Delhi  - The bus successfully negotiated the serpentine descent from the Himalayas. Snow-capped mountains were still visible to the left. To the right, the road veered down into the Indo-Gangetic plain. There, somewhere, was the location of the next "heritage hotel," an old fort or mansion now serving as tourist lodgings.

The British tourists were eager to find out where they would be spending the coming night.

"Every house, every room is different. You get acquainted with a totally different India," remarked Sue Chandler, a traveller from London.

The latest stop on the itinerary was Pragpur, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. As the bus rolled through the narrow streets of the village, the passengers wondered where on earth they were supposed to stay. Their feeling of nervous anticipation is typical during the final kilometres on the way to a heritage hotel. Then they let out an "aahh" of relief.

In front of them was the Judge's Court, a white-porticoed country manor that was the home of a judge in colonial-era India. A descendant of the judge, Vijay Lal, decided to convert the manor into a hotel.

"At first it felt rather peculiar to see strangers at tables where my forebears once sat. But it became more and more of a pleasure to have guests here," Lal said.

By no means charitable institutions, heritage hotels are basically a business model enabling heirs of opulent patrician houses to keep them in the family's possession.

R. D. Singh, who operates the heritage hotel Nana ki Haveli in Jaipur, capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan, said, "The house was much too large for me and needed to be renovated. Hospitality has always been important for us Rajputs, and my wife had the idea to make an occupation of it."

Devendra Singh has a similar story. In 1992, he converted his villa in the Shekhawati region of north-eastern Rajasthan into the heritage hotel Roop Niwas Kothi.

Tourists who go to Delhi or Jaipur, the Taj Mahal or the banks of the Ganges now have a choice of staying in standard hotels or heritage hotels.

The latter is not a registered trademark, however, and can refer to a wide range of prices and comfort levels, including architectural pearls packed with charm and tradition for just 50 euros (64 dollars) a night, expensive palaces, old-style new buildings and houses that are simply old.

Travellers to India who are considering "heritage-hopping" should decide carefully on their accommodation beforehand. Many people rely on reports from friends and acquaintances, stick with established heritage-hotel chains like Neemrana Hotels or book package deals.

In the view of Anita Gurnani, an Indian travel agent, heritage hotels should be unique and not homogeneous. "Character is more important than comfort," she said.

Character was the main criterion for Giri Singh, who found it between Jaipur and Agra. She bought the Chandra Mahal Haveli, a Mogul-style home in Peharsar village. The house once belonged to a large landowner, but had fallen into disrepair. Singh renovated it and made it a heritage hotel. Her guests are not limited to foreign tourists.

"We've installed air conditioning and heating in the rooms, and now people from Delhi who simply want to get out of the city for a while come in both summer and winter," she said.

Internet: www. chandramahalhaveli. com; www. neemranahotels. com; www. judgescourt. com; www. nanakihaveli. com; www. roopniwaskothi. com (dpa)