Imperial Hotel, New Delhi

...heart and went for The Imperial and it was worth every penny.

A word of warning on hotel taxes in Delhi
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I've read a lot of Delhi hotel reviews on various websites in my pursuit of a good deal and there's one gripe that comes up time and time again - taxes for 4 and 5 star hotels. This seems to be a particular problem in Delhi, caused by the local government changing the taxation system ...
...On our bill for the Imperial the 'luxury tax' accounted for an additional 27% on top of the room rate. This illustrates a) what a great rate I got compared to the rack rate and b) what a rip off the taxes are. Luckily I knew this in advance and was prepared for it but if you aren't expecting it, the tax can be a shocker and turns a good bargain into a bit of a let-down and can spoil an otherwise great experience.

Why did I want to ... more

Before we start, a warning. This is a long review - you might want to go and get a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits before you start reading. I got a bit carried away.

Are we ready? OK, let's go and visit one of the world's classic hotels.

Background to our visit
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Back in February I placed a booking with Exodus (an 'adventure travel' company) for a trip to Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas with a stay in Delhi at either end of visit. I'd rejected the flight inclusive option (because it used Gulf Air) and splashed out many years worth of Virgin Flying Club 'miles' on two economy tickets for my husband and myself. I love Delhi and I wanted some extra time to see a couple of the museums and monuments so I booked the flights a day early on the way out and a day late on the way back. Consequently I needed to find hotels for the extra nights that weren't covered by our tour.

It soon became apparent that even though we were travelling at a time of year when nobody with half a brain would choose to go to Delhi (i.e. second half of June with the monsoon on the horizon and temperatures up around 40 degrees) the options were limited. We could either pay £10 and stay in a place with hot and cold running cholera, bed bugs and well-shared sheets, or pay £80-plus for a run of the mill 'international standard' hotel. Exodus wanted £95 per night for the 'very average' hotel that would be home for part of our stay but the location wasn't great and I thought the price was too high. At the back of my mind I was hankering after a bit of a blow-out at a fancy hotel but wondering if I could really justify the cost.

So I read dozens of reviews, weighed up the pros and cons of the different options and then did what every good woman should when faced with a tough and rational shopping decision. That's right, I chose the place I really wanted to stay and then developed a complex story about why it was actually not such a daft thing to do after all. I followed my heart and went for The Imperial and it was worth every penny.

A word of warning on hotel taxes in Delhi
**********************************
I've read a lot of Delhi hotel reviews on various websites in my pursuit of a good deal and there's one gripe that comes up time and time again - taxes for 4 and 5 star hotels. This seems to be a particular problem in Delhi, caused by the local government changing the taxation system a couple of years ago. Instead of taxes being calculated as a percentage of the room rate that you pay, the new system is based on the room 'rack rate' - i.e. the 'standard' or published room price which is almost always a lot higher. This devious system was clearly designed by a sweaty civil servant in a polyester shirt working in an office with no air-con and is a clear 'Let's punish the rich tourists' tax. However, it's tough on the hotels that are seeing declining visitor numbers as tour groups cut back on their time in Delhi to avoid the high costs.

Apparently the tax is 12.5% of the 'rack rate' plus and additional 0.625% on top for sheer 'absolutely-no-idea-why-but-we'll-get-away-with-it' reasons. On our bill for the Imperial the 'luxury tax' accounted for an additional 27% on top of the room rate. This illustrates a) what a great rate I got compared to the rack rate and b) what a rip off the taxes are. Luckily I knew this in advance and was prepared for it but if you aren't expecting it, the tax can be a shocker and turns a good bargain into a bit of a let-down and can spoil an otherwise great experience.

Why did I want to go to the Imperial?
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The Imperial is one of the world's greatest hotels - it's the kind of place where you don't have to say 'The Imperial Hotel, Delhi' any more than you'd have to call Raffles 'The Raffles Hotel, Singapore'. The hotel's website is www.theimperialindia.com - what a great name! Even they don't have to explain themselves. The Imperial was the first of the almost legendary 'Four Maidens of the East' - the Strand Hotel in Rangoon, Raffles in Singpore and the Great Eastern and Oriental in Calcutta are the other three. So reason number one for staying at The Imperial - sheer unadulterated SNOB VALUE.

