SURPRISE ME!

5 Awesome Hotels in India You Wouldn't Want to Leave

Neha Mathur

Last updated: Mar 25, 2019

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While staying with the Beatles at Revolver in Darjeeling, do try the Naga cuisine that is offered at the hotel - it's delicious and will leave you wanting for more

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In Jaipur, as you enjoy your stay at the Alsisar Haveli, shop for traditional Rajasthani block-print cloth, wooden carved souvenirs and beautifully made silve jewellery

Click

Get your camera ready as you take a Jungle Safari in Bandhavgarh - you might even spot a tiger!

Do

Take a swim at the nearby beaches when you're at Nilaya Hermitage in Goa - or you could just lounge in the wonderfully natural pool at the unique hotel

See

The beautiful amalgamation of British colonial architecture and the modern culture of Kolkata at the Corner Courtyard - you will be fascinated for sure!

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I’m not much of a back-packer. When I travel, I need to know exactly where I’ll be staying, and I spend most of my vacation planning time deciding on the place to stay. The template hotel rooms, which all look the same, bore me, so I’m always on the lookout for hotels which have some character, some quirk.

Stories at hotels stay with you, and the ones which have stories of their own to tell are the best for a truly memorable trip. Here are the top 5 quirky hotels in India which stand apart from the cut-copy-paste chain of accommodations:

 

1. Alsisar Haveli, Jaipur

Alsisar Haveli

I chose to stay at Alsisar Haveli in Jaipur, because I felt staying there would take me back to a time when it was home to a royal lineage, when the Thakurs of Alsisar resided in this beautiful mansion. And it sure did! With four-poster beds, winding stairs, arched, stained glass windows and marble flooring, everything about the hotel spelt royalty. It was a bit terrifying at night, because I kept imagining a lady in a white sari with a lone candle singing “Gumnaam hai koi...” through the long corridors, but the stay was totally worth it.

Approximate price per room: Rs. 5,000 per room/night

 

2. The Corner Courtyard, Kolkata

Corner Courtyard

The last inhabitant of this vintage abode left in 1904, and it was restored about a century later, and I’m so glad it was! The restoration brought new life to this gorgeous old colonial structure, while retaining its original charm. One look at the vibrant colours, and you feel instantly cheerful! This colonial relic has all the charm of British Calcutta, but blends beautifully with the Kolkata of today.

Approximate price per room: Rs. 5,200 per room/night

 

3. Revolver, Darjeeling

Revolver

No, this is not dangerous place, but it is indeed a fascinating one. Revolver is a Beatles themed hotel in Darjeeling, named after one of the band’s most popular albums, Revolver. You can stay in rooms called John, Paul, George, Ringo and Brian, and feel yourself being transported to the rock and roll era of the 60s. Peace out!

Approximate price per room:John & George (Double +1): Rs.1500/- | Paul (Double): Rs. 1300/- | Ringo & Brian (Double): Rs. 1100/- 

 

4. Nilaya Hermitage, Goa

Nilaya

You’ll surely feel blue here. Not, I don’t mean morose, but the general theme all around is blue. It gives off a sense of serenity, of calm and relaxation. A short walk from Goa’s Baga Beach, Nilaya Hermitage is inspired by Arabian nights and Moorish architecture. Beautifully carved walls, flowing forms, lush green foliage all around:  it’s like living in nature, but with all the creature comforts of a modern hotel!

Approximate price per room: Rs. 19,500 per room/night

 

5. The Tree House Hideaway, Bandhavgarh

The Tree House Hideaway

As the name suggests, you actually get to live in tree houses (and who doesn’t want to live in one, let’s be honest!), in the midst of a dense forest with wild animals and thousands of species of birds. And of course, there’s the lure of the big cat, whom you can spot during the jungle safaris. It doesn’t get wilder than this!

Approximate price per room: Rs. 16,000 per room/night 

        

So why not try some of these awesomely weird hotels on your next holiday? I can bet your travel stories will have so much more flavour!