Suite Six ways to stay in Shillong

Family Ken & Twill
It&rsquos appropriate that Ken & Twill is named after the owner&rsquos parents. It&rsquos cosy enough to make you feel like it&rsquos your own home. Built with Cherrapunjee stone, this recently opened guesthouse blends contemporary chic with loving local touches &mdash bare brick walls, warm replaces, polished wooden floors &mdash and all within the environs of a pine forest. Who&rsquos to say you&rsquore in the middle of town Perfect for families with kids. Tariff &nbspRs   2,500 Contact 9863020718

Boutique Lakkhotaa Lodge
Located on the edges of Shillong&rsquos lovely golf links, Lakkhotaa Lodge is unlike anything you&rsquove ever seen. Run by a Jaintia lady and her American husband, it offers nine elegant rooms (named after Native American tribes) in dark wood and soft beiges with sepia photos. The rest of the property is filled with bric-a-brac from virtually everywhere &mdash Morocco, Japan, Tibet, Rajasthan and China to name a few. Tariff  Rs   7,000 Contact  9206041458, lakkhotaalodge.com

Heritage Tripura Castle
There&rsquos an air of quiet history about this heritage property, emphasised by polished wooden interiors and war prints on the wall. Apart from the nine clean and comfortable rooms, the hotel also has interesting nooks and crannies to lounge in with a book or a beer &mdash the upstairs bar, near the billiards table, is particularly atmospheric as is a wicker chair on the lawn. Ideal for a romantic getaway. Tariff From Rs 3,000 Contact 0364-2501111

Luxury Ri Kynjai
Plush rooms and charming Khasi-style cottages aside, Ri Kynjai, outside Shillong city, has a huge advantage over other hotels in the area &mdash it over-looks the quiet Umiam lake. The resort has a spa, a restaurant specialising in local cuisine, a souvenir shop and arrangements for nearby treks and boat rides. Despite all the options though, you&rsquoll probably choose walks along the lake or watch the sky and water change at sunset. Tariff From Rs 6,000 Contact 9862420300, rikynjai.com

Business Centre Point
The name of this trendy hotel doesn&rsquot lie. It really is located smack bang in the middle of Police Bazaar, Shillong&rsquos busiest commercial area. As befits a business hotel (run by the same family who owns Ri Kynjai), the interiors are cool and elegant, the rooms crisp, comfortable and no-nonsense. The highlight of the place, however, is Cloud Nine, the top-storey bar which offers a great view of Shillong at night. Tariff From Rs 800 Contact 2220272

VHM White Orchid
Gone are the days when Lachumiere hill was re-served exclusively for foreigners and hence part of the &lsquoEuropean Ward&rsquo. Yet traces of the colonial days still remain in this locality, and this pristine tour-room Assam-style bungalow with a patch of lawn and neat flower beds could easily be taken out of a pre-WWII photo album. Perched atop the hill, this guesthouse is a cosy, comfortable echo of days long past. Tariff From Rs 750 Contact 920631579, shillonghotel.com