I had heard other reports about the uneven quality of the hardware at the new-ish Aman New Delhi—that corners had been cut by the contractors and that it showed. So I was slightly nervous, but willing to trust the Aman brand.

I’m glad I did, because I really loved the guest rooms, and saw no evidence or indication of any compromises in quality there. The much ballyhooed plunge pools in each room were actually the only part that didn’t really appeal to me, positioned as they are looking out onto the entrance of the hotel. (The hotel is in an L shape, with all of the Aman guest rooms facing out over the entrance.)

But setting aside those non-essential plunge pools, the rooms themselves are terrific, with sliding wooden panels that turn the room into a dark and quiet haven by night. These are very masculine rooms, with all the dark wood and chocolate-colored upholstery, and the lighting options are excellent, giving all sorts of possibilities.

As I mentioned in the summary, the in-room hotel guides are the best I’ve ever seen, with terrific, bespoke excursions and experiences.

Within the hotel itself, there’s been an evolution since the initial opening, with some re-thinking of the public areas in the Lodhi building, eliminating one of the restaurants there, and using it occasionally as meeting space.

The spa treatments we had were excellent, across the board, and the spa treatment rooms beautiful. The spa facilities themselves—steam room, pools, relaxation room, etc. were the one part of the hotel where I did notice problems with the construction—cracks in the ceilings, and other signs of poor quality in the build.

The fitness center is one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen in a hotel, large with a wide array of excellent equipment. The outdoor pool is curious—very impressive in its length and design, but at least during the time of year when we were there, almost entirely in shade for all of the day. Squash courts and tennis courts run alongside it.

The food at the Aman Restaurant was superb – the most consistently good food of any of the hotels on this trip.

And I just enjoyed the whole ethos and spirit of an Aman resort transferred so smoothly into a city hotel: no signing of any bills at all, everything just being accurately added to your bill with never the need to worry or fuss; nightly turndown gifts redolent of the culture.

I’m eager to return—I really, really liked the rooms as well as the overall experience of the Aman New Delhi.