Villa Verde began as a private retreat in the hills of the Nilgiris, built to escape to on our own terms. But a house like this asks to be shared. The tea gardens look no different whether one family is watching them or four, so we opened the doors.

Mornings arrive slowly here, the mist lifting long before the hillside properly comes into view. There isn't a great deal to do, and that is rather the point. Some houses ask you to fill your days. This one is more comfortable if you don't.