Lodging In Delhi

Bonita

Namaste all... I thought I would say a few words about the lodging situation in Delhi, being an American woman who has been traveling to and fro to India for 15 years and who has pretty much stayed in endless Hotels of all budgets and all neigborhoods of Delhi...These days, I actually live part-time in wonderful crazy Delhi and love it AND hate it on a alternate basis Anyways, most visitors to India stay somehwere in New Delhi, and Connaught Place is the actual center-epicenter of New Delhi-well, almost. Here you will see and be seen by the Delhi Middle class the area is filled with shopping, resturants,bars, travel agents, airline offices, nick-nack sellers, and also is connected to a great market colorful street called JANPTATH..Surrounding Connaught Place, North,south, east and west you will encounter various neighborhoods offering an option of lodging alternatives.....There is the chaotic colrful bustling Main Bazaar, "Paharganj" located just across from the station. This bazaar is called main bazzar, but Delhi is made up of bazaars, so main bazzar is more of a name. this area will give you the most budget lodgings, and it it really a hectic, bustling area. some like it, others. ....Also, another option, there is a Indian middle class residnetial and bazaar area with good accomadation options called" Karol Bargh". There are also plenty of Hotels in and around "Connaught Place", but mostly mid or high end options. Then, you can find peaceful,mid-high end guest houses in a beautiful residential area called "Sunder Nagar". For those with bigger budgets, there are a few Deluxe Hotels around Connaught Place,(like the beautiful Imperial-p.s. a good place to use their luscious A.C lounge and toilet, shhhhh) but most high end places will be found in and around Lutyens Imperial Delhi. There are also places to stay, mostly high end, in the Diplomatic area, Chanyakupuri.. So there it is, plenty of options of all budgets all about the chaotic city.....Okay, if anyone wants any specifc Hotel reccomendations or needs any assistance while in/out of Delhi, do feel free to contact me.. .(resturants,bars, guides, sights, etc), Namaste, Bonnie

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Dreamingofindia@aol.com

Mistral

Hi Bonnie,
thanks for your help in giving me suggestion about a hotel not far from the airport. I will arrive late at night and leave early in the morning with a taxi for a Rajasthan tour.
The hotel must be around 1000Rs for a double room with bathroom.

For a stay in Delhi when we return do you know New frontier Hotel or Vaishnaw hotel? Near Lahore gate?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Luca

Mickey1234

Hi Bonnie

I was thinking of staying at Narula ... Cannaught place in December ... whadya think ... What other 3* type places would you suggest ... thanks a ton

Bonita

Hey MICKY...NIRULAS on Connaught PLACE, ha, ha....I know it real well as I once stayed there for three weeks straight, beleive it or not.. .It is not cheap nor luxurious, probably about $50-60 a night these days, but you will def get your own room,A.C, bathroom, STAR TV, and maybe even a window...Do not take a room on the polluted nosiey beeping balcony, as good as it firsts looks...Go inside, beleive me.....Okay the major major plusof Nirulas overall is that it is an excellent location, and it has a few resturaunts and bars attached which are actually a happening Delhi hang-out scene for locals and travelrs alike.......Plus, they have a cyber-bar where you can sip Kingfishers and be on INDIAMIKE, if you are a guest........Delhi central accomadation is not cheap, but Nirulas would be my pick in that budget..Also in the area are the Marina, Alka, and Hotel 55, or York, but def. go for Nirula...
If ya can really stretch it,I just love the IMPERIAL IN JANPATH, a few minutes walk from Connaught Place..This is a deluxe Hotel with a Colonial charm par excellence!....Probably the best in Delhi for luzury and location and atmosphere, but it will cost you!!! ...Also, great resturuants, like the Spice Route and aven a few good bars..
Another very good 4 star option close enough to CP are the PARK and the NIKKO..They are both 4/five star properties, but offer big discounts if ya know where to look..okay..Take care and enjoy....Do feel free to contact me for any assistance for your Delhi visit, love to help.. . namaste...

Mickey1234

Namaste Bonnie ... and all other lucky travellers.. ..

Your comment "big discounts if ya know where to look..okay" has peeked my interest and it is something I have often thought about. In the past I have used travel companies like Sita (..expensive) and Services International ( .. cheaper then Sita).

How do I get good rates at typical 3 star/ 4 star type places ??

Should I just pitch up at the place and see what they offer ... the problem is its India ... sometimes (actually most times..) you are feeling pretty wacked and you may not feel like checking out a whole bunch of places and finally choosing one .. the whole thing can be stressfull and the old taxi meter is running all the while ... what is the best way to handle hotel bookings for mid-range places ??

Thanks in advance for your hard-earned pearls of How-to-get-a-good-deal-wisdom.


Regards ......

