The lavishly appointed Mayfair, on the Mall opposite the Governor’s Residence, occupies the former summer palace of the Maharaja of Nazargunj. On a high natural balcony overlooking the valley, the location is plum – weather permitting, you…

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This is a corner of India where the sun has, most resolutely, not set on the Empire. Stepping into the Windamere is like entering a 1940s time warp. The rooms, clad in white-gloss tongue and groove, vary in size and comfort, but retain thei…

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It’s hard to imagine a more heavenly location in the Himalayan foothills than the wooded slope occupied by this charming hotel outside Almora. Dotted around a British house dating from colonial times, its widely spaced cottages nestle in th…

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On the edge of Pragpur village in the Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh stands a stately manor house, built by a local judge in 1918 and now run as a charming country hotel. Once within its walls, you enter a parallel world reminiscent of…

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Enjoy one of our favourite experiences of staying in the foothills of the stunning Kanchenjunga range to experience the heavenly 1,600-acre working Tea Estate established by an entrepreneurial Scottish planter in 1859. Sitting at a fold in…

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If you’re staying in Haridwar, you will want to be close to the centre of the action near the ghats. And no smart hotel in town occupies a position as plum as this. The covered rear terrace of the marble-lined mansion literally opens straig…

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The Cecil is the Oberoi Group’s flagship hotel in Shimla. Kipling was a regular in his youth, but wouldn’t recognize the place today. Although the trademark alpine-style, white-and-green exterior has changed little, the inside has had a tot…

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Staying on board traditional houseboats is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience Srinagar. The boats provide an opportunity to experience elegant living in beautifully carved boats as you float on the still waters of Dal and Nagin La…

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Located close to the Norbulingka Institue for Tibetan arts and Dalai Lama’s residence, Chonor House is the place to stay in Dharamsala. Set under old cedar trees beside a pretty garden, it was designed by a British architect and has been be…

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On the verdant fringes of Lower Dharamshala, Blossoms Village is an attractively designed, modern resort, offering rooms in a multi-storey block or suites in more spacious cottages overlooking a well tended terraced garden. The architectur…

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‘Shambha La’ translates as ‘Heaven on Earth’, and this serene spot on the edge of the Ladakhi capital certainly deserves its name. Nestled under a stand of shimmering poplars, it’s run by smiling hosts Pintoo and Tsering Narboo and comprise…

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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 a…

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