Hotels in Kashmir, Selected on the Ground.

A great Kashmir holiday depends heavily on choosing the right hotels in the right valleys. From heritage cedar houseboats in Srinagar to ski-in ski-out chalets in Gulmarg and pine-framed riverfront cottages in Pahalgam, here is our local team’s candid guide to Kashmir accommodation.

Srinagar is the logistical and cultural heart of your Kashmir journey. Choosing where to stay within Srinagar determines whether your evenings are spent strolling quiet tree-lined cafe lanes in Rajbagh or stepping straight onto a Dal Lake shikara ghat from Boulevard Road.

Waking up to the morning mist drifting across Dal Lake with shikaras gliding past the willow trees is the quintessential Srinagar memory. If you want land-based hotel amenities combined with immediate lake access, here are the finest hotels near Dal Lake.

Planning a trip that spans Jammu and Kashmir requires understanding two distinct geographical and cultural regions: the pilgrimage and subtropical foothills of Jammu (Katra & Jammu Tawi) and the alpine paradise of the Kashmir Valley (Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam). Here is how to plan your accommodation across the Union Territory.

Perched at 8,690 ft in the Pir Panjal range, Gulmarg is Asia’s premier winter sports destination and a blooming highland meadow in summer. Because winter temperatures routinely plummet to -10°C, choosing a hotel with genuine central heating and proximity to the Gondola is essential.

Known as the "Valley of Shepherds," Pahalgam sits at the confluence of the Lidder river and Sheshnag stream at 7,200 ft. Surrounded by fragrant pine forests and dramatic cedar ridges, staying alongside the rushing turquoise waters of the Lidder is an unforgettable mountain experience.