Delhi, Delhi · luxury

The Imperial New Delhi

★★★★★

The Imperial has stood on Janpath since 1936. It opened just before India's independence, in the final years of British rule in Delhi. The architecture blends Victorian charm, colonial grace, and Art Deco style. Few Delhi hotels carry this much genuine history within their walls. Step inside and you enter something like a private museum. The Imperial holds one of India's largest collections of 19th-century art. Paintings, prints, and antiques line every corridor and public room. Guests often spend an hour walking the halls before they even check in. The hotel sits in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi, moments from Connaught Place. India Gate and Rajpath are a short drive away. This location suits travellers who want to explore central Delhi on foot, then return to calm within minutes. Rooms and suites number over 200 in total, split across Deco, Imperial, and Heritage categories. Each has high ceilings and abundant natural light, a hallmark of the building's original 1930s design. Marble bathrooms and modern comforts sit alongside period furniture and art. The result feels neither dated nor generic. Dining here spans several distinct restaurants. 1911 serves all-day multi-cuisine fare on a colonnaded terrace. San Gimignano offers Italian cooking under an open-air pergola. Spice Route, one of Delhi's most celebrated restaurants, draws on Southeast Asian traditions. Its carved wooden panels alone took years to complete, made by artisans from Kerala. The Patiala Peg bar pours whisky in a room styled after old Punjab. An outdoor pool and full-service spa round out the leisure offering. The Imperial Spa uses natural products and traditional techniques for facials, massages, and body treatments. Guests can also browse the hotel's boutiques, or take afternoon tea in the Atrium beneath its glass dome. The Imperial belongs to The Leading Hotels of the World, a mark reserved for genuinely exceptional independent properties. It has hosted heads of state, diplomats, and celebrities across nine decades. Even so, the service style stays personal rather than stiff. For travellers who want Old World Delhi with five-star comfort, few addresses compare. The Imperial offers history you can see and touch, not just read about in a brochure. That makes it a natural base for exploring Delhi's monuments, markets, and museums, all while returning each evening to a hotel that is itself a landmark. Connaught Place's shops and cafes sit within walking distance, and the metro station at Rajiv Chowk connects easily to the rest of the city. Guests arriving from Delhi airport typically reach the hotel within 45 minutes outside peak traffic. Doormen in period uniform still greet arrivals at the porte-cochere, a small detail that sets the tone before guests even step inside. It is the kind of touch that repeat visitors notice and mention long after their stay.