All guides 20 published
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Three Rajasthan palace hotels, and what they actually cost
Rambagh Palace, Umaid Bhawan and Samode Haveli compared on rate, location and who each one is genuinely for.
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Udaipur lake hotels, and whether the view is worth it
Taj Lake Palace sits in the middle of Lake Pichola. Oberoi Udaivilas looks at it from the bank. You cannot photograph the Lake Palace from inside it.
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Mumbai harbour hotels: three addresses, three very different bills
The Taj at Colaba, The Oberoi and Trident at Nariman Point. Which wing you book at the Taj matters more than the booking page admits.
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Kerala backwaters: resort, houseboat, or both
Houseboats moor at dusk and do not move again until morning. Why one night on the water is the right number, and where to sleep the rest of the time.
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Varanasi ghat hotels, and the catch nobody mentions
Most of the riverfront has no road access. You either walk in through the lanes with your luggage or arrive by boat.
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Bengaluru business hotels: pick by traffic, not by star rating
Whitefield and Electronic City are on opposite sides of the city. Choosing the wrong side costs you two hours a day.
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Where to stay in Delhi, and why the area matters more than the hotel
The Imperial and Lutyens options against staying in the old city or near the airport. Metro lines, traffic and indicative rates.
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Goa: north or south, and what that choice actually costs you
Taj Fort Aguada in the north against quiet south Goa beaches. Which coast suits which trip, with indicative rates.
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Hotels near the Taj Mahal, and which ones actually have the view
Taj-facing rooms in Agra are a small and expensive category, and many hotels claiming a view do not have one.
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Himachal hill station hotels: Shimla, Manali and the altitude trade-off
The Oberoi Cecil in Shimla against valley stays in Manali. Heritage ridge walks against high mountain pass drives.
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Rishikesh wellness retreats: riverfront luxury against Tapovan ashrams
Taj Rishikesh and isolated river retreats against staying near Lakshman Jhula. Silence upriver against walking to yoga classes.
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Ranthambore wildlife lodges: luxury tents, zones and safari booking reality
Aman-i-Khas and Oberoi Vanyavilas against the reality of forest zone permit caps. Tented luxury and safari permit planning.
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Hyderabad luxury hotels: palace grandeur against tech corridor convenience
Taj Falaknuma Palace in the old city against ITC Kohenur in HITEC City and Park Hyatt in Banjara Hills.
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Kolkata heritage hotels: grand colonial addresses against modern high-rises
The Oberoi Grand on Chowringhee against ITC Royal Bengal on EM Bypass and Park Street dining district stays.
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Andaman island resorts: Havelock beach luxury and the ferry reality
Taj Exotica on Radhanagar Beach against Barefoot eco-cottages and ferry connection logistics from Port Blair.
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Ladakh hotels in Leh: heritage houses, high altitude and the acclimatisation rule
Nimmu House and Stok Palace against family guesthouses in Leh town. High altitude rest rules and solar heating.
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Darjeeling tea estate stays: colonial bungalows against town hotels
Glenburn Tea Estate in the valley against Mayfair Darjeeling on the ridge. Quiet plantation walks against town square access.
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Amritsar hotels: how close to the Golden Temple do you need to be
Heritage Street stays walking distance to Sri Harmandir Sahib against Taj Swarna on the outer ring road and free pilgrim sarais.
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Budget hostels in India: what Rs 700 a night actually gets you
The hostel chains, what to check before booking a dorm in India, and where the cheap end genuinely works.
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Eco stays in India: separating real practice from green paint
Spice Village in Thekkady, Kaziranga bamboo lodges and how to check whether a property's sustainability claims mean anything.
How this site works
The short version
- One writer, Sushant Kumar, named on every guide. No invented co-authors.
- Rates are ranges in rupees, each stamped with the month checked. They move, so check before booking.
- I have not stayed at every hotel here and the site does not pretend I have.
- Photographs are other people's work, credited on the credits page.
- Where something could not be confirmed, the guide says so.