This is a phenomenal 5-star hotel located in close proximity to both the diplomatic enclave and governmental district of New Delhi. As this was our first visit and we’ve not stayed at any other hotel in this city we have nothing to compare the Leela Palace Hotel to (within New Delhi). However, based on the appearance, ambiance and service that we experienced I must say that the Leela Palace Hotel certainly ranks as one of the better – if not the best - lodging options in New Delhi. It’s probably in a class by itself – think maybe 6-stars!? There is good reason for why this hotel receives such positive reviews and I can only second the comments made by several other reviewers. Distance-wise, the hotel is about 8 miles from New Delhi’s International Airport (and 6 miles from the domestic terminal) but local traffic conditions will determine the time that it will actually take to get from the airport to the hotel. Our flight landed in the late afternoon and the driving time was about 30 minutes. This brings up two points I wish to comment on. As a foreigner, I would NEVER consider renting a car and driving myself around New Delhi because the traffic conditions can be insane and the style of driving will either result in an accident(s) or will stress you out. It simply is not worth it! Secondly, if one is unfamiliar with local transportation options and wants to feel secure, I strongly recommend that you have the hotel arrange an airport pick-up rather than dealing with the hassle of getting a taxi at the airport. Moreover, if you do use the hotel’s transportation services you have the opportunity to feel like a VIP given the fleet of BMW 5-series and 7-series sedans that they utilize. While the hotel is located near a major thoroughfare, and less than 5 miles from the center (Central Business District) of New Delhi, the immediate area surrounding the hotel consists of a mix of urban infrastructure and residential housing which is neither very appealing nor upscale. However, a little to the west of the hotel is a large green-belt expanse consisting of forest and parks. To a certain extent, the hotel is a tad secluded from the more vibrant and commercially active sections of New Delhi. Hence, there will be a rather pronounced difference between the circumjacent area outside the hotel and the swish environment within the hotel which is obvious but a welcoming experience. Bear in mind though that many other hotels in New Delhi will likewise be surrounded by a congruous mixed-use urban environment that may be unattractive. Basically, a sensation of serenity and opulence envelops you once you are within the confines of the hotel. Though not massive the lobby and adjoining sitting area are fairly large and consist of high ceilings, columns and marble floors furnished with Edwardian furniture and plush carpeting complemented by various pieces of artwork, sculpture and items of antiquity discerningly displayed either on the walls or as stand-alone exhibits. The result is that one gets to experience a reincarnation of the opulent manses and lodging facilities of colonial India when it was part of the British Empire as revived in this hotel. For those of you, notably in North America, who may be wondering if there is any other hotel that the Leela Palace Hotel may be compared with, the closest experience I can reference are select hotels found within the Waldorf Astoria group in the USA. Customer service, quality and the overall setting help make the place. We were in a “Premier King” room on the 7th floor on the back side away from the street. The room itself was fairly large, stylishly furnished and decorated in such manner so as to evoke a sensation of classical grandeur, elegance and luxury. Housekeeping service was excellent. Similarly, the bathroom was quite spacious and employed a muted décor involving beige-colored marble walls and flooring combined with glass dividers and shower walls. It was equipped with quality fixtures and well-stocked with a variety of toiletry products. Most importantly, it was kept clean and well-maintained; and, remained so throughout our stay. One caveat regarding the bathroom is be gentle while opening and closing the glass door or it could possibly shatter if swung with too much force. Both the bedroom and bathroom are well-appointed with all the accoutrements that denote a high-class establishment such as quality linens, towels, robes, slippers and other amenities. Business travelers seemed to be the primary clientele of the Leela Palace Hotel. However, this hotel may also function as a short-term “getaway” or “escape” for people seeking a break or diversion from their everyday routine and desiring to indulge in luxury and pampering. Though we came to see the sights and partake of various cultural activities in New Delhi, I can easily see couples opting to “hole up” inside their room for a few days and enjoy a romantic interlude. There is no reason to leave the confines of the hotel to have a great time! Another somewhat unexpected but enjoyable feature of this hotel is their outdoor, roof-top pool and sunbathing deck