A holiday home without leaving the city.

You book a whole private home, with its own living space and, in most of ours, a kitchen. A caretaker looks after the stay, but there is no front desk, restaurant or daily housekeeping unless the listing says so. For a family or a group that usually means more space; for one night alone, a hotel can be simpler.

No. We list whole homes, not rooms in a family house, so no host family lives with you. If you want a traditional homestay with a family, we are not that. If you want a private place of your own for a night, a weekend or longer, we are.

A few. 5 homes list a pool today, in Gurgaon Sector 22, DLF Phase 3 and Greater Noida Ecotech 3. Pool rules and timings differ by home, so ask before you book, and our house rules say never to dive into a shallow pool.

A quiet dinner needs nothing. A gathering, music or decoration needs explicit prior approval, and some homes will say no. Tell us your plan before you book. Our guide to birthday get-togethers explains how approval and splitting the cost work.

Weekend nights, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, can carry an extra amount, 500 rupees a night by default, and a home can set its own. It shows at checkout as its own line. If your dates are flexible, a weekday break is often cheaper.

Every guest shows valid government photo ID, such as Aadhaar, a driving licence, a voter ID or a passport. The person who books must be 18 or over and must stay for the whole booking. Foreign guests need a passport with a valid Indian visa.