Bonita

Hey MICKEY....In response to your question about how to secure discounts at mid-range places in INDIA- there is no exact formula for success, ye Hindustan Hai, BUT there are things to do and try. ..From my experience of late night, meter-running haggling, you obviously do not have alot of bargaining chips in your favor, but I too have persevered late night for saving rupees, only to loose them later to the rickshawallah, by the meter...No problem..
It is funny, but it is usually the less expensive Hotel options that will bargain with you at the front door..As you move into the mid-expensive range, you will def. do better by advance planning..A word of advice, however, NIRULAS will not come down at all in DELHI..THEY are a small-mid range central buzy place, and it is just not worth their while, even for long term guests..Same is true for those cute expensive guest Houses in Sundar Nagar neighborhood of Delhi..they may go down a bit, but not significantly. These mid-range places cost about $50 dollars a nite, and they can get it, so it is not worth their while..They do not offer that much for $50, but hey, location, location, location, and peace of mind...YOU will get much much better deals/discounts at a bigger mupper range properties that has rooms to spare and gamble, if you search it out beforehand..Okay, when I say, "if you know where to look", perhaps I should have said, I know where to look, and i would be happy to help you or, you can also search some various Asia websites independently......You can do this by either working with a local OPERATOR who is privy to India discounts or by serious internet research and bookings...For anyones info, some websites I personally like for ASIA Hotel bookings, not necc. just for INDIA are, www.asiatravel.com or www.asia-hotels.com or www.asiatravelmart.com I use those all over Asia, example, Vietnam, Thailand, China, etc......The other more direct opiton, work with a local companyi in INDIA that has a big pressence, thus enjoys good discounts.. I know many of them, benefit of years of living and working in INDIA...i came into INDIA way back when as a backpacker, traveling, studying and volunteering in INIDA and over the years have carved out a niche for myself managing/leading Tour Programs throughout India and NepaL..over the years i have worked with many Tour Operators..I myself know SITA very personally, AND would not be my first choice .I actually had Indian friends who worked there, but now they are all gone..Too expensive and corporate, I agree......I have my very favorite Operator in Delhi,-hand down-LE PASSAGE TO INDIA, and i use them for most of my private projects as I beleive in this Company and these guys. They are miaculous, saving me many a headache along the road, securing sold-out tickets, finding missing planes, creating hotel vacancies, etc, and overall, i like them for they are good-hearted people and easy to work with..Dillwallahs.. I now manage/lead most of my private pograms with/through them, enjoying the very local rates, so i would be happy to help anyone with the bookings, etc if ya drop me a pm or e-mail , .... Namaste......

vasuki

Most star hotels DO NOT offer major discounts over the counter.
Check with travel agents... Cox & Kings offers some good rates in chain hotels... here I am talking about Taj, Oberoi, Ambassador, Claridges..

Architect

Hi Mickey... in addition to Bonnie's suggestion about getting discounts on travel asia websites check out this website www.laterooms.com . Here you can get some good deals for the hotel listed on their site. This site even has star rated hotels.

chrissi_vietnam

Hi Bonnie,

how do you book narula's? I did not find it in your suggested internet addresses.

Do you think 5 weeks to book ahead is not enough?
In case it's booked, any other recommendation?

THanks very much!!
Chrissi

avkaash

Hi Chrissi
To book Nirula's Hotel mail them at
delhihotel@nirulas.com
or visit their web site at http://www.nirulas.com

Hope this would be of help

__________________
Pinaki Sengupta
Cheap Travel to India
http://www.avkaashresorts.com

Murphy

Hello Bonita

My fiancee and I are due to fly in to Delhi 5 September and are looking for reasonable accomodation for a couple of nights. It is Nerida's first trip overseas so I don't want to scare her by staying at the usual backpacker haunts but I am looking for value for money. Any suggestions?

Bonita

hi there Murphy! Happy to hear of your trip to INDIA, and very cute not wanting to scare your fiance!..good thinking....i would be happy to help, suggest, guide you, to a decent place that fits your budget. why don't u drop me a pm or an e-mail . To be perfectly honest, Delhi is not known for valure for $$ accomdadation in the mid-range, and there is a huge $$$ curve between ultra budget and ultra deluxe..MID range in Delhi is priced very high compared to most places in INDIA-and doesn't give ya that much, and as Asian CAPITALS GO, You will not find lux places in delhi for the low price as you can find them in Bangkok, etc..But there are some small decent places out there, do not know your budget , but would be happy to help..I can give you the run-down of all the areas, and let you know some options too...but for starters, LOW-MID-RANGE can be found in KAROL bARGH neighborhood of Delhi, and mid-mid-range can be found in both Connaught PLACE and Sundar NAGAR...Generally speaking, on the small-mid-ange places in Delhi, places like NIRULAS in CP or guest houses in Sundar NAGAR, U will not get discounts, as they are operating at full capacity....NOTE** There is a huge/world of differnce between mid-range and high range in Delhi, so if you can pay a little more, would suggest this category! then she will be both happy and impressed!.. A high range/luxury hotel will have all the mod-cons, pool, resturants, shopping, etc.. In terms of luxury accomadation, the most reasonably price high-end Hotels genreally speaking are probably the PARK on parliament street, The OBEROI Maidnes, in old Delhi, followed by the NIkko, INTERCONTINENTAL, and the MERDIDEAN, which all enjoy excellent locations near Connaught place..then there is also the lovely Claridges too....Once again, do not know what your defination of resaonable is, but i am just listing alot of options to run the gamut. .Higher end luxury hotels that will seriously cost you, but you can still find discounts would include the Taj MAHAL, the Taj Palace, the Sheraton, the and the oh so lux and charming IMPERIAL!.. okay, drop me a line and would be happy to help you sort it out...namaste....take care..

ace

Has anyone stayed at the master paying guest house in delhi?

Bonita

HI there.
YES, i certainly know the Master PAYING GUEST HOUSE in Delhi. IT is a really cute and nice place, and a superb budget altlernative to the noisy frantic places in PARHGANJ. It is located not so far from central connaught Place (about 3 kms) in a residential neighborhhood called New Rajinder Nagar.I beleive they charge about 700-1000 rupees per room. So yea, you are in the house of a Indian family, in a delhi neighborhood, decorated with alot of Indian stuff and it has a nice feeling. From what i remember, the hotel/ rather the guest house/ only has four/five rooms, and each room has a name, Ganesh, etc! The rooms are simple, share toliet facilities, and also, a few of the rooms have their own terrrace. But is is neat and clean and very homey too. there is also common space, and home-cooked meals, and good freindly atmosphere..Definately Delhi needs more places like this one..I do also know that this place gets busy, so if ya want to stay there, by all means, book ahead...They have a website, so i will give ya the link. www.master-guesthouse.com/