India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (241 page)

A-6, Friends Colony East, Delhi 110 065.
98-1105-7103.
www.delhibedandbreakfast.com
. [email protected]. 3 units (with showers). Rs 3,550 double; Rs 1,250 extra bed. Rate includes breakfast. No credit cards.
Amenities:
Dining room; airport transfer (Rs 650); cooking lessons; doctor-on-call; mobile phone hire; TV lounge. In room: A/C, Wi-Fi (complimentary).

Master Guest House
Staying here is your best opportunity to rub shoulders with sophisticated, down-to-earth, extremely knowledgeable Delhiites—Avnish and Urvashi Puri are the hands-on owners who’ve put their immense energy and creative panache into making this one of Delhi’s most satisfying experiences. Don’t expect hotel-like amenities, however, but rather a genuine opportunity to dip into local life. You’ll stay in one of four immaculate guest rooms—each with comfortable bed, writing table, and carefully sourced artwork. Rooms share pristine, eco-conscious bathroom facilities; all rooms how have attached eco-conscious bathrooms, and the purification system means you’ll shower in water that’s clean enough to drink. Book at least one healing session with Urvashi, a reiki master, and then set off with Avnish on one of his wonderful “Hidden Delhi” tours; he’ll show you a world seldom seen by visitors to Delhi, and he’ll unravel Hinduism’s spiritual origins in a profoundly logical way. Book several months in advance, or risk staying elsewhere.

R-500 New Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi 110 060.
011/2874-1089
or 011/6547-9947 or 011/2874-1914.
www.masterbedandbreakfast.com
.
[email protected]
. 4 units. Rs 3,500 double. Rate includes breakfast. No credit cards.
Amenities:
Dining room; airport transfers (pickup Rs 595–Rs 850; drop-off Rs 295–Rs 395); library; meditation; reiki; yoga. In room: A/C, heater, Wi-Fi (free).

South Delhi

Hyatt Regency
Like all the city’s big, modern hotels, the exterior is forgettable, and the lobby, with its faint resemblance to a Hindu temple, feels a little dated, but it has some of the city’s best dining options, supported by locals, which keeps it abuzz. Accommodations, styled with business travelers in mind, are constantly updated to keep with the times. They’re not huge, but the parquet-wood floors, sleek furnishings, and queen-size beds with thick mattresses will certainly make you feel comfortable—ask for the pool-facing bay rooms, aside from the view, they’re a fraction more spacious (but slightly more expensive). Hyatt Regency features the city’s most authentic Italian restaurant (don’t miss the pizzas here), the excellent China Kitchen (arguably the best Chinese restaurant in India), our favorite Japanese restaurant and the
Polo Bar,
rated one of the city’s best after-dark hangouts.

Bhikaji Cama Place, Ring Rd., New Delhi 110 066.
011/2679-1234.
Fax 011/2679-1122.
www.delhi.hyatt.com
. 508 units. Rates change daily and can vary from Rs 10,000—Rs 25,000 depending on whether you opt for the Hyatt Guest Room, Pool View Room or the Regency Club Room. Taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
4 restaurants; bar; patisserie; babysitting; currency exchange; doctor-on-call; fitness club; outdoor pool; room service; 2 outdoor tennis courts. In room: A/C, TV, minibar, Wi-Fi (Rs 325/hr., Rs 925/day).

North Delhi

Oberoi Maidens
This peaceful Georgian gem is a little out of the center of Delhi, but it has more character and charm than most of the big hotel competitors and is just a short stroll from the nearest Metro station, so getting into the city is a breeze. Operating since 1903, it retains much of its grand architectural ambience—all stained-glass windows, thick columns, stately arches, and deep corridors—hinting at what it might have been like when Lutyens stayed here while supervising the development of the Raj Bhavan. Of the standard (superior) rooms, no. 105 is a particularly good option, with a second, smaller bedroom, a large bathroom and plenty of natural light. Lovely grounds, with plenty of established trees and shrubs, and a period kidney-shaped pool add further serenity, only disrupted when parties and weddings are hosted here. Good news is that the Maidens is just a short stroll from the nearest Metro and convenient to city center.

7 Sham Nath Marg, Delhi 110 054.
011/2397-5464
or 1800/11-7070. Fax 011/2398-0771.
www.maidenshotel.com
. 56 units. Rs 11,500 superior double; Rs 13,500 premium; 17,500 deluxe suite; Rs 20,500 luxury suite; Rs 3,500 extra bed. Taxes extra. Check online for good off-season discounts. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
2 restaurants; bar; airport transfer (Rs 2,000); babysitting; currency exchange; doctor-on-call; outdoor pool; room service; 2 tennis courts. In room: A/C, TV, DVD player (deluxe suites only), hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (Rs 250/hr., Rs 1,000/day).

WHERE TO DINE

Delhi’s dining scene is booming. Ask locals to name their favorite restaurant, and the only thing you can be sure of is that you won’t get a predictable response—from fiercely criticizing Bukhara (Delhi’s long-reigning restaurant champion) to praising some modest hole-in-the-wall, people are talking, and writing, about food. With the culinary revolution clearly in full swing, it’s no longer necessary to hide out in hotel eateries for fear of contracting “Delhi belly.” More likely, you’ll experience a dent in your budget if you choose to eat in the hotels, and you’ll miss out on a highly recommended opportunity to see where the city’s innumerable foodies are feasting these days. To help you make the leap of faith, we’re discussing the best five-star hotel restaurants in a separate box, any of whom are worth dining at, but we hope you’ll find your way to at least one of the stand-alone choices we’ve reviewed below. For many more options (hundreds, in fact), you’d do worse than to consult the annual
Times Food Guide,
originally written by
Times of India
food critic Sabina Sehgal Saikia (who tragically lost her life in the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008) but now in a transition phase, it’s available at booksellers and magazine vendors (Rs 100).