Taj Theog Resort & Spa, Shimla

Breakfast on your balcony with the Himalayas staring back at you is a reasonable way to start a morning. This lodge-style luxury resort sits on a forested hillside about an hour outside Shimla, with valley views that do most of the decorating. Rooms keep things spare, wood-heavy, and quietly elegant. The Jiva spa and good restaurants are standard Taj fare; what isn't is the trekking program, which runs from day hikes to multi-day routes into the mountains.