This long-running, sociable budget favourite has a pretty garden and wonderful views. Accommodation is very bare and basic and hot water runs only from 8am to 10am. Dorms may be available, but are aimed at groups, while newer, comfier 'superdeluxes' and 'suites' have colourful decor and balconies.

Up a steep driveway, surrounded by neat flowery gardens with a swing, this simple but characterful Raj-era home is run by a friendly local couple, who welcome 'peaceful' guests (no packs of boys!). Rooms are clean and very basic; hot water until noon.

Rooms don't have quite as much character as the exterior suggests, but this is a decent-value budget choice sporting clean bathrooms and plenty of blankets. There's also a 12-bed dorm with lockers and one shared bathroom.

Cinnabar's two elegant yet homey rooms offer a blissful escape, with 24-hour hot water, tea/coffee kits, glassed-in showers and lovely wooden floors and ceilings. Homemade cheese, bread, granola, jams and 'world' cuisine come courtesy of the clued-up owners, who recommend local hikes and source all ingredients for their organic fruit-and-veg garden out front. It's 2km north of town.

Take in the fantastic Coaker's Walk views from your garden breakfast table at this lovely old stone-built hotel, right next to the walk's northern end. It's a friendly place with comfy, good-sized rooms and, when it's cold, a roaring fire in the dining room. Prices are steep, but service is attentive.

Although it's bland on the outside, rustic flourishes like polished-teak floors, plus keen staff, in-room tea/coffee sets and a central location make the Hilltop a good-value midranger.

The cream of Kodai’s hotels is a magnificent five-star colonial-era mansion overlooking the lake. Rooms are spacious with extra-comfy beds and, for some, huge private balconies. The grounds and common areas get the old hill-station ambience spot on: open-stone walls, billiards, evening bingo, fireplaces, a hot tub, and a bar that immediately makes you want to demand a Scotch.

If price is the priority, Sree Subbu is a clean-enough, nonair-con budget spot.

On a quiet Racecourse-area lane, this homey guesthouse offers three impeccable, tastefully styled rooms with a communal lounge and balcony. Two share a kitchen, the other has its own, and there are home-cooked meals. It's 2km northeast of the train station.

One of at least 10 places on this lane opposite the train station, this is a good-value midrange choice, with spacious, clean, comfortable rooms, 24-hour checkout and helpful receptionists. It gets busy: book ahead.

Opening through a soaring lobby, the Residency is a top choice for its professional staff, well-equipped rooms, swimming pool, and excellent eating and drinking options, including great-value buffet meals at the Pavilion ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.theresidency.com; Residency Towers, 1076 Avinashi Rd; buffet breakfast/lunch/dinner ₹475/820/930; h7-10am, 12.30-3pm & 7pm-midnight). Check discounts online.

A ramshackle, 150-year-old gem, the good-value Wyoming is draughty and creaky but oozes colonial character with wooden terraces and serene town views through trees. Rooms are good and clean, with geysers, and simple meals are available on request.

A classic 1900s British bungalow at the top of town has been transformed into something special. The six handsome, airy rooms sport antique furniture, working fireplaces and big fresh bathrooms. On-site restaurant La Belle Vie (%0423-2233323; http://serendipityo.com; 180° McIver, Orange Grove Rd, Upper Coonoor; mains ₹260-500; h12.30-3.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm) has guests driving miles for its European-Indian food, and panoramas from the wraparound lawn (where you can dine) are fabulous.

This beautifully positioned farm on Coonoor's southeast edge is sustainably run with solar heating, rainwater harvesting and cheese like you’ve never tasted in India from the milk of its own cows. The five large, stylish rooms, in three cottages, include kitchens and fireplaces. Your friendly Mumbaikar hosts are full of ideas for things to do away from the tourist crowds. Book ahead.

A colonial-era priory turned gorgeous heritage hotel, the Taj-group Gateway has homey cream-coloured rooms immersed in greenery, most graced by working fireplaces. You get mountain views from those at the back. Evening bonfires are lit on the lawn, the good Gateway All Day restaurant (%0423-2225400; https://gateway.tajhotels.com; Gateway Hotel, Church Rd, Upper Coonoor; mains ₹400-600; h7.30-10.30am, 12.30-3pm & 7.30-10.30pm) overlooks the gardens, and there's free yoga along with Keralan ayurvedic massages.

Flower-draped, French-owned La Maison is a beautifully renovated 1890s Scottish bungalow superbly positioned on a hilltop surrounded by tea plantations, 5km southwest of Kotagiri. The design is all quirky French-chic: antique furniture, tribal handicrafts, old-Ooty paintings. Hike to waterfalls, visit tribal villages, tuck into home-cooked meals (₹800), or laze in the valley-facing hot tub.

This former brewery and sprawling complex of cottages is dotted with flower gardens. With clean, characterful, freshly painted rooms, helpful staff, spacious common areas and a good restaurant (book ahead), you've got some excellent-value budget accommodation. The cheapest rooms have private bathrooms across the corridor. High ceilings can mean cold nights, but you can ask for extra blankets.

A long-standing budget haunt, recently partly revamped, Reflections sits across the road from Ooty Lake. Most of its 12 spotless, good-value rooms have lake views; the best come with freshly updated bathrooms. The attentive owners serve snacks on request and can organise guided treks. Hot water is available once daily.

What is it about this 1855 British bungalow that gives it the edge over its peers? The cosy cottage set-up with garden-fresh flowers, four-poster beds, working fireplaces and antique-lined lounges? The contemporary fittings combined with rich, old-world style in the spacious, dramatic rooms? The good multicuisine food and beautiful gardens? All that, no doubt – plus informal yet efficient management.

Six simple, wonderfully spacious colonial-feel rooms open up to classic Nilgiri panoramas at this delightful sun-yellow heritage house high above Ooty. All have kettles, bottled water and pretty wood-panelled floors. It's well run by friendly hosts and you can enjoy breakfast in the table-dotted garden.

An attractive older building that’s been thoroughly spruced up with comfortable rooms, a touch of colonial-era class (a 1920 Austin saloon car at the front door!), a decent restaurant and very keen staff.

The Savoy is one of Ooty’s oldest hotels, with parts dating back to 1829. Cottages and swing-chairs are set around a charming lawn and garden. Discreetly colonial-style rooms have huge marble-clad bathrooms, log fires, bay windows and hot-water bottles. Welcome touches include a cocktail bar, an ayurveda centre and an excellent multicuisine dining room. Compulsory half-board April to June.

Hidden away above Ooty on Strawberry Hill is this classic colonial-era house with wood panelling, antique furnishings, a snug lounge and good Indian/Continental cooking at Earl's Secret ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0423-2452888; www.littlearth.in; King's Cliff, Havelock Rd; mains ₹340-600; h8-10am, noon-3pm & 7-10pm; W), partly in a glassed-in conservatory. Cheaper rooms don’t have the same old-world charm as the most expensive ones.

In a quiet spot on the southern fringe of town, the Fortune is no Raj-era mansion, but twirling staircases around a grand lobby lead to comfy, colourful rooms with big beds, light woods and writing desks. Service is perfectly polished, and the hotel has its own bar, spa, small gym and multicuisine restaurant.