Stok Palace Heritage

Stok Palace was built around 1820 and is still the home of Ladakh's royal family, the Namgyals, who opened part of it to guests in 1980 with the blessing of the Dalai Lama. It stands on a rise above Stok village, fifteen kilometres from Leh, with the Indus Valley on one side and the Stok Kangri massif behind. Inside are mural-painted walls, a working monastery, family antiques and a small museum. A handful of rooms take in the Queen's Room and the Royal Suite, both with balconies over the courtyard and valley, plus heritage rooms and a standard suite.

The point of staying is the proximity to a living household rather than a hotel. Monks chant in the palace gompa, the traditional kitchen turns out Ladakhi dishes alongside the Willow restaurant menu, and the masked dances of the Stok Guru Tsechu happen on the doorstep each winter. Walks lead up towards Stok Kangri, and Thiksey, Shey and Hemis are all a short drive along the Indus.