Stays
Where to sleep in the hives
Government rest houses, hostels and homestay villages, good mid-range hotels and the best lodges each valley has.
Every stay here is a real, operating property we would put on a trip. Price bands are indicative 2026 for a double room a night; we confirm the actual rate and room with your quote.
9 stays
Kashmir
Zostel Srinagar
A backpacker hostel in the Nishat area, a short walk from the eastern shore of Dal Lake, with dorm beds, private r…
JKTDC Huts and Cottages, Pahalgam
The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation runs cottages and huts in Pahalgam, set among pines near the…
Photo: Aniketchoudhary87 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Budget
JKTDC Tourist Bungalow and Huts, Dawar
JKTDC's accommodation at Dawar, the main township of Gurez, includes a tourist bungalow with rooms and log huts ne…
Ahdoos Hotel
A long-established city hotel on Residency Road in central Srinagar, best known for its restaurant, one of the val…
Photo: Chongkian · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid-range
Hotel Highlands Park
A heritage hotel from the early 1960s on a rise above the Gulmarg meadow, with a main lodge and separate cottage-s…
The Pahalgam Hotel
One of Pahalgam's oldest hotels, established in the early 1930s, set in gardens above the Lidder with rooms and su…
The LaLiT Grand Palace Srinagar
The former Gulab Bhavan, a summer palace completed in 1910 for Maharaja Pratap Singh, set in large lawns with chin…
The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa
Gulmarg's top resort, opened in December 2012, with rooms and private cottages looking over the meadow and pine fo…
Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Pine N Peak, Pahalgam
A five-star hotel in Pahalgam on the Aru road side of town, run under ITC's Welcomhotel brand, with around 68 room…
9 stays
Ladakh
Zostel Leh
Zostel's Leh hostel offers dorm beds and private rooms within walking distance of Main Bazaar, with a common area …
Turtuk Balti homestays
Turtuk is a homestay village: dozens of Balti families in Youl and Farol, the two halves of the village, rent simp…
Photo: Biplav Arya, 3rd July 2009 · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Budget
Spangmik and Man homestays, Pangong
The villages of Spangmik, Man and Merak on Pangong's southern shore have family homestays where you sleep in Chang…
Stok Palace Heritage Hotel
Rooms inside part of Stok Palace, the home of Ladakh's former royal family since the 19th century, and in the orch…
Hotel Omasila, Leh
A long-running family hotel in Changspa, the quiet green lane below Shanti Stupa, with garden seating and a short …
The Grand Dragon Ladakh
Leh's largest full-service hotel, open all year, with heated rooms, a restaurant serving Ladakhi and international…
Chamba Camp Thiksey
The Ultimate Travelling Camp's summer camp near Thiksey Monastery, about 19 km up the Indus from Leh. Large furnis…
Nimmu House
A restored early 20th-century manor in Nimmoo village, about 35 km west of Leh near the Indus–Zanskar confluence, …
Lchang Nang Retreat, Nubra
A cottage retreat in the poplar and willow groves of Tegar village, near Sumur on the Nubra arm of the valley. Ope…
9 stays
Himachal
Zostel Manali
A backpacker hostel in Old Manali, in the orchard village above the Manalsu stream, with dorm beds and private roo…
Zostel Bir
A Zostel hostel in Bir, close to the paragliding landing fields and the Tibetan colony, with dorms, private rooms …
HPTDC Hotel Kinner Kailash, Kalpa
The state tourism corporation's hotel in Kalpa, with rooms and cottages facing the Kinnaur Kailash range, a restau…
HPTDC Hotel Castle, Naggar
Stay inside the kath-kuni castle of the old Kullu rajas, traditionally dated to about 1460 and now run by HPTDC. S…
Photo: Wonderlane · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Mid-range
Chonor House
A small Tibetan-style hotel on Temple Road in McLeodganj, built and run by the Norbulingka Institute, with rooms d…
Banjara Camp and Retreat, Sangla
A riverside lodge in the Sangla valley, set in an apple orchard by the Baspa, with rooms in a stone-and-timber bui…