About 6 years ago we took a tour round Rajastan with a group of strangers who became exceptionally good friends. At the end of our trip we returned to Delhi and were recovering from a couple of days on camels (evil smelly antisocial beasts) and sleeping in the Thar Desert. We were looking for a bit of luxury and a slap-up dinner after two weeks of incessant 'rice and daal'. Based on a guidebook recommendation we booked the Spice Route at the Imperial. After two weeks in tents and the sort of hotels where the electricity switch is under the shower head and the furnishings date back to when Adam was a lad, the luxury of The Imperial just blew us away.

From that day forward my 'must do before I die' list got an addition - to stay at The Imperial.

So those are some of the emotional reasons for wanting to stay - i.e. it's beautiful, classy and one of the world's best hotels. But what of the other reasons?

1. Location - Location - Location
 The Imperial is located on Janpath - historically known as Queensway - just one block out from Connaught Place which is the hub of New Delhi for shopping, eating and getting around.
 It's just across the road from the giant government crafts store - The Central Cottage Industries Emporium where anyone who wants an easy stress free shopping experience can load up on all their presents and goodies
 Between the hotel and Connaught Place you pass a host of smaller craft shops that are well worth a look.
 Everybody knows exactly where it is - no taxi driver will ever get lost looking for The Imperial

2. Peace and Quiet
 There's no denying it, Delhi is a noisy place. If you aren't careful you can find that your hotel is on a road junction with vehicles 'horning' (yep, that really is the correct local term!) each other all day and all night, changing gear and generally making their presence felt. You may also find that your lovely quiet hotel is next door to a major building site.
 The joy of the Imperial is that its eigth acre garden site enables the hotel to be set back slightly from the road. So even though you are slap-bang at the heart of things, it's remarkably quiet.
 All the rooms have special noise reduction glazing.

3. History and Tradition
 Although it was only built in 1931, 20 years after New Delhi became the capital of India, The Imperial is steeped in history.
 The hotel was the venue for the negotiations between the leading Indian independence activists and the British 'rulers'. Just imagine what it would have been like to be a fly on the wall. When you stay there you are rubbing shoulders with the ghosts of some of history's greatest men and if, like me, you are really into Indian history (you probably aren't - I do realise I'm a bit odd in that respect) then this is the only place to stay. The Imperial hosted talks between Pandit Nehru (who became India's first Prime Minister and was the father of Indira Gandhi and allegedly the lover of Mountbatten's wife), Mahatama Gandhi (I'm assuming I don't need to explain who he was), Muhammad Ali Jinnah (he became the first Governor General and President of Pakistan) and the Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten.
 The Imperial was built by a gentleman called SBS Ranjit Singh in 1931 to a design by an architect called Blomfield, a close friend and associate of the more famous Sir Edwin Lutyens - the architect between the creation of New Delhi. The architectural style is described as a blend of Victorian, Old Colonial and a dash of Art Deco. SBS Ranjit Singh's motor car is still parked outside the hotel and, if my photos upload properly, it should be included in the pictures at the end of the review.

What did it cost and how did we book?
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We paid $220 (approx £120) for one night at The Imperial. This rate was for an 'Imperial Room' (the smallest and least expensive option) and included breakfast for two as well as airport transfers on arrival and departure. As we weren't going back to the airport, they gave us a car to take us to our next hotel instead without any quibbling. Bearing in mind that most hotels will charge a minimum of 1000-2000 Rupees (about £12-£25) for airport pick up, this made the accommodation element of the stay pretty close to the £100 mark INCLUSIVE of taxes. A very average international standard hotel would have cost only £10-20 less so I believe the extra was well worth it.

I found a very similar deal on Expedia but I actually got a friend/colleague in India to handle the booking for me directly. He wanted to help and as he sorted out giving them all our flight details and non-smoking requests, I was happy for him to do so. All that was required was a credit card number to 'hold' the reservation.

