India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (237 page)

Note:
The prices below are mostly given in rupees. Some are stated in U.S. dollars only, which is how many hotels targeting foreign markets quote their rates. Most of the city’s upmarket hotels offer significant discounts on published rates depending on occupancy; so do check online and use the rates below (and above) only as guidelines.

New Delhi

Very Expensive

Aman New Delhi
Aman is hands-down the country’s best (and most expensive) city hotel. You come here not just for the sensuous luxury, but for its array of personalized services—airport pickups in a souped-up silver Ambassador; tours in reconditioned auto-rickshaws (with air-conditioning and stereos); fabulous day-long wedding rituals, and escorted train journeys to see the Taj Mahal. The exterior looks not unlike a neat Soviet-era administration block, but move inside to a cool-slick palace, inspired by Delhi’s classic Mughal architecture. The biggest drawback is that you might not want to leave your room—elegantly stripped down and very pampering, with wall-to-ceiling windows framing views of Humayun’s Tomb. In terms of size, accommodations put the rest of the city to shame, each with a private pool and shaded terrace from where you can watch hawks skillfully harassing pigeons. Spend the better part of a day luxuriating in the city’s best spa; or book a session in the salon (and discover why staff all looks like a hair model).

Lodhi Rd., New Delhi 110 003.
800/532-333
in the U.S., or 011/4363-3333. Fax 011/4363-3335.
www.amanresorts.com
. [email protected]. 39 units, 28 apt.-style “Lodhi” suites. High season (Oct–Apr) $750 Aman Room double, $1,400 Aman Suite, $1,250–$1,650 Lodhi Suite, $1,450–$2,400 Lodhi Pool Suite. May–Sept: $550 Aman Room double, $1,200 Aman Suite. Lodhi Suites and Lodhi Pool Suites, with 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms, priced from $1,250. Rates include airport or train station transfers. 10% service charge and taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
2 restaurants; library-lounge; cigar lounge; bar; airport transfers (free); highly specialized city tours; health club and spa (w/Ayurvedic, sports, Russian, and Thai treatments, and traditional Turkish hammams); Pilates studio; pool (outdoor, heated); room service; 3 squash courts; 3 tennis courts; yoga. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, butler service, hair dryer, minibar (free), music system, MP3 docking station, plunge pool, Wi-Fi (free).

The Imperial
This gracious establishment (built in 1931) is the best large hotel in Delhi—certainly for anyone wanting something more atmospheric than any chain, no matter how luxurious, can offer. Only at The Imperial can you recover from your jet lag in the elegance of colonial-era Delhi—without even setting foot out of the lobby. It’s also incredibly convenient (only a short stroll to Connaught Place) yet tranquil, and has one of the deepest, largest pools in Delhi. Spacious guest rooms (no need for a suite; opt for an Imperial or Heritage Room) with wonderfully high ceilings are furnished in colonial-era elegance. However, it is the public areas, like the double-volume colonnaded veranda and grand 1911 bar, that are a sheer delight—huge, elegant, and everywhere a showcase of Delhi’s imperial past. A huge collection of original art adorns every corridor (a veritable museum of 18th- and 19th-c. art, which you can explore with the resident curator). Silver-service breakfasts are among the best in the world, and Spice Route one of our favorite restaurants.

1 Janpath, New Delhi 110 001.
011/2334-1234
or 011/4150-1234. Fax 011/2334-2255.
www.theimperialindia.com
. [email protected]. 231 units. Rs 22,500 Imperial double; Rs 27,500 Heritage double; Rs 32,000–Rs 2,00,000 suite; Rs 6,000 (above 12), Rs 3,000 (below 12) extra bed. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
5 restaurants; 2 bars; pastry shop; airport transfer (Rs 2,600); art gallery babysitting; concierge; currency exchange; doctor-on-call; fitness center; heated pool; room service; valet. In room: A/C, TV, butler service (luxury suites only), DVD player (all except Imperial Rooms), fax machine (on request), hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (Rs 300/hr., Rs 1,200/day).

The Oberoi
If you like being treated with the reverence of a celebrity, this is the place to stay—genuflecting staff is trained to make you feel like royalty, and every room comes with a butler; a typical characteristic of all the Oberoi hotels. Service aside, the hotel’s location—east of the Lodi Gardens (near Humayun’s Tomb) and surrounded by the green oasis of Delhi’s golf course—makes for tranquillity, although, considering the heady buzz in the lobby and even in the popular coffee shop,
threesixty,
you need to be in your room or at the pool to really escape it all. The carpeted guest rooms are gorgeous and richly textured, bathrooms a little on the small side but impeccably decked out. The higher up your room, the better the view; odd-numbered rooms look towards Humayun’s Tomb.

Dr. Zakir Hussain Marg, New Delhi 110 003.
011/2436-3030.
Fax 011/2436-0484.
www.oberoihotels.com
. [email protected]. 283 units. Rs 19,500 deluxe double; Rs 23,500 luxury double; Rs 28,500 premiere double; Rs 33,000 executive suite; Rs 45,000 special executive suite; Rs 59,000 deluxe suite; Rs 75,000 luxury and duplex suite; Rs 99,000 curzon suite; Rs 2,30,000 kohinoor suite. Taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
3 restaurants; bar; enoteca (wine bar); patisserie and delicatessen; airport transfer (free for premiere rooms and suites; Rs 3,250 for others); babysitting; concierge; doctor-on-call; fitness centre; Internet (Rs 450/hr.); indoor and outdoor heated pool; room service; spa; valet. In room: A/C, TV, butler service, DVD player, fax machine (except 1st floor), hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (Rs 800/40 min.–24 hr.).

Shangri-La Hotel
Making good use of space and light, and less pretentious than some of the city’s more established luxury hotels, this is a good choice if you’re looking for a central location but don’t want to shell out on The Imperial; it also has a gorgeous pan-Asian restaurant,
19 Oriental Avenue,
which is beautiful to look at, with two live kitchens serviced by hardworking kimono-clad waitresses. Most guest rooms enjoy great views of the city; the higher up you go, the more intriguing the city scene—ask for a “Parliament View” if you’d like to see a greener Delhi. Deluxe rooms start on the 12th floor; they’re carpeted and dressed in earthy tones, and are very spacious compared to that of many other large city hotels. Horizon rooms are on higher (17th and 18th) floors and are priciest, but come with a host of amenities. Outdoor areas, although small, include a fabulous pool surrounded by trees.