Wildflower Hall, An Oberoi Resort, Shimla
An Oberoi resort at Chharabra, about 13 km beyond Shimla at roughly 2,500 m, on the site of Lord Kitchener's forme…
The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla
A restored late-19th-century hotel on Shimla's Mall at Chaura Maidan, with colonial interiors, valley-view rooms a…
Span Resort and Spa
A riverside resort on about 12 acres on the banks of the Beas near Katrain, south of Manali, with cottages, garden…
12 stays
Spiti & Lahaul
Zostel Spiti, Kaza
The Kaza branch of the Indian hostel chain is where most solo travellers and students land in Spiti. Dorm beds and…
Tabo Monastery Guest House
A plain guesthouse run beside the 996 CE monastery complex in Tabo. Simple rooms, some with shared bathrooms, a sh…
Langza homestays
Langza's farming families open their homes to travellers at about 4,420 m, below the Buddha statue and Chau Chau K…
Kibber homestays
Kibber, on a plateau above a deep gorge at about 4,270 m, has a good number of family homestays. In summer they ar…
Mudh homestays, Pin valley
Mudh, at about 3,800 m where the Pin valley road ends, has a cluster of family homestays and small guesthouses. Th…
HPTDC Hotel Chandrabhaga, Keylong
Himachal Pradesh Tourism's hotel in Keylong is a plain, government-run stay in Lahaul's district headquarters at 3…
Sakya Abode, Kaza
A long-running family hotel in Kaza near the Sakya Tangyud monastery. Warm rooms with attached bathrooms, a dining…
Hotel Deyzor, Kaza
A well-known small hotel in Kaza, behind the BSNL office, with warm rooms, attached bathrooms and a restaurant pop…
Padma Lodge, Jispa
A popular comfort stay on the Bhaga river at Jispa, 22 km beyond Keylong. Wood-finished rooms and riverside tents,…
Chandratal camps
A group of seasonal Swiss-tent camps in the designated camping area a few kilometres before Chandratal. Beds, heav…
The Grand Dewachen, Rangrik
The most comfortable hotel in the Spiti valley, at Rangrik village across the river from Kaza. Built in the local …
Hotel Ibex, Jispa
The most established hotel in Jispa and one of the best in Lahaul, beside the Bhaga river on the Manali–Leh road. …
9 stays
Garhwal
Zostel Rishikesh (Tapovan)
A backpacker hostel in Tapovan, between Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula, with dorms, private rooms, a rooftop cafe an…
GMVN Tourist Rest House, Ghangaria
The state tourism corporation's rest house in Ghangaria, the base village for the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sa…
GMVN Hotel Devlok, Badrinath
GMVN's hotel in Badrinath, one of the state corporation's two properties in the town, with plain heated rooms with…
Aloha on the Ganges
A riverside hotel on the Badrinath road in Tapovan, near Lakshman Jhula, with rooms and apartments facing the Gang…
Rokeby Manor
A restored 1840s stone estate on the Landour ridge near Char Dukan and St Paul's Church, now a small heritage hote…
WelcomHeritage Kasmanda Palace
A white nineteenth-century mansion above the Mall Road, built in 1836 as part of the Christ Church complex and bou…
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/peem/ · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Luxury
Ananda in the Himalayas
India's first destination spa, opened in 2000 on the 100-acre estate of the Tehri royal palace at Narendra Nagar, …
Photo: Sutharsan Shekhar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa
A Taj resort on 13 acres above the Ganga at Singthali, about 30 km upstream of Rishikesh, with rooms and villas fa…
JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa
A large resort at Siya village on the Kempty Falls road, west of Mussoorie, with valley-view rooms and suites, a s…
9 stays
Kumaon
KMVN Tourist Rest House, Binsar
The government rest house inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, run by Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam, sits high on the rid…
KMVN Tourist Rest House, Kausani
Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam's rest house on the Kausani ridge is one of the cheapest ways to wake up facing Trishul …
Zostel Mukteshwar
Zostel's Mukteshwar hostel is a favourite of students, solo travellers and remote workers, with dorm beds and priv…