So, did it live up to expectations?
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There's always a risk that when you've wanted something a lot and for a long time, you may be disappointed. It's happened to me with hotels before - most notably the Taj in Mumbai - so I'll admit that I was nervous. However The Imperial didn't disappoint in any possible way.

**Arriving at the Airport
Our transfer had been pre-arranged. On leaving the airport a gentleman from The Imperial was waiting in a prominent place with a name board. Normally the 'greeter' then hands you off to the 'driver' and you head for the hotel. In this case, both the greeter and the driver drove back with us. This was the first time I'd experienced a double 'meet and greet' team with a hotel transfer.

Once in the car we were offered bottles of chilled mineral water and subjected to some light 'banter' - nothing too intrusive. We were asked if it was our first time in India and at The Imperial and when I mentioned that we'd eaten there before, the greeter asked if we'd like him to book us a reservation for that evening. So by the time we got to the hotel about half an hour after pick up, we were all sorted for dinner.

**Arriving at the Hotel
As you turn off Janpath and onto the driveway, two security guards step out of a booth and check the underside of the vehicle with long handled mirrors. Hmm, we thought, no bombs or illegal immigrants under our car. You then drive up to the entrance passing through the colonnade of 24 tall, elegant palm trees before stopping under the entrance cover. Flunkies in turbans and smart uniforms open the car doors and take your luggage. The greeter walked us into the reception hall and over to the desk where checkout was completed quickly and without fuss. We were arriving at around noon, which can be a tricky time if the hotel hasn't succeeded in kicking out last night's hangers-on, but there was no delay.

** First Impressions
As you enter the reception and concierge desk is on the left and the bell-desk and luggage storage is on the right. The gym is down a corridor to the right. Comfy seating and newspapers are laid out in a sitting area ahead and to the right. There are very odd flower arrangements on pedestals in the centre of the reception area - a little too modern perhaps for the setting but intriguing none the less. Beside check in is the Chanel store - it's the only one in the whole of India so whilst I have no interest in over-priced clothing, I think its presence endorses The Imperial's status as the top hotel in the country.

** The Walk Through
After check in we were 'walked' to our room by a lady from reception. As we went she explained all the places we passed on the way - the name of each restaurant or bar, what sort of food they served and so on. Most of the restaurants and bars lie off the same corridor so it's really easy to find your way around. She also pointed out how to get to the garden and the swimming pool. We went up one floor, along some nicely decorated and carpeted corridors until we came to our room on the end of the corridor - Room 141. At this point I took a deep breath and held it whilst she opened the door

** The Room
We had booked the lowest grade of room so I was really pleased by how lovely it was. The door opened onto a room with a high ceiling (I'd guess about 14 feet). The floor was cool marble and all the furnishings were in matching red-brown wood.
The room had :
 Minibar with kettle, tea bags, coffee and complimentary mineral water
 Desk looking out over the garden with telephone and lamp
 TV cabinet with rather an average TV - but then, we weren't there to watch it were we?
 Suitcase stand
 Tall wardrobe
 Six foot wide bed with pale peach and white quilted cover. Very nice!
 Bedside tables with lamps
 Windows - three of them looking over the gardens with roman blinds and long curtains
 Old prints on the wall
 Marble floors

The bathroom had natural light because we were on the end of the corridor - so much nicer than when the bathroom is enclosed. The bathroom had:
 Loo
 Bath with marble sides
 Separate shower cubicle with high power rain-head that's maybe a bit on the low side - I'm 5'8" and there wasn't a lot of clearance
 Marble topped vanity unit
 Weighing scales
 Bathrobes and slippers
 Magnifying shaving/make up mirror
 Goodies basket - shower cap, Fragonard toiletries (soaps, body lotion, shampoo, shower gel), sewing kit

Watch out for the marble floors when your feet are wet - absolutely deadly!

The TV had no CNN - I say 'hoorah and thank goodness for that' but there was a letter from the manager explaining that CNN had increased their tariff by 65% and the hotel refused to be subjected to such extortion and so had chosen to de-list the channel. I rather liked that sense of independence.

