Manali, Banon Resorts

Situated on the leafy outskirts of Manali, with views across apple orchards and deodar forests to the distant snow peaks, Banon Resorts comprises centrally heated rooms in a large main block, and smaller cottages dotted around a couple of acres of landscaped grounds. Although modern, the buildings are made of traditional pahari-style cedar and stone layers, with roof lines mimicking the old-fashioned tiled houses you see in local villages. Wood-burning stoves keep the cottages cosy in winter; and there’s a pleasant restaurant on site whose terrace enjoys a great view down the valley – make the most of such comforts if you’re heading north over Rohtang on the trans-Himalayan highway to Ladakh!