Tips to book the perfect hotel in Delhi for you

Knowing where to stay in Delhi is a challenge for many travelers, even the most experienced. The most important piece of advice I can give you is that whatever your style of travel, you should have your hotel booked in Delhi before you arrive in India to avoid the typical rookie scams often perpetrated by taxi drivers.

How to choose a hotel in Delhi

One of the typical questions from people who know that I am a tour leader in India is if I can recommend a hotel in Delhi. Staying in the capital of India can mean starting your trip on the right foot or starting out angry with India.

Therefore, the first thing I mentioned at the beginning of the post is crucial: do have your hotel reservation in Delhi before arriving. The hotel itself can send someone to pick you up at the airport and thus avoid taxi drivers, but if they don’t have that service, at least you will have a clear address that you can use at the PrePaid Taxis counters to avoid the first day touts.

Here are four basic tips and then some recommendations for hotels in the city of all price ranges, so that choosing a hotel in Delhi isn’t a nightmare.

Ask somebody who has lived in Delhi (if you know any)

If you have an acquaintance who has lived in Delhi, let yourself be advised by them. Someone who has lived in the city, holds a good insight of the practicalities and interests of each quarter. Although we haven’t tried every hotel in town, we know how to navigate the orderly chaos of the Indian capital.

The advice of an expat in Delhi will always be more helpful than what other travelers can tell you, who often have a very limited vision of the city.

By the way, if someone gives you recommendations about a destination, send them a short email when you get back. They will surely appreciate it!

Avoid the so-called “tourist neighborhoods”

I’m sick of reading articles recommending you stay in Paharganj, the backpackers’ neighborhood. The accommodations are cheap, yes, they are in the city center, yes, but you will only find the scary Delhi and the typical scammers lurking around every corner.

Wipe Paharganj and Karol Bagh off your map and if you’re not staying in a luxury hotel, don’t go to Connaught Place either. There is a lot of Delhi beyond that.

Stay close to a metro station

Delhi has a good metro network that will help you to move easily around the city. The stations are not very integrated with the residential areas, but they facilitate mobility for both, locals and travelers.

The yellow line, which crosses the city from north to south, is the most convenient. It connects Old Delhi, New Delhi, trendy neighborhoods like Green Park or Hauz Khas and the Qutb Minar.

Uber and Ola Cabs operate taxis for hire, offering an alternative to the traditional public transport. They compete with the picturesque autorickshaws (which can also be called by these apps). However, the metro can save you from endless traffic jams at peak hours.

Invest in your wellness

You don’t have to stay in a luxury hotel to enjoy Indian hospitality. However, understand that if you pay 500 rupees for your room, cockroaches are not included in the price, but they are not excluded either.

For travelers on a budget, there are more and more cheap Airbnb options and some nice hostels in South Delhi district.

Best neighborhoods to live and stay in Delhi

Staying in a Delhi upper-middle-class neighborhood is the best idea. Those colonies, how they are called in Delhi, have good markets where you can go out for dinner or even have a drink with the most chic people in town and, usually, are surrounded by a lot of greenery. These are my picks for your stay in Delhi:

• Green Park was created as a vegetarian community. Can you believe this? It is a middle-class enclave with a nice market and close to Deer Park and Hauz Khas Village, two really nice spots in town. A good hotel in Green Park in the middle range of prices is Ashtan Sarovar Portico.
• Hauz Khas Village. This little quarter is a bit isolated. Deer Park and other green areas created this little village in the middle of the city. It is a popular destination for young Delhiites with many cafés and restaurants. The ruins of an old madrassa are the main attraction for lovers. It is a simple, yet lively, part of the city, where you can stay cheap in one of my favorite budget hotels in Delhi: The Minimalist Poshtel and Suites.
• Greater Kailash seems a bit far from the city center but, actually, it is close to Lotus Temple, Nehru Place and Qutb Minar. This nouveau riche neighborhood has several markets and nice restaurants and thanks to Delhi metro is better connected than before. A good choice for your hotel could be Bloom Boutique GK1.
• Defence Colony is closer to the city center, with a lively market and many beautiful houses. It is an old quarter where upper-middle class people live. A good and budget accommodation here is Colonel’s Retreat. The nearest metro is Lajpat Nagar.