** So you are there, what next?
We'd flown in overnight so we were both a bit tired, my husband went straight to sleep, the bear got control of the TV controller, the newspaper and the pillow and I went for a shower - and we all settled in for a bit of a rest.
Then when I roused the snoring beast (husband, not bear) and reminded him how much we were paying for the hotel, we set off to explore before dinner. We strolled around the corridors checking out the prints and paintings. The Imperial considers itself to be a 'museum hotel' with some of the rarest works of art from the days of the Empire. I can't really say that I noticed anything truly spectacular but there were some lovely pieces of furniture dotted about the place. Once we'd checked out the book shop and the sandwich shop (closed), found the gym (and decided to ignore it), peeked into the grand ballroom and admired the frescos, we headed out into the garden. As Brits it's improtant to check that the lawns had been correctly mowed to Wimbledon standards and to sit on a bench to watch the flowers grow. We had a peek at the beautiful swimming pool, took some photos of the big white wedding cake of a building, checked out the king palms and the old vintage car and generally just mooched about. Despite being in the heart of Delhi, it was a calm and pleasant place to just stroll around.

Eating and Drinking
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One highly esteemed ciao reviewer has recently left me a message to the effect that he couldn't possibly go to Delhi because he needs to live on pizza and chips. Even at the Imperial he should be able to find something to suit his rather sad culinary tastes. However, whilst he could, I'd say he shouldn't because there are so many different types of food available.

**The Spice Route
Of all the restaurants, this is the really famous one. Voted by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the top 10 restaurants in the world, it's an absolute stunner. The restaurant took seven years to build - not because they got a dodgy builder in but because it's so exceptional and decorated in such detail. The theme of the restaurant is the journey of spices through asia and in places it's built to look like a boat, in others like a temple. The walls are painted with detailed and delicate wall paintings - on a par with anything you'll find in a temple. In fact the mural artists who painted the restaurant were brought in from a temple in Kerala. The restaurant is built on Feng Shui principles (I've heard that's oriental for 'I've moved your sofa, that'll be 500 quid please) and the first time we ate there, 6 years ago, our party was put in the 'wealth corner'. Wishful thinking perhaps. The entire restaurant is non-smoking but not for any of the normal reasons. They just don't want the smoke to damage the paintings.

But what about the food I hear you ask - oh, it's a delight. It's a fusion of styles and flavours from around SE Asia - bits of Thai, mixed with bits of Chinese, Malay, Vietnamese and so on. We ate there this time and had: a bottle of Perrier, two beers, two soups, three main courses (one prawn, two vegetable), rice, a spice ice-cream that was astonishingly creative with pepper, anis and cinnamon). The bill came to 4500 rp including tax - that's about £55. To put it in perspective, in Ladakh lunch for two was costing about £3-4 but this isn't a scruffy little café. It's a world famous restaurant charging not much more than you'd pay at a local Thai restaurant in the UK. So I'd say that a visit to The Imperial really should include a meal at the Spice Route.

The Spice Route also has an outdoor courtyard but in the heat of June in Delhi we didn't want to sit outside.

** 1911 restaurant and bar
'Why does a hotel built in 1931 have a restaurant and bar called 1911' asked my husband. Whilst he'd been snoozing earlier I'd read the brochure so I knew that the date refers to the year that Delhi became India's capital city. I bet you didn't realise this review would be SO educational. We drank and watched football in the 1911 Bar - very nice, long curved high bar with lower tables scattered around. Subtle but attentive service although we struggled to get the bill at the end. Two diet cokes in the bar (with lots of free nibbles) came to about £4 - pricy by Indian standards but not outrageous for a hotel of this standard.

Breakfast is served in the 1911 restaurant - you can eat inside or out on the verandah. We loved it. The walls are painted with fine countryside scenes, the tables are laid out not too close and are plenty big enough for breakfast. The selection of food was fine but not over the top and the service was excellent. In fact, throughout the hotel the service was always of a high standard without ever tipping over into the obsequious and insincere fawning that characterises a lot of expensive hotels. We really got the feeling that the staff were genuinely proud to work at the Imperial and nothing was too much trouble. A tip - they do a great cappuccino but you need to ask for it as the standard question is 'tea or coffee'. Luckily we overheard someone ask for cappuccino so we knew it was available.

