Colonel's Retreat

The B&B is at D-418 Defence Colony, a leafy, upmarket neighbourhood of South Delhi, about 500 metres from Lajpat Nagar metro station on the Violet and Pink Lines. Humayun's Tomb, Lodhi Gardens and the Bahai Temple are a few minutes away, and Defence Colony Market with its restaurants and cafes is a five-minute walk.

Standard Rooms come with air-conditioning, WiFi, a television, refrigerator, electronic safe, tea and coffee maker and an air purifier in every room. Each has an attached modern bathroom with a hairdryer, and rooms open onto a semi-private lounge decorated with original art.

Meals are home-style, fresh and made to order from family recipes, with complimentary breakfast included. The house bakes its own multigrain bread and makes its own gooseberry jam and orange-peel marmalade, and guests have described its banana bread as the signature dish. In good weather, breakfast and dinner are served on the rooftop terrace.

Yes. Cooking demonstrations by Mrs Meena Khanna and her team of home chefs teach authentic Indian recipes designed to be simple to prepare, using ingredients easily found in Europe and the USA, after which participants enjoy the dishes.

It opened in 2008 and says it has since been recognised in TripAdvisor's Hall of Fame and Traveller's Choice Awards, with coverage in publications including The Telegraph and The Guardian. The property admits residents only on the premises, which it says ensures exceptional privacy.