Name: The Imperial New Delhi
Address: Janpath Lane, New Delhi, India, 110001, India

The Imperial New Delhi

New Delhi, India

The Imperial New Delhi

New Delhi, India

About the hotel

Style

Elegant

Rooms

235

"An elegant, colonial-style bolthole, The Imperial is a serene sanctuary far from Delhi’s maddening crowds. Its rooms, restaurants and spa are some of the city’s poshest."

Centrally located in this city of 19 million in an area known as Lutyens' Delhi, The Imperial Delhi serves as a welcome respite from the hectic city. A few minutes drive will get you to popular places like Rashtrapati Bhavan and Connaught Place, and it’s only a bit further to Old Delhi. You would, however, be forgiven for eschewing the tourist sights and any other business you have in town to spend at least one entire day here in this elegant cocoon, far away from it all.

The hotel, opened in 1931, is another feather in the cap of British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens who was responsible for much of modern-day Delhi’s architectural marvels built during the days of the British Raj – in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. (The hotel markets itself as a property that harkens back to “the halcyon days of the Raj”.) With 192 rooms and 43 suites, there’s a myriad of dining and drinking spots within the four walls and plenty else to do too.

Entry-level rooms are on the small size, have queen-size beds, no views and only have tubs; better to avoid. The higher categories all have marble or wooden floors (you choose), twin or king-sized beds, French linens, Fragonard amenities and Nespresso machines. A unique offering is the Eliza Experience for solo lady travellers. Rooms are allocated to one corridor, only female staff members provide service and the hotel will send a female escort for airport pickups.

Indian antiques, old photos and pictures adorn the walls and public spaces everywhere, and so it’s worth spending a few moments in each room lingering over the nostalgia. There are five restaurants here offering menus from India, the Far East, Europe and Italy. Start the day in the 1911 Restaurant named after the year Delhi became the nation’s capital. All meals of the day are served here, and, in clement weather, you can eat in the lavish gardens, an unforgettable experience. Nightcaps can be found in any one of the several bars within, but the Patiala Peg’s our favourite: a peg here measures 75 ml instead of the usual 60.

The outdoor swimming pool is enormous, the perfect place to while away an afternoon. The hotel also has a spa, a hair salon, a bookshop and a boutique. As we said, you’ll find every excuse to stay right here for at least a day. The world can wait.