** 1911 Brasserie
Serves food with a French influence in traditional surroundings.

** San Gimignano
Serves food with Italian influence in more modern surroundings and with its own attached garden

** Daniell's Tavern
Despite sounding like a pub, this is the restaurant that serves Thali's (mixed dish meals on a metal tray) from the different regions of India.

** Patiala Peg
This is another bar

** Atrium
This is a naturally lit inside courtyard in the area outside the entrances to the Spice Route and Daniells' Tavern. You can get snacks and afternoon tea here in wicker chairs and a more relaxed atmosphere.

** Baguette
This is the pastry shop, just off the lobby. It wasn't open when we went for a look but it should serve a mix of European and Asian style cakes, pastries, patties and ice-creams. Shame we missed it really.

You can also, of course get room service delivered but I think you'd be making a mistake to miss out on the restaurants.

Other Services
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Not especially interesting or unusual but they have the following:
Business Centre
Car Renta
Cashier - for changing money at good (fixed) rates
Laundry
Travel Desk
Barber/Hair Salon
Bookshop
Fitness Centre
Pool
….. and apparently a spa, opening soon.

Hotel Awards
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The Imperial has received more awards than you could shake a stick at. A few of them are listed below and I've copied them from the website:

SATTE Award - 2005 - winner of the SATTE 2005 Award in the category of 'Creating Brands - Luxury Hotels.' The recognition has been conferred upon The Imperial for being a benchmark for excellence in the industry.

Five Star Diamond Award - 2004, 2005 - the first recipient in India of the prestigious Five Star Diamond Award, presented by The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

The National Tourism Award, Department of Tourism, Government of India, 1995,
1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000.

Grand Hotel of the World -Financial Times, London, April 2000.

The most luxurious Hotel of Delhi - CNN Hot Spots, June 2001.

The Spice Route - one of the top ten restaurants in the world - Condé Nast Traveller, September 2001.

The Imperial - One of Asia's grandest colonial hotels - Thailand & Indochina Traveller, March - May 2002.

So,would I recommend it?
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Do you need to ask? Really?
I would absolutely recommend it - if you can't afford to stay, go for dinner. If you can't afford dinner, just go and have a coffee in the Atrium and soak up the atmosphere. Don't forget to use the loos - they are gorgeous. So long as you aren't too scruffy, smelly and unkempt, it's very unlikely that any tourist would be turned away. Just stroll on in and have a good look.

Now there's one final question. If any of you have read my review of the Oberoi in Delhi (written a few months ago) I told you that it was absolutely fantastic. So the question is Oberoi versus Imperial - which would I choose? It's a question of new versus old and by a whisker the Imperial would take it because the history of the place which means a lot to me.

And finally - Day flights or night flights - my advice
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You can stop reading at this point if you want to - this is just an aside for anyone thinking of going to Delhi.
Most flights from Europe to India arrive either around midnight or 1 am if they are direct or, much worse, around 3.30am to 5.30am if you are changing somewhere in the Middle East on the way. It's now possible with a few of the airlines to do an overnight flight over which leaves London around 10 pm and delivers you to Delhi airport between 11am and noon the next day. I would recommend a day time arrival if you can get it because:
 you should adapt more quickly to the new time zone
 you will arrive in the day time when the airport is less busy and clear immigration, baggage and customs more quickly
 you are more likely to have your wits about you and be less vulnerable to the airport touts, people trying to run off with your luggage etc.
 you won't have to pay for an extra night hotel accommodation or risk turning up so early that the hotel leaves you in the lobby for hours whilst they wait for a room to become available

Conversely for your return flight, most of the airlines fly out either between midnight and 2 or 3 am or, if you are changing in the Middle East, typically at around 5-7 am. As you are advised to be there 3 hours before, those early mornings are tough. We booked a flight leaving at 1.25 pm with Virgin which got to London in the early evening. There are surprisingly few day time flights out of Delhi airport so all the procedures are much easier and less time consuming if you can get one of these flights.

Thanks for your time - sorry it was so long but I was just bursting with things to say about this place. And if you are wondering, the to do list now has 'go back to the Imperial' so it's no shorter than before.
 

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