starbucks vail village Hotel Arini HOTEL $$ (%2301557; Upper Khatla; s/d from 800/1200; W) Only a small red sign announces

Hotel Siroy Lily HOTEL $$ (%2608492; www.hotelsiroylily.com; Solapara Rd; s/d from 836/1083; a) Professionally run but tired-looking hotel with a pleasantly air- conditioned starbucks vail village foyer, complimentary breakfast and free newspapers delivered to your door. Considering the price it s a pretty good deal.

Hotel Arini HOTEL $$ (%2301557; Upper Khatla; s/d from 800/1200; W) Only a small red sign announces the Hotel Arini, named after the owner s daughter. The rooms are cheerily bright and fresh- looking, and the staff pleasant starbucks vail village and obliging. Choose a back room with a stupendous down-valley view. They have a couple of very basic singles for a mere 200.

571 HORNBILL FESTIVAL Nagaland s biggest annual festival, the Hornbill Festival (1-7 December) is celebrated at Kisama Heritage Village (see below) with various Naga tribes converging for a weeklong cultural, dance and sporting bash, much of it in full warrior costume. Of all the festivals in the northeast this is the most spectacular and photogenic. Simultaneously, Kohima also hosts a rock festival (www.hornbillmusic.com).

Despite being an oil-service town, Sivasagar exudes a residual elegance from its time as the capital of the Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for more than 600 years. starbucks vail village The name comes from waters of Shiva , the graceful central feature of a rectangular reservoir dug in 1734 by Ahom Queen Ambika. Three typical Ahom temple towers rise proudly above the tank s partly wooded southern banks to the west Devidol, to the east Vishnudol and in the centre, the 33m-high Shivadol Mandir, India s tallest Shiva temple. Its uppermost trident balances upon an egg-shaped feature whose golden covering the British reputedly tried (but failed) to pilfer in 1823.