Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India

If you’ve come to the honey-coloured citadel to immerse yourself in its otherworldly, Arabian Nights atmosphere, then this is the hotel for you. Occupying three of the fort’s barrel-shaped bastions, the rooms are an unashamedly romantic mix of crimson, lime and pistachio-hued silk that contrast beautifully with the ochre tones of the old walls. Little alcoves harbour antique brass or wood-carved deities, and pillared sitouts offer places to lounge while you gaze through cusp-arched windows over the surrounding rooftops. Staying here is a simply wonderful experience – from breakfast, which you can enjoy on a terrace as the sun illuminates the haveli’s stonework, to the night time, when local Manganiyar Gypsies perform under the stars.