All these neighborhoods have metro stations that connect to the center of the city and have easy access from the airport.

Best hotels in Delhi based on my experience

Still wondering where to stay in Delhi, here is a list of my favorite hotels in Delhi. Of course, I have stayed in all these hotels and I can assure you that they are practical options within their category. If you have recommendations, leave a comment!

My favorite hotel in Delhi

According to my opinion, BloomRooms Janpath is the best budget hotel in Delhi. This hotel chain was born with the philosophy of offering today’s traveler a hotel with all the facilities of a luxury hotel without superfluous extras.

The beds are very comfortable, and the bathroom is of high quality. It is very popular among young hipsters and travelers looking for a more modern India, not in vain white and yellow give it a strident and different style to everything that surrounds it.

The breakfast is extraordinary for a hotel of this price, with Nutella and typical Indian dishes.

• Another fairly central option is the Bloom Rooms Jangpura, the first of the group to open in Delhi. It is close to the metro, and you can easily reach most places of interest.
• Near New Delhi station, there is a BloomRooms New Delhi Station that is convenient for you if you have to leave with a train at dawn. It is the cheapest of the chain in Delhi, and although it is Paharganj, it is good.

Budget hotels in Delhi

OYO Flagship Hauz Khas
Other interesting options are the hotels of the OYO hotel chain called OYO Flagship. I especially like the location and atmosphere they have created in Green Park area at OYO Flagship Hauz Khas.

It is next to Safdarjung Enclave, a place where interesting bars and restaurants such as the Piano Man Jazz Club and restaurants and cafés run by people from northeast India, interesting and alternative, have recently opened.

Keep in mind that OYO hotels are usually very basic. With few exceptions, I would not recommend that you travel through India in this chain.

Mid-range hotels

Maidens Hotel. Historicaland decadent hotel
This property is in the north of the city, close to the university, with good communication and in a beautiful setting.

Originally, the British planned New Delhi in this area, but ultimately chose the current location.

The hotel needs a renovation; however, when they do, the prices will go up. Currently, it’s a bargain run by the prestigious Indian chain Oberoi. The gardens are beautiful and the breakfast spectacular.

Other mid-priced hotels that I can recommend in Delhi are these:

• Ashtan Sarovar Portico in Green Park. It is a business hotel, but the neighborhood is very cool. Enjoy the local market, walk through the Deer Park and get the metro in your doorstep.
• Jaypee Vasant Continental in Vasant Vihar this is a 5-star hotel in need of a touch up. It has a beautiful garden, a large swimming pool and a luxurious breakfast, but depending on the season of the year you can get a good price. Priya’s market is a good place to have a drink or go out for dinner.

Luxury hotels and hotels boutique

Haveli Dharampura. The luxury haven in Old Delhi
At first glance, staying in Old Delhi may seem like a nightmare, but a night or two in the hubbub, markets and lights of the Old City is best spent from this restored haveli with stunning views of rooftops and the Grand Mosque.

This charming hotel has opened a new opportunity for travelers who want to get to know Old Delhi in depth. All rooms open onto a lovely courtyard.

All the details have been taken care of to recover an ideal of Mughal life. For those who do not want to look at the budget and are looking for a unique experience.

The Imperial. The classic luxury of New Delhi since 1919
The hotel is located in the heart of Janpath, steps from Connaught Place. The facilities are extraordinary and the service responds to the idea of Asian luxury.

It was built to be the elegant hotel in colonial times, when the British planned New Delhi as the capital of India.

Obviously, the prices are high, although if you travel to luxury hotels in other parts of the world you will realize that for the quality offered, the rates are very reasonable.