The Imperial

The Imperial New Delhi is a hotel dating to 1931, raised on Janpath a short walk from Connaught Place. Its architecture mixes Victorian detailing, Art Deco lines and the Lutyens style associated with the capital's planned avenues, a combination visible in marble colonnades and long, high-ceilinged corridors. The estate covers eight acres, a rare span so close to the city centre. It holds 192 rooms and 43 suites, ranging from 25 square metre Deco Rooms to the 229 square metre Imperial Suite with its own verandah lounge. Grand Heritage Rooms and Viceroy Suites lean into the period detail, with four-poster beds, hand-knotted carpets and parquet or marble floors. You can trace the building's decades through its furnishings, from Art Deco standing mirrors to teakwood writing desks in the Heritage Suites. Dining spans several registers: 1911 Restaurant serves Indian classics, San Gimignano handles Italian plates, and The Spice Route, laid out across nine themed sections, covers Asian cooking. The Patiala Peg bar claims a signature 120ml pour found nowhere else. A spa and salon round out the property, along with a fleet of cars for trips into the city or day journeys to Agra. Check-in is at 2pm, check-out at noon.