While India is still an inexpensive travel destination by global standards, the growing demand from domestic travellers, as well as from overseas, means that this is no longer a ‘cheap’ holiday. There is a shortage of hotel rooms reckoned to be anything up to 100,000 per night!

Rates vary hugely from place to place and according to the season. The peak-season – and best time to travel in terms of climate – is November to February.

All the hotels we use are selected after assessment by India Unbound or our Indian partners, and we are constantly trying new properties and monitoring the performance of existing ones, which ensures a high standard is maintained.

•    3 star – clean, comfortable hotels with en suite western bathroom, better than average restaurant and majority of the facilities required by the traveller.
•    4 star – as above, but with a greater range of facilities (which may include swimming pool, gym, in-room internet access) and/or larger rooms with mini-bar, a better location, and more stylishly furnished. Likely to have a restaurant with a license to serve alcohol.
•    5 star – with all the amenities you would expect in this class of hotel anywhere in the world – pool, gym, and several licensed restaurants. Modern rooms with flat screen televisions and in-room internet are becoming the norm.
•    5 star luxury – Taj and Oberoi chain hotels offer the highest standards and are found in commercial and tourist centres. Apart from the properties catering to the corporate travellers, there are the luxury heritage hotels located in restored heritage buildings, particularly in Rajasthan, that have brought a great deal of acclaim. The famous ‘floating’ Lake Palace in Udaipur is one example.

Homestays and small guest houses are a unique part of any visit to India, and as such we encourage you to ask us to include these types of accommodation in the itinerary we plan for you. The properties we use in these categories are all tried and tested by us, and have been selected not just because of the unique experience they provide to travellers, but also because they meet a high standard of hospitality. As you will discover, the welcome you receive in homestays and guest-houses gives credence to the Indian saying ‘guest is God’.

Staying in a plantation homestead or family home provides insights into ‘India’ and how people live today. In most homestays you can see the cooking being done, be part of a family meal, and even go shopping in the local town with the head of the family home. If you like the idea of interacting with India, then seeing and being part of these ‘daily life’ activities will give you a greater insight into India and Indians than sightseeing can. In addition, we know the families and owners of the homestays and small guest houses very well, so that when you arrive you will be made to feel like a good friend returning for a visit, and not just a one-off customer. Often, all meals will be included in the room rate, so you have the chance to eat the food typical of that area. This is the safest food to eat in India, because it is freshly cooked with care and attention by your host. South India, and Kerala in particular, have more homestays and smaller guest houses than are in the north.

Heritage hotels are one of the great travel experiences of India. Staying in a restored palace, fort or maharaja’s countryside retreat is a truly special experience, and gives you an insight into India’s royal past (many of the palace and fort heritage hotels are in Rajasthan). Being a part of this meeting of past and present, even for a day or two, allows visitors to appreciate a little more of what life would have been for the lucky few at the top of the royal tree. What’s even better is that many of these heritage hotels are surprisingly affordable, with some starting at $60 per night. And if you want to splash out and live it up in a grand palace suite, then there are many properties offering as fine a five star hospitality experience as you can find anywhere in the world. We have laboriously tried and tested a great deal of the heritage properties (tough work but someone has to do it!) so when it comes to finding something that matches your particular interests and budget, we will have a suggestion to suit.

Jungle lodges and wildlife retreats can be found in some of the most picturesque locales in the country. Facilities range from simple tented camps to luxury hideaways. For nature lovers, the proximity of the hotel property to the park is a highlight – sometimes perched over a waterhole in a solidly-built treehouse, or in a resort style property with a nursery for orphaned baby elephants next door. This type of accommodation will normally include all meals and, in some places, jeep safaris, guided treks, naturalist talks and more.

Houseboats: Cruising the backwaters of Kerala aboard a private, restored rice barge or Kattuvallam is a unique Indian travel experience. Boats are generally one bedroom – meaning you will have a boat to yourselves with a crew of 3 to attend to your every need – but larger vessels with 2, 3 or even 4 bedrooms are available for groups. All meals are cooked and served on board, with most travellers spending one night aboard, though longer journeys are possible. Many boats are now being constructed with added luxury facilities, such as spa, up stairs dinning room, and television with DVD.

There are also many modern western-styled hotels belonging to both international and Indian chains. These range from three star through to five star, so if you prefer to stay in more familiar surroundings, then you have a number of options in this category.