Delhi

Capital cities have always been consigned as a convenient or 'soft' entry point to the rest of India- cosmopolitan, urbane and modern but inherently lacking in any real character. Well, not Delhi- a country whose landscape is changing to reflect the nouveau riche character of its inhabitants but where cows and SUVs, Mughal forts and gleaming skyscrapers and glamorous young things and mendicants coexist in a landscape that provide Delhi with its distinctive flavour.

Boutique hotel aficionados have a choice of either The Manor (originally built as a hunting lodge and is the designated stop for Rajasthan-bound guests of Amanresorts), Amarya Gardens, a charming, well-designed hotel set within, not surprisingly, a garden, or Shanti Home with its excellent restaurant.

Alternatively, opt for the patrician luxury of The Oberoi New Delhi where inhabitants of selected premium rooms are treated to a magnificent view of the 17th century Humayun's tomb, the colonial cachet of Imperial India or the contemporary Mughal chic architectural tone of the Trident Hilton Gurgaon.

For the accoutrements of a hip design hotel and all the associated services of a 5 star chain, head for The New Park Delhi, displaying all the quirky, modern design features characteristic of hip boutique hotels the world over. The Aman New Delhi