which can be a relaxing respite after spending time wandering around the city. Moreover, the view over the city from there is awesome provided the fog and/or smog don’t obscure the panoramic view. One note to mention for all first-time visitors staying at any major hotel in New Delhi is that you will have to go through a security checkpoint every time you enter the hotel(s). Though this may be a hassle and may detract from the upscale ambiance of the hotel it is a fact of life and done for your safety and security. As is customary for an upscale lodging establishment, there are a variety of services and amenities that guests may avail themselves of inclusive of a spa, health club and four dining establishments – most of which we did not utilize. However, we ate at the Qube Restaurant on four separate occasions - twice for dinner and twice for breakfast. Overall, the food quality was good and the service was excellent. Some people may find the menu prices high but, the reality is that their charges are typical for a restaurant located within a swank hotel property (I‘ve seen worse pricing at other hotel restaurants as well as non-hotel dining establishments). This restaurant is also the only option for guests wanting to have breakfast on site within the hotel. They proffer a buffet breakfast that is reasonably tasty and I would highly recommend getting a room rate or package that includes it – just to eliminate the need and inconvenience of having to go elsewhere to have breakfast (if you eat breakfast). In our opinion, the quality of food served at breakfast is decent and quite varied. Moreover, given what you get and the price (about $20 per person plus tax if not included), it is a fair deal compared to that of many other hotels. Yes, a few items were bland but other items were delicious such as the fresh fruit, salads, cereal(s), Asian fare and the omelets made-to-order. Apropos the taste of some of the “Western” food entrees, I think it was more their version (flavor-wise) and/or preparation (cooking) of certain “Western” breakfast/food items that left something to be desired. Also, with regard to breakfast, be advised that there are few options for dining outside of the hotel in the immediate surrounding neighborhood – which means it may be your only practical choice. The interior setting of this restaurant is fairly open given the high ceiling and glass walls combined with minimalist furniture and modern décor that generates an aura of coolness which some may construe as lacking in ambience or charm – but, hey, that’s just my opinion. In contrast, the Library Bar is rather intriguing given its classy, colonial décor with dimmed lighting. The concierge desk was helpful and could proffer information and direction to almost anything. Speaking of service and staff, one comment I wish to make before going further is that nearly all of the hotel employees that we encountered were courteous, attentive, dedicated and professional. In other words, they seemed genuinely committed to the welfare of their guests. Not only did they make an effort to be helpful but, they also made you feel welcome and special. For me customer service, client relations and guest rapport are critical aspects of any hospitality operation and in this regard the hotel did not disappoint. Regardless of whether it was the front desk staff, concierge, waitpersons, maids or doormen, they were all polite, friendly and helpful. I would like to specifically acknowledge one of their representatives – Zavi - who was tasked with greeting guests and addressing any needs or concerns they may have. Zavi was not only extremely gracious and enthusiastic in her demeanor but she was also helpful and competent at her job. She made you feel truly welcome at the hotel and thus epitomized the concept of customer service. At this point I’d also like to compliment and thank the hotel staff/management for arranging a birthday cake for my spouse. I had included a note in our reservation and the hotel followed through in a delightful way – THANKS! (BTW, what happened to the pictures that you took of us?) After all this positive commentary one may naturally ask – what are the negatives? There are none per se. But, there are a few things you may wish to consider. They are subjective in nature and may be inconsequential for some. Though we did not stay in a room on the front side of the hotel, facing the thoroughfare, and experience it firsthand, I could see how traffic and related street noise could be troublesome at certain times. Obviously, for light sleepers and people from other time zones, such noise can make sleeping difficult and the room environment less relaxing. But, this is something that can happen at other hotels situated in an urban environment. The best solution for this predicament is to request a room either on a high floor or on the back side of the hotel (away from the street). The second item of concern involves the personnel at the concierge desk. Depending on whom you may be speaking with at a given moment, which will vary with time and date, you may get different and contradictory