Darjeeling is known the world over for tea, its unique charm and spectacular scenery. Hotels in Darjeeling provide all of the above. The best quality of tea in India is grown in this hill station. The famous Darjeeling tea is loved throughout the world for its exquisite blend. This city in the foothills of the Himalayas is an excellent summer getaway and Darjeeling's hotels provide a wonderful refuge during the sweltering heat of summer for the people from the plains. Darjeeling has a vast range of flora and fauna and is a plant-lover's paradise with 4000 types of flowering plants and 300 varieties of ferns, some very rare among them. The effect of cross-cultural influence is also very much evident over here, Nepal and Bhutan not being very far away. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railways has been given the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its picturesque route as well as romantic steam engines and carriages. Some of the coziest hotels in the region are:

Heritage Hotels in Darjeeling Hotel Windamere Hotel New Elgin

Heritage Hotels in Darjeeling Mayfair Hill Resort Hotel Cedar Inn Hotel Seven Seventeen

Travel to Shimla and find the colonial charm at its exuberant best. Summer capital of the British India, Shimla and its hotels with a flavor of British colonial times are truly a visitor's paradise. Shimla is surrounded by Pine, Deodar, Oak and Rhododendron forests - little wonder the British termed it 'the queen of hill stations' and selected it as their summer capital during their rule. Shimla's hotels are busy in summer as tourists escape the heat of the plains and enjoy the cool slopes of Shimla. The narrow-gauge light railway link from Kalka is a unique attraction. Experience the changing seasons and attractions of this city while staying at a hotel in Shimla.

Better known as the Switzerland of India, Manali with its picturesque hotels, offers panoramic views of Himalayas and is situated 40 km north of Kulu, at the end of the valley on the National Highway leading to Leh. The river Beas, with its sparkling water meanders through the town. It is a holidayer makers delight and favorite resort for trekkers. Hotels in Manali offer cool refreshment in summer and cosy warmth to tourists in winter. Some of the well-known hotels in Manali are

Quality Inn Apple Country
Hotel Solang Valley

Dharamsala is a beautiful hill station on the spur of Dhauladhar range, set amidst magnificent Deodar and Pine forests. People travel to this place from across the world and stay in hotels in Dharamsala to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. McLeodgunj (1800 m above sea level) and the surrounding areas have numerous monasteries that are worth seeing. The international attention that the Tibetan struggle for autonomy has received has resulted in a number of international celebrities visiting Dharamsala. Hotels in Dharamsala range from comfortable to basic dormitory accommodation for backpackers. Grace Cottage is one of the best hotels in Dharamsala.

When you travel to Leh always expect the unexpected. Hotels in Leh cater to intrepid travelers, trekkers and mountaineering enthusiasts who have ventured to the highest motorable roads of the world. Sights in Leh that will amaze you include moonscape like craters remnants of ancient civilizations clinging off sheer rock walls and stupendous gorges and sheer cliffs. At a height of 3500 m above sea level, the gateway point to Ladakh and Zanskar valleys, Leh is a trekker's delight. Some of the hotels in Leh are:

5 Star Hotel in Leh

Hotel Shambha La