The Naini Retreat
A heritage hotel on the Ayarpata slopes above Naini lake, once a residence of the Maharaja of Pilibhit, run by Lei…
West View, Ranikhet
A heritage hotel built in 1918 on a forested plateau above Ranikhet, with timber-framed architecture, high-ceiling…
The Ramgarh Bungalows
Neemrana's set of restored 19th-century cottages at Ramgarh, about 25 km before Mukteshwar, stands among orchards …
Photo: Travelling Slacker · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Luxury
The Kumaon
A small, design-led hotel on a terraced slope at Kasar Devi above Almora, with stone and timber chalets facing the…
Mary Budden Estate
A restored 19th-century estate inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, named after its last known resident, Mary Budden.…
Te Aroha by Shervani, Dhanachuli
A boutique hotel at Dhanachuli near Mukteshwar, with suites and cottages facing the snow peaks and a restaurant wi…
9 stays
Nepal
Zostel Kathmandu
The Indian hostel chain's Kathmandu property, down a quiet alley off Paknajol Marg a few minutes' walk from Thamel…
Ghandruk Gurung homestays
Stay in a Gurung family house in Ghandruk rather than a lodge. Rooms are simple and often share a bathroom, but yo…
Namche Bazaar teahouse lodges
Namche's family-run teahouse lodges are the standard bed on the Everest trail: twin rooms, a stove-heated dining r…
Kathmandu Guest House (KGH Thamel)
Thamel's original guesthouse, open since 1968 in a former Rana-era building, with a garden courtyard in the middle…
Temple Tree Resort & Spa
A stone-and-timber resort at Gaurighat in Lakeside, about 150 m from Phewa Lake, with an outdoor pool, spa and gar…
The Old Inn, Bandipur
A restored Newar townhouse on Bandipur's car-free main street, in two old wings with original wooden doorways, red…
Dwarika's Hotel
Kathmandu's best-known heritage hotel at Battisputali, built around a collection of carved Newar windows, doors an…
Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge
A hilltop lodge on a ridge about 30 minutes outside Pokhara, with 18 rooms in stone cottages, private verandas, an…
Mountain Lodges of Nepal, Namche (Yeti Mountain Home)
The Namche lodge of a chain of upmarket trekking lodges on the Everest trail, formerly known as Yeti Mountain Home…
9 stays
Darjeeling & Kalimpong
WBFDC Lava Eco Tourism Centre
Forest cottages run by the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation among tall pines near Lava bazaar, at about …
Meghbalika Tourism Property (WBTDC)
The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation's lodge in Darjeeling town, formerly the Darjeeling Tourist Lodge.…
Roudra Chhaya Tourism Property (WBTDC)
WBTDC's lodge in Kurseong, formerly the Kurseong Tourist Lodge, with standard and larger double rooms, a restauran…
Morgan House, Kalimpong (WBTDC)
A 1930s stone mansion built by the jute businessman George Morgan on Durpin Hill, now a WBTDC heritage lodge with …
Cochrane Place
A restored colonial house above Kurseong, once the home of a British magistrate, run as a small boutique hotel wit…
Dekeling Hotel
A long-running family hotel run by a Tibetan family on Gandhi Road, a few minutes below Chowrasta, with simple, wa…
Windamere Hotel
A colonial hotel on Observatory Hill above Chowrasta, built in 1841 as Ada Villa, later a boarding house for tea p…
Glenburn Tea Estate & Boutique Hotel
Planter's bungalows inside a working tea estate founded in 1859, on slopes above the Rangeet river about 1.5 hours…
Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa
A Taj resort set within the Makaibari tea estate near Kurseong, with rooms and suites facing the tea slopes, a Jiv…
9 stays
Sikkim
Lachung village homestays
Family homes across Lachung's hamlets take guests in a few rooms each, with home-cooked dinners and breakfasts. Th…
Photo: Kothanda Srinivasan · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Budget
Yuksom village homestays
Small family homestays and lodges around Yuksom's bazaar and on the village edges offer simple rooms, home-cooked …
Zuluk village homestays
Zuluk has no hotels; family homestays in the village and nearby hamlets host Silk Route travellers with simple roo…
