Thalassery, Kerala Holidays, India

This is a gem of a heritage homestay. Built by a British official in the 1860s, the colonial-era mansion crowns a wooded hilltop on the outskirts of Thalassery town in northern Kerala, close to where the East India Company established its first cinnamon plantation. With its original wood floors, high-beamed ceilings, family heirlooms and antique fourposters, the house’s interior feel like stepping into a bygone era. The temple-style pool is equally delightful, but it’s the hospitality of hosts, the Moosas, that makes this place really special.