Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
26 February 2014 09:13
The joys of Jodhpur: Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, also home to the award-winning Mihir Garh hotel
India's opulent Mihir Garh has been crowned the world's most extraordinary hotel.
Lonely Planet's expert authors chose the Rajasthan state venue because of its "mirage-like qualities".
Although officially in the city of Jodhpur, the hotel is an isolated fortress atop a sand mound at the edge of a desert.
Holidaymakers may be attracted to its remoteness.
But a stay in accommodation off the beaten track away from the metropolises' certainties makes the peace of mind gained from taking out travel insurance even more advisable.
Lonely Planet spokesman James Kay said: "Few hotels are created without compromise; Mihir Garh is a rare example."
This is not just a unique place to stay, he said. It is also a shrine to the area's artistic and architectural traditions.
Meerkats might have had a hand (or paw) in helping Planet Baobab to second place in the top 10 list.
The Botswana Kalahari desert venue sees guests sleep in distinctive African thatched huts sprinkled among the eponymous baobab trees.
Tourists can spot lions on the vista, together with groups of meerkats and elephants, who gather at the neighbouring waterhole.
Lonely Planet writer James Bainbridge said: "Seeing lions in that bleached-out landscape was certainly memorable."
Italy's romantic hideaway of The Torre Prendiparte B&B, with its 900-year-old tower and unrivalled views of Bologna, finished third. Guests can reserve the whole tower, which once served as a religious prison.
The top 10 list also features Free Spirit Spheres in Canada, where guests sleep in spherical pods suspended among the trees on British Columbia's Vancouver Island.
Intrepid tourists who enjoy monkeying around should visit The Gibbon Experience Treehouse in Laos. The resort's treehouses are suspended 100ft (30.5m) above the ground and can solely be accessed through an exciting zip line strung across the forest canopy.
Turkey's Taskonak Hotel in Turkey, a retreat that has been carved into the rock in Cappadocia's Göreme village, also features.
14 November 2018
Leukaemia patients are now a step closer to personalised treatments after a British study looked at the role gene mutations play in blood cancers.
[more...]
13 November 2018
A quick scan of the blood vessels in a patient's neck could soon be a critical part of future dementia screening, new research has suggested.
10 November 2018
The NHS spends more than £1 billion a year on prescriptions for people with diabetes, new figures show.
09 November 2018
Woman who smoke, have diabetes, or high blood pressure are more likely to suffer a heart attack than men with the same risk factors, a new study claims.
08 November 2018
Millions of UK pensioners feel they don't have anyone they can turn to for help, a leading charity has warned.
07 November 2018
Over a quarter of medical workers are still reluctant to recommend e-cigarettes to smokers despite being told to do so by health authorities, a new survey has revealed.
06 November 2018
A new direct flight between Manchester and Mumbai could boost the economy of northern England to the tune of £400 million, a new report suggests.
02 November 2018
Air travellers could soon face restrictions on the amount of alcohol they can drink before flying, under plans currently being considered by the government.
01 November 2018
A vegan diet could help people living with diabetes to better manage their condition, a new review suggests.
31 October 2018
Electric planes could soon be flying on short-haul routes in Europe, according to the boss of EasyJet.
30 October 2018
UK air travellers waste up to £175 million every year on seat allocations that they don't need, a new study has revealed.
27 October 2018
Nearly a third of pregnant women had their labour induced last year, leading experts to link the figure with rising maternal age and obesity.