranged.

The hotel can be hard to locate so call ahead of your arrival for help.

In Jaipur's popular C-Scheme neighborhood (with hip coffee shops and boutiques), this palace, dating from the 18th century and retaining its regal ambience, is a peaceful, intimate, and charming alternative to staying in the rowdy Old City. Run by the royal Diggi Rajput clan, this refreshing retreat has large open courtyards, lawns, and extensive gardens; rooms are simple, clean, and well maintained, with elegant dark wood furniture (some with four-poster beds) and traditional Rajasthani features. The restaurant offers Indian dining with alfresco and terrace seating; the breakfast buffet is included in the price. The city's hub is just a 15-minute walk away.

Merging the old with the new, this boutique hotel reflects the heritage of Kochi's Dutch era, offering elegant rooms with modern conveniences. From the model of the 17th-century Batavia ship that sits at the reception to paintings that harken back to the city's seafaring past, a nautical theme runs through the property's decor. There's a lush lawn and swimming pool.

A boutique hotel in a quiet neighborhood, Ekaa is perfect for a taste of homely hospitality. The interiors are inspired by Agra's crafts and monuments, featuring hatching patterns and concave ceilings. The rooms are furnished with linens, marble decor, digital prints, and paraben-free bath products---all sourced locally and available for sale at the in-house boutique. Spread across three floors, the property has ample indoor and outdoor spaces including an open-plan dining room, lounge areas, a terrace, and a courtyard. The team is entirely local to Agra, and offers tours of the city that take you beyond popular emporiums and monuments to experience hyper-local culture. At the property, the same is offered by way of their Pattal ki Daawat, a five-course meal featuring dishes cooked in Agra's homes.

If you want a taste of life in the Raj, stay in this Kolkata landmark that dates from 1801 and is in a neighborhood now popular with backpackers and volunteers. A small hotel, the Fairlawn has memorabilia-cluttered walls, a winding staircase, and a very homey feel.