Reviewing the Lodhi Hotel New Delhi, from an overnight stay in the spring of 2023 prior to our flight back to London. I have been to Delhi multiple times on business and for leisure purposes, and typically stay at the Shangri-la, close to Connaught Square.
 

Location

A member of LHW, the Lodhi Hotel New Delhi is surrounded by green spaces and within walking distance to some of Delhi’s most celebrated sites. Located in the southeast corner of the city in a quieter part of Delhi, the experience made for a stark contrast to our usual hangout not too far from Connaught Square. The location couldn’t be more perfect. You’re within walking distance to Humayun’s tomb, the namesake Lodhi Gardens, and a short tuk tuk ride from retail therapy at upscale Khan Market.

Check In

On arrival, we were met by a guest services liaison who took us through security and straight to our Signature Terrace Room. Long covered promenades and shaded walkways courtesy of lattice stonework keep the afternoon sun at bay. Our room was in the more secluded west wing of the hotel, on the opposite side to the main hotel building. After check-in formalities were completed, we were left to enjoy the calm of the room. A much-needed respite after encountering the boisterous streets of Delhi en route from the airport.

Room

Akin to a junior suite, the Signature Terrace Room has over 750 square feet of guestroom at our disposal, including a separate seating area, desk space, expansive bathroom with stand-alone shower and walk-in closet, and a shaded outdoor terrace with shrubbery.

Chocolate brown panels are set against pale cream walls, twinned with dark wood furniture that’s accented by gold fixtures. For a pop of colour, dusty pink upholstery is the dominant shade, harmonized with grey satin and the swirling blue tones of the floor coverings. Eclectic photography adds a bit of whimsy. Pollutions levels on our arrival day were high, making the air purifier in the room a welcome necessity.

Service

Service levels were a little uneven.  It was a little confusing during service to know who would take our order. I put this down to the hierarchical service culture mentality in India, where there’s always plenty of staff to hand, but each has a specific job they don’t deviate from. Some were proactive and confident in their interaction with guests, others not so much.

This was the main sticking point in an otherwise good overnight stay. There’s nothing worse than uneven service levels; having an exceptional member of staff to build up the experience, only to be disappointed repeatedly when others fail to execute simple and straightforward guest requests.

Dining

Located at Lobby level, Elan is the hotel’s main eatery serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The breakfast spread isn’t as expansive as I would have anticipated but is plentiful and caters for dietary restrictions with an emphasis on Indian breakfast. A small bakery and deli feature at the hotel’s entrance drop-off point, where we grabbed some savoury bites. There are two fine dining establishments; the much lauded Indian Accent and Perbacco, which serves refined Italian cuisine. Pre-dinner cocktails can be taken at the Safari Lounge, a bizarrely themed pastiche of a bar that felt completely out of sync with the rest of the Hotel.We did not try the poolside cafe.

Overall

There’s plenty to like about the Lodhi Hotel New Delhi. The property used to be an Aman Hotel, and the design ethos has that sensibility. The scale of space and room to breathe, seemingly far, far away from the chaos of Delhi, is a big selling point. I enjoyed my stay despite there being a few niggles and would give it another spin on a return to Delhi.