We’re often to be found banging on about how people turn places into cultural adventures, and this is a perfect example. And let’s be clear — the place is stunning on its own. A tastefully restored 300-year-old palace passed down through generations of the Singh family, Chanoud Garh is now helmed by three siblings, who live here and run it as a boutique hotel. It’s an absolutely gorgeous building, with breathtaking views in every direction, and grounds populated with a Disneyesque cast of chipmunks, peacocks and green parrots.

While the palace itself is perfection (it has some of the most beautiful courtyards we’ve ever seen, plus massive rooms and a really spectacular swimming pool), it’s the excursions into the surrounding area that complete the experience. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill guided tours — the Singhs have really thought about how best to integrate their guests into the community, and as a result we’ve never felt more comfortable wandering about the local village, meeting people who were genuinely happy to welcome us into their lives and homes.

We’ve seen a lot of hotels around the world — believe you me — and this is one of our favorites.