Hotel Tibet
A long-established mid-range hotel near Paljor Stadium, a few minutes' walk from MG Marg, decorated in Tibetan sty…
Netuk House
A family-run heritage guesthouse in a traditional Sikkimese home off Tibet Road, known for its painted interiors a…
Photo: Santanu Paul · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid-range
The Chumbi Mountain Retreat
A mid-range resort in upper Pelling with rooms facing Kangchenjunga, a restaurant and gardens. A comfortable base …
The Elgin Nor-Khill
Built in 1932 as the royal guest house of the Chogyal of Sikkim, the Nor-Khill is Gangtok's classic heritage hotel…
Mayfair Spa Resort and Casino
A large luxury resort on the outskirts of Gangtok with landscaped gardens, a spa, several restaurants and a casino…
The Elgin Mount Pandim
A heritage hotel on the ridge just below Pemayangtse monastery, facing Kangchenjunga and Mount Pandim. Gardens, pe…
9 stays
Bhutan
Haa valley farmhouse homestays
Registered family homestays in the villages of the Haa valley, in traditional rammed-earth and timber farmhouses. …
Phobjikha valley farmhouse stays
Registered farmhouse stays scattered around the Phobjikha valley floor and Gangtey village, a short walk from the …
Swiss Guest House, Jakar
A farmhouse-style guesthouse on a hillside a few minutes above Jakar, one of Bumthang's first places for foreign t…
Hotel Druk, Thimphu
A long-running city hotel on Clock Tower Square in central Thimphu, open since 1985. Spacious rooms, a restaurant,…
Photo: Xiaojun Deng · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Mid-range
Zhiwa Ling Heritage, Paro
A hand-built Bhutanese hotel at Satsam Chorten in the Paro valley, opened in 2005 after five years of work by Bhut…
Dewachen Hotel, Gangtey
A 16-room lodge in traditional Bhutanese style at the edge of the Phobjikha valley, near Gangtey village and the B…
Amankora
Aman's circuit of five lodges in Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey and Bumthang, designed to be travelled in sequenc…
Six Senses Bhutan
Five lodges in Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, Gangtey and Bumthang, with 82 suites and villas in all, designed for a mult…
COMO Uma Paro
A 29-key resort on a pine-covered hill above Paro town, on a 37-acre estate a short drive from the airport. Rooms,…
9 stays
Arunachal
Apatani homestays, Ziro valley
Family homestays in the Apatani villages of Hong, Hari, Hija and Siiro are the best way to stay in Ziro: wooden ro…
Memba homestays, Mechuka
Memba family homestays are the main places to stay in Mechuka: timber houses near the Siyom with warm kitchens, ho…
Deban Forest Rest House, Namdapha
The forest department's rest house at Deban stands above the Noa-Dihing at the entrance to Namdapha National Park.…
Hotel Gakyi Khang Zhang, Tawang
One of Tawang's longest-established hotels, Gakyi Khang Zhang sits in town with views towards the monastery and th…
Hotel Siphiyang Phong, Bomdila
An established hotel above Bomdila's main market on the highway, with valley views, heated rooms and a restaurant.…
Dirang Boutique Cottages
A small riverside property across a hanging bridge on the Dirang river, with cottages in the style of Monpa shephe…
Siiro Resort, Ziro
A pine-wood resort in Siiro village on the edge of the Ziro valley, with private rooms, attached bathrooms and vie…
Vivanta Tawang
A Taj-group hotel that opened in December 2023 a short drive from Tawang Monastery. Heated rooms, a full restauran…
Rungkhung Village Resort, Dirang
A resort among kiwi and orange orchards in the Dirang valley, part of Summit Hotels' Signature Collection, with va…
How we choose
Three levels, one standard
Government tourist bungalows (JKTDC, HPTDC, GMVN, KMVN and their equivalents), hostels and homestay villages. Simple, often with a shared or outside bathroom in the high valleys. We say so on each page.
Saver tripsGood three and four star hotels and the best homestays, with heating where nights are cold.
Comfort tripsThe best hotels and lodges each valley has: heritage houses, river and tea estate bungalows, and lodges with a private guide on call.
Signature trips