You sound like you want to go to Sitla Estate. It’s a 9- to 10- hour drive up, in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon hills. It’ll give you all the invigorating mountain air your lungs could desire (7,000ft up). It offers both luxurious (in chic wooden-floored rooms) and ‘fairly luxurious’ (in cosy stone-floored rooms) accommodation. There are many quiet spots to curl up—on the stone bench under the old plum tree, in a fat armchair beside the fire-place, on the mattress in the library… The food is outstanding—lunch is served outdoors and features homey Indian; dinner is elaborate and is served in courses at candle-lit tables. Views include a panorama of snow-capped Panchchuli. There’s endless forest walking—the estate is surrounded by reserve forest. Room tariffs are `5,800-10,300, breakfast included; see sitlaestate.net. Or consider Two Chimneys Gethia (from `5,000, including breakfast; twochimneysgethia.com). It’s lovely, but set lower.