Best Hotel Bets

Not surprisingly, most of these are in Rajasthan, which has almost 80 heritage properties -- castles, palaces, forts, and ornate havelis (traditional mansions), now hotels offering varying degrees of comfort.

Taj Mahal Hotel (Mumbai): George Bernard Shaw famously claimed that after staying here, he no longer had any need to visit the real Taj Mahal in Agra. Built just over a century ago by an Indian industrialist, the Taj hosts the world's rich and famous and remains the most celebrated address in Mumbai.

Nilaya Hermitage (Goa): Parisian fashion stylist Claudia Derain and her husband, Hari Ajwani, came to Goa on vacation and -- like so many -- never left. Together with Goan architect Dean D'Cruz, they've created an Arabian Nights fantasy, with only 12 "cosmic-themed" guest suites and gorgeously informal public spaces overlooking paddy fields and coconut-palm groves. Despite being 6km (4 miles) from the nearest beach, Nilaya is one of Goa's most perfect getaways.

Surya Samudra Beach Garden (near Kovalam, Kerala): A small collection of traditional cottages on a terraced hillside overlooking the sea, with direct access to two picture-perfect beaches, Surya Samudra is quite simply the most Paradisiacal destination on the Malabar coast. Gazing over the Arabian Sea from your private deck (ask for a cottage near the beach), you will no doubt wish you'd spent your entire vacation here.

Tranquil Resorts (Wyanad, Northern Kerala): Experiencing life on a 162-hectare (400-acre) working coffee and vanilla plantation at the edge of Wyanad National Park with hosts Victor and Ranjini Dey is like being at a grand coffee-planter's private house party where you are the guest of honor. This has got to be the warmest, most wonderful homestay in all of India.

Amarvilas (Agra, Uttar Pradesh): If you've always dreamed of seeing the Taj Mahal, this is the place to celebrate that achievement. Built within the green belt that surrounds the monument, you can literally see the Taj from your bed, but you'll probably spend just as much time gazing at your immediate surroundings. With its huge reflecting pools, colonnaded courts, terraced lawns, inlaid murals, and pillowed pavilions, this palatial hotel is worth every cent.

Rajvilas (near Jaipur, Rajasthan): This is arguably the best of the Oberoi's flagship Vilas properties. Built like a traditional fortified Rajasthani palace, Rajvilas may not have the history of an authentic heritage hotel, but it offers a level of comfort, luxury, and service other properties cannot match, enabling even the most world-weary guest (Bill Clinton loved it) to "live in the princely style of Rajasthan."

Aman-i-Khás (Ranthambhore, Rajasthan): Located a stone's throw from India's most famous tiger sanctuary, the superb accommodations -- huge temperature-controlled Mughal-style royal tents stylishly divided by cool white drapes -- and impeccable service are distinctly Aman. At night, lanterns light your way to the giant flaming uruli (large metal vessel) around which guests gather to enjoy the night sky and the ethereal calm, broken only by the occasional call from the wilds.

Deogarh Mahal & Rawla Narlai (Rural Rajasthan): An ornate 17th-century fort-palace with domed turrets and balconies, personally managed by the charming Thakur of Deogarh, Deogarh Mahal is one of the most authentic and best-value heritage hotels in Rajasthan, best visited on a road trip between Jaipur and Udaipur. Book the aptly named "Royal" suite, and it's not hard to feel that all you survey from your private balcony is yours. Rawla Narlai, the 17th-century hunting retreat of the Maharajah of Jodphur, is another rural gem that will have you feeling like a royal guest -- and it's the ideal stopover if you're traveling between Udaipur and Jodhpur. You'll stay for one night and wish you'd planned for three.

Lake Palace Hotel (Udaipur, Rajasthan): Built on an island by the Maharana in 1740 as a cool summer retreat (swimming distance from his palace), this is perhaps the most romantic -- certainly the most photographed -- hotel in India. Whizzing across the waters to your private palace, you'll feel you've finally arrived -- and if you've booked one of the heritage suites, you have. Floating like a beautiful white ship on the waters of Lake Pichola, the hotel offers good service, comfortable lodging, and picture-perfect 360-degree views -- though it must be noted that a severe drought has currently left the palace somewhat grounded at press time.

Kankarwa (Udaipur, Rajasthan): A short stroll from the City Palace, this ancient haveli right on the shores of Lake Pichola is the best budget heritage option in Rajasthan. Run by a family who have resided here for 200 years, rooms cost just Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,650 ($28-$38). Book room no. 204 -- a cool, whitewashed room with white bedding, perfectly offset by two touches of color: the blue waters of the lake reflected outside the jarokha (window seat), and a red lamp indoors.

Devi Garh (near Udaipur, Rajasthan): If you're a modern-design enthusiast, this hotel will blow you away. An 18th-century Rajput palace-fort, its formidable exterior, towering over the tiny village at its base, remains unchanged. But step inside and you'll find a totally reinvented minimalist interior, with 14 floors transformed into 23 chic suites (with 18 more opening soon) that have clearly utilized the talents of the best young Indian designers -- all of whom laid to rest the perception that design here reached its apotheosis with the Mughals. It's an unparalleled modern Indian masterpiece, and a destination in its own right.

Amanbagh (Ajabgarh, Rajasthan): Fringed with date palms and mango and jamun trees, Aman's shimmering new pink-sandstone resort is the oasis you have always wanted to stumble upon while traversing the Thar Desert. Begin your day sipping ruby-red pomegranate juice on your private porch, then hike to ancient Somsagar Lake or explore the haunted ruins at Bhangarh. Or go nowhere but the pool pavilion on the edge of the palm-lined canal and listen to the joyful twittering of birds.

Killa Bhawan (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan): Built entirely from yellow sandstone, Sonar Qila (Golden Fort) rises like a giant sandcastle from its desert surrounds -- this is the world's only living medieval fort, inhabited by families who have been here for more than 8 centuries. Within the ramparts, Killa Bhawan is a charming seven-room guesthouse with rather basic facilities (only two rooms are en-suite) but lovely furnishings and stunning views, best enjoyed from the rooftop, which is comfortably furnished with mattresses and bolsters.

Gangeshwari Suite at The Glasshouse on the Ganges (Garhwal, Uttaranchal): Just steps away from the raging Ganges River, this thoroughly inventive suite oozes style. The immaculately laid-out sleeping area has a four-poster canopy bed and antique furniture, while the alfresco bathroom features a tub carved into the rock, with greenery spilling down the walls. You can relax on your private balcony and watch India's holiest river gushing by, or head for a hammock strung between the mango, lychee, and citrus trees.