Delhi’s Tourist Accommodation
On the whole, accommodation, like so many other things in India, provides good value for money. A wide variety is available with hotels in Delhi ranging from luxury five star through mid range hotels to the cheapest rock-bottom options such as a dormitory or hostel. There’s an abundance of cheap hotels in Delhi catering to backpackers and the less well-off.
The cheapest of Delhi hotels will supply hot water in a bucket though bathroom facilities may be shared and it’s wise to check before taking a room. If a taxi or auto rickshaw driver tells you the place you ask for is full or has moved, it’s likely he wants to take you to a hotel in Delhi that pays him commission which will often be added to your bill.
Mid-range hotels in Delhi range from homely guesthouses to corporate Delhi hotels. They have spacious rooms, freshly made beds, clean attached toilets, hot running water.
Up market hotels in Delhi fall into two categories: old-fashioned institutions brimming with class, and modern jet-set chain hotels. The faded grandeur of the Raj lingers on in a few former imperial hangouts such as the Oberoi Maidens hotel in New Delhi.
Most mid-range and luxury hotels in Delhi charge a luxury tax between 8–12.5 percent. Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan don’t have an official tourist season as such but many hotels in Delhi, certain resorts and spots on established tourist trails do experience variation and will be more expensive, or less negotiable, when demand is at its peak, which tends to be in the winter months.
Old forts and palaces and havelis, the former homes of aristocratic families, are now designated heritage hotels. Modern deluxe establishments are more slicker, brighter and tend to belong to chains. Some like the Taj, Oberoi and Ashoka chain of hotels in Delhi are Indian-owned. International firms include Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Sheraton. Most deluxe chain hotels quote tariffs in US dollars and some may require you to pay in foreign currency.
When it comes to high-end hotels in Delhi , it’s worth shopping online, as some websites provide access to rates lower than the standard rack rates quoted over phone or if you walk in. Up market tour operators at home may also be able to organize a package with a Delhi hotel of your choice at a lower price if you book the room yourself.
Most hotels in Delhi have a check-out time of 12 noon: though some expect you out by 9 am, others operate a 24-hour system under which you are obliged to leave the same time you arrived. In cheap hotels in Delhi you needn’t expect any additions to your basic bill, but as you go up the scale, you’ll find taxes and service charges creeping in.
Like most things in India, the price of a room is open to negotiation, especially off-season. If you think the price is too high, or if generally the hotel in Delhi appears empty, try haggling.
Processing your request, Please wait....