information. This is something that I don’t like – everybody should be on the same page regarding basic, factual or transactional, information. I’m not talking about topics or items of a subjective nature and open to differing perspectives and/or interpretation. The third item of concern is not really the hotel’s fault but they will take the blame and be cast in a negative light because they made the arrangements. During our stay we had the hotel arrange a private day trip/tour of the major historical and cultural sites and landmarks of New Delhi – a typical request which was readily and ably arranged. Our tour included a competent guide and driver and, perhaps, most important, the price was fair. And, yes, the tour itself was reasonably well executed with the exception of one minor issue and one major issue. The minor issue concerns the difficulty we had in understanding the guide even though he was speaking English. Regrettably, in the course of his oral presentations at various stops along the tour his accent while pronouncing various words made it difficult for us to understand him even though he had excellent command of the English language. Consequently, we did not always comprehend everything said to us which, in turn became a bit frustrating and detracted from our enjoyment of the tour. I know this may not be the politically-correct thing to say but, it is true and others should be made aware of the issue. We also encountered this same issue elsewhere in our travels around India. The bottom line is that you may want to insist that any guide(s) you hire speak English clearly. Now, I’ll deal with the second issue of the tour. In the course of the excursion, we were forced, perhaps duped is a better word, into a high-pressure sales pitch while ostensibly stopping to visit a government-sponsored, artisanal cooperative dedicated to selling authentic Indian crafts and products such as carpets, shawls and jewelry. I say this because of the benign way the stop is incorporated amongst other stops in the tour followed by the slick way the sales pitch is introduced on unsuspecting guests. In our case, the sales pitch involved carpets. I/we will acknowledge that the carpets are authentic, beautiful and of high quality – but, they are NOT cheap! This stop ended up being a time-consuming process and created an unnecessary sense of urgency regarding the rest of the tour because the rush was on for us to see/tour the remaining sites. In fact, we ended up not being able to stop and see one of the landmarks listed on the tour itinerary because we ran out of time. The thing to bear in mind here is that our guide, who we contracted through the hotel, is the one who brought us to this shop and unwelcome experience. Stated simply, this unplanned and unwanted episode detracted from the otherwise positive experience of our stay at the Leela Palace Hotel. As already indicated, the hotel bears culpability because they arranged the tour (even though neither their employees nor facilities are directly involved) – in other words, they were the agent. From the perspective of guest relations, and to protect themselves from such criticism, the hotel should either forewarn guests about this aspect of the city tour or not include it in the tours they organize to begin with. If anything, the hotel should either arrange a separate shopping excursion with guide for those guests who want to go shopping for artisan crafts and products or simply provide reliable and accurate information to their guests regarding suitable places, shops and markets for shopping and then leave it to their guests to pursue the matter on an independent basis. Finally, let’s be clear, the rates charged by this hotel are not cheap. This is a high-end hotel and thus it is an expensive lodging option for staying in New Delhi – particularly with the addition of the various lodging taxes (19% or so). You will spend some money! However, for what you get – an experience of grandeur, elegance, luxury and service – the rates and prices charged by this hotel are relatively fair and comparable with the rates charged by some of the competitors in their peer group. There are certainly many less-expensive lodging options to be had in New Delhi. In order to reduce cost I encourage prospective guests to investigate the various room rates and specials the hotel is offering as well as exploring discounts or promotions proffered by other booking agencies or checking to see if you qualify for a reduced rate based on corporate, professional or personal affiliations. However, at this point it is important to recall the old adage that you get what you pay for. One of the benefits of higher pricing is that it normally ensures a better level of clientele. Apropos our stay, the hotel did not appear full and we obtained a greater level of comfort, satisfaction and enjoyment that may not have been experienced at lesser-priced and/or lower grade hotels. We highly recommend this hotel because of its classical appearance, elegant feel, clean and well-appointed rooms, quality facilities, good food, and excellent customer service.