Taj Palace, New Delhi

Character and identity

Set on six manicured acres a ten-minute drive from Parliament and the central business district, this 402-room property is a stately, boomerang-shaped landmark that anchors diplomatic and corporate Delhi. The scale is considerable but contained, with polished rooms and suites, four restaurants, an outdoor pool, and the Java spa running Swedish and Balinese treatments. The signature social space is Blue Bar, a moody poolside cocktail room. The service register leans formal and diplomatic, calibrated for visiting dignitaries and senior business travellers rather than casual leisure.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're really buying here is location and bearing: a diplomatic-quarter address with six acres of calm, pitched at travellers who value composure over buzz. Book it if you have meetings in central Delhi or want a dignified base for sightseeing; upgrade to a suite for the extra space, and end the day with a drink at Blue Bar before dinner.