Australian designer Megan Park escapes the hectic pace and crowds of Delhi, her home away from home for three months a year, at the enchanting Neemrana Fort Palace in nearby (two hours by car) Alwar. "Stay in the shish mahal, or room of mirrors," she advises. "The couple who restored the fort also installed a good ayurvedic spa, with traditional massage and steam body treatments." More information available at Neemrana Fort Palace. http://www.neemranahotels.com/.
The silk bed coverings and 22-karat-gold jewelry that Alayne Patrick sources in India have made her Brooklyn shop Layla, left, a destination for New York shoppers. On her supply runs to Delhi, the stylist and boutique owner hits Andraab Treasures in Hauz Khas Village (a warren of twisting medieval alleys lined with merchants), where finds include high-quality pashminas, spice, saris and sandals. Layla, 86 Hoyt St., Brooklyn, (718) 222-1933; Andraab Treasures, Hauz Khas Village, Delhi; Village Bistro, Hauz Khas Village, Delhi, 011-91-11-2685-3857
Trust Anuj Desai, the India-born former editor in chief of BlackBook Magazine, to be able to name not one, but two boutique hotels in Delhi, a city most people will tell you has none. The 224-room Park is conveniently located in the Connaught Place shopping center, but Desai recommends the Manor, left. Situated in Friends Colony, a former suburb now absorbed by the growing megalopolis, it may be less central, but that's its charm. With only ten rooms, it's a veritable oasis in this bustling city of 13.8 million. More information available at the Park, www.theparkhotels.com, and the Manor. http://www.themanordelhi.com/.
Vikram Chatwal, the New York-based hotelier whose upcoming wedding to Priya Sachdev will be a seven-day, three-city affair complete with a masked ball at the island palace of Jag Mandir, loves India for its contrasts. "You can be anything you want," he says. "You can be decadent, spiritual, a backpacker. The country contains so many different worlds." That's why you might find him dining on tandoori delicacies with friend Chelsea Clinton at Bukhara in Delhi one night, and getting cozy with tigers the next at Aman-i-Khás, a wild but luxe tented resort on the edge of Ranthambhore National Park. http://www.amanresorts.com/.
When London-based illustrator Tanya Ling returns to Calcutta she stays at the 125-year-old Oberoi Grand. Its neoclassical façade houses a host of modern luxuries, including a beautiful full-size pool. Colonial flourishes are evident throughout, from the ballroom to the tennis courts. "It feels very Raj-y," says Ling. "You can still feel the days gone by there." More information available at the Oberoi Grand, www.oberoikolata.com, and the Saturday Club. http://www.saturday-club.com/.
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