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few other places), people are converting rooms of their homes into guest rooms for tourists to rent, at incredibly reasonable prices. Guests share the public spaces with the family, which lives in the home, and often dine with them. Many of these homestays are gorgeous heritage homes and their owners extremely hospitable. It’s a good way to interact with an Indian family and get a taste of local culture and cuisine (www.homestaykerala.com, for instance, has an extensive list of such properties). But don’t expect room service and the kinds of amenities you get at a full-service hotel. If you are looking for a dash of luxury with your homestay experience, look into the tours through Ladakh offered by Shakti (see above).

HERITAGE HOTELS Staying in a medieval palace or fort is a unique and wonderful option among India’s accommodations (particularly in Rajasthan), especially when your host is the aristocrat whose forebears built the palace or fort in which you’re overnighting; the best are discussed in detail in relevant sections throughout this guide. Many were built centuries ago, so it’s not surprising that heritage hotels are seldom the most luxurious option, with the possibilities of many stairs, dodgy plumbing, low ceilings, strange room layouts, and other eccentricities. Acting principally as marketing agencies for privately owned palaces, forts, and havelis (Indian mansions), as well as a number of small resorts around the country (primarily North India), it’s worth checking out www.heritagehotels.com as well as the portfolio of properties that are bookable through WelcomHeritage (www.welcomheritagehotels.com).

Most heritage properties are individually owned, but a group that enjoys an excellent reputation for selecting and renovating these is Neemrana; check outwww.neemranahotels.com to view their select collection of really lovely boutique heritage hotels, often located in off-the-beaten-track destinations; rates generally represent excellent value for these atmospheric gems, and some of their most recent renovations (such as the awesome Le Colonial in Fort Kochi) are absolute masterpieces. As mentioned earlier, CGH are similarly investing in heritage properties, such as the gorgeous Maison Perumal in Pondicherry and Visalam in Tamil Nadu’s Chettiar district.

Tip: Be aware that any hovel will attach “palace” to its name in the hopes of attracting more customers. This is often amusing if you’re walking past, but can be disastrous if you’re checking in.

CITY HOTELS The biggest problem in big cities and popular tourist areas is that the good hotels are often priced way out of reach, while moderate options are thin on the ground. Midrange hotels are substandard by Western standards, though considerably cheaper. Wherever possible, we’ve provided budget options that are scrupulously clean and moderately comfortable. A chain of budget hotels we recommend is Ginger ( 800/22-0022 or 022/66014-634; www.gingerhotels.com). Launched by Indian Hotels (owners of the Taj group) and catering specially to the middling business market, these 101-room “Smart Basics” hotels offer accommodations priced at under Rs 1,500 for a double. They won’t have any of the opulence of the Taj hotels; in fact, rooms are small and rather plain in design, albeit comfortable and with all the amenities, including an ATM in the hotel. At press time, Ginger had just opened its 20th hotel, with several more imminent openings planned. Another budget chain worth looking into is Lemon Tree. This relative newcomer offers comfortable hotel accommodations and facilities at a price that its competitors are finding impossible to beat. It’s by no means luxurious, with that slightly stark pared-down atmosphere typical of any budget hotel, but everything is gleaming new and service is pretty slick.

Most of the top-of-the-range city hotels are operated by major international chains specifically those discussed earlier in this section.

THE RATING SYSTEM India’s hotel rating system refers to size and facilities on offer, not the potential quality of your stay. Often