Two hotels in India
The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata
Calcutta - now Kolkata - was the capital of India during the period of British rule. This hotel offers an ideal base for an exploration of historic India.
How they rate it
The Oberoi Grand (above) was built on the site of the Theatre Royal, which burnt down in 1911. It's "a classic example of Raj-era grandeur", says Cheryl Newman in The Daily Telegraph. The tone is one of "old-money glamour". The lobby has black marble floors, teak woodwork, and simple white paintwork, "topped off by an impressive chandelier". But despite the historic styling, the 200 rooms "couldn't be more hi-tech", with wireless broadband and DVD players as standard. The staff are "charming, friendly, and attentive while avoiding over-formality".
The menu
Breakfast is "good and generous enough to keep hunger at bay until supper". But if you can't wait that long, La Terrasse restaurant serves delicious lunches. The hotel's dinner restaurant is Baan Thai, which serves a wide range of top-quality Thai dishes.
The cost
Doubles from INR20,500 (about £280) a night. The hotel's policy is never to give a returning guest a smaller or less luxurious room than they had on their last visit. For more, see Oberoihotels.com/oberoi_kolkata, or call 00 91 33 2249 9427.
Panchavatti, Corjeum Island, Goa
To see an entirely different, quieter side to India, head to Goa and the wonderful Corjeum Island. The Panchavatti villa is set in 24 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and orchards. It offers an infinity pool and stunning views of the surrounding paddy fields and waterways.
How they rate it
The choice of setting for this villa is "inspired," says Alastair Sawday in The Observer. "Sit and dream amid the sweet scents of jasmine and frangipani" on the 40-metre covered veranda and absorb the views of "the river, the buffalos grazing and the distant forest". The villa is decorated using traditional materials, including laterite stone, with high wooden ceilings and tiled roofs. The place is scattered with "unfussy touches", such as copper pots, bowls of floating flowers, and cane lampshades. Each of the four rooms has its own private balcony and they all wrap around an inner courtyard. Owner Lulu's approach to guests is "wise and warm; nothing is too much trouble".
The menu
As this guesthouse can only accommodate eight guests at a time, meals are served according to each guest's wishes, so you can eat either in private, or with other guests. Dishes incorporate vegetables and fruit grown in the garden.
The cost
Full-board from INR10,000 (£140) a night per room. For more, see Islaingoa.com, or call 00 91 98 2258 0632.
What the travel writers are saying
Four generations of one family have run the Almhof Hotel in Austria's Lech am Arlberg ski resort. But despite its "distinguished pedigree", this hotel has ignored the traditional "gingerbread-style interiors" in favour of simple wood-panelled rooms and a "less-is-more aesthetic". Doubles from €590 half board (see Almhof.at).
The look of the Copperhill Mountain Lodge in Sweden is "rustic chic with an abundance of natural materials – exposed wood, stone, cowhide rugs and reindeer skins". Doubles start at SK2,520 (about £220), room only (see Copperhill.se).
If you want to escape the chintz of the traditional ski lodge, try one of these modern ski hotels. The 19th-century buildings that house The Cambrian have "a long and illustrious history as one of the best addresses in the Swiss ski resort of Adelboden", says Aoife O'Riordain in The Independent. But the interiors "could not be more up-to-the-minute", with contemporary furniture and a "well-judged fusion of locally sourced wood and slate". Double rooms start from €215 including breakfast (see Thecambrianadelboden.com).
My dream holiday: Ronnie Corbett
Ronnie Corbett fell in love with Marrakech, Morocco, the first time he saw it, he tells The Sunday Telegraph. He always tries to stay at La Momounia. It's "a fantastically glamorous hotel with marvellous views of the Atlas Mountains". For dinner, head to Stylia, which serves Moroccan food: "everything on the menu is delicious".