Thikana Delhi

Thikana Delhi is an owner-run homestay of just five rooms, whose owners Atul and Sheetal Bhalla are excellent hosts and always welcoming. As well as providing extremely comfortable accommodation, they can advise you on the best places to eat in the area and in Delhi, as well as must-sees in the local vicinity. Accommodation is in one of five luxurious rooms, each with a modern en-suite bathroom. Each room is elegantly decorated with colour and light to create both a sense of space and intimacy, the ultimate experience for comfort.

There are two separate sitting areas with warm rugs, Indian artefacts, and comfortable seating – you can choose to curl up with a book, watch television on the large flat screen TV or surf the internet. You could just sit back with a cup of tea or chilled drink on the sofa or balcony and feel at home. Guests have access to the neighbourhood club and recreational centre five minutes away, which offers a gym, swimming pool and walking track for a nominal additional charge. While breakfasts are served at Thikana, delicious meals can be ordered in from the Gulmohar Club, and the staff will be very happy to set up and serve you your meals in the dining room.

Thikana is located in the quiet and leafy colony of Gulmohar Park in South Delhi and makes a very comfortable base for exploring the many tourist attractions in Delhi which include the Red Fort, built in 1638 by Emperor Shah Jahan, the Jama Masjid built in 1656 by Emperor Shah Jahan (who also built the Taj Mahal), Chandni Chowk - one of the city's oldest markets and Humayun’s Tomb, an elegant example of early Mughal architecture.

When to go

December to March is the perfect time to visit Rajasthan and the North when rainfall is minimal and temperatures are pleasant during the day. It can get cold at night, so make sure to pack a few extra layers when visiting at this time. Summer starts mid-March and can get very hot getting into May and June. The monsoon period follows directly after from July to September, where humidity is high and the region receives the majority of its rainfall, although still very minimal amounts. The months of October and November after the monsoon season are also a great time to visit the region as it experiences warm and dry weather during the day with cooler temperatures at night.