I was always quite happy at the Taj. I often went to dinner and drinks at the Oberoi though.

Yes, Aman is telling me the same thing. We have a reservation for arrival December 28 (will I be the first flyertalker to stay there?) and they're saying that they should be open but that I shouldn't cancel my backup reservation at the Imperial just yet ...

Aman is opening there soon, no? Good rule of thumb is to go with the Aman if it's an option. Otherwise, Imperial is best. Either way, it's a little dodgy... It is India. The service tends to be a little weird, especially on the phone. p.

Oh, and if you're doing Imperial, I would recommend Deco Suite over Heritage... the Heritage decor seems to have a lot more heritage... :0

Unfortunately, service being weird (including on the phone) is not a problem unique to India. Personally, the high end stays I have had in Indian hotels have been characterized by exceptionally good service - generally better than most US and some European luxury properties I have stayed in.

I would really NOT stay at The Imperial now. Their opening GM, Pierre Joachim left a few months ago and since then I heard that most of the top management has also quit. Squabbles in the owning family, apparently.

Until Aman Delhi opens, best options are Taj (now with two great new restaurants) and Oberoi (though the service has declined).

Does anyone have any recent experience with the ITC Maurya (formerly a Sheraton)? Looks like it's had some money pumped into it and has been reclassified as a Starwood Luxury Collection property. Rates are not far below what the and Taj and Oberoi are charging.

Still wouldn't bother unless you had to be in Chanakyapuri. They can redo the rooms, but are still stuck with the basic design and layout of the hotel. It only made sense as a lower cost alternative to the Oberoi/Taj/Imperial crowd, but even with a reno, at a higher price you can do better in Delhi.

No, no real need to be in that neighborhood except that a couple of the restaurants at the ITC Maurya come highly recommended. Anybody happen to know how long a taxi ride it would be to get from the Oberoi to the Maurya for dinner on a Sunday evening?

Fodorites make pilgrimages to Bukhara for some reason. It is a pretty good restaurant, but it's not the best place to eat in Delhi by a long shot (and the rest of the restaurants in the hotel are completely forgettable). Sunday evening should be OK for traffic, so about 30 min, I would think - but one never knows.

If you are at the Oberoi, I like 360, which also draws a moneyed local crowd (often hilarious to watch).

You may be right about Bukhara, we'll see, but friends of mine who are definitely not Fodorites but food writers and chefs speak very highly of the food there as well as at Dum Pukht. They have warned me it's a tourist scene but we'll be there for the food not the crowd. We'll see - in India for two weeks so will have lots of chances to compare to other places around Delhi and across the North.

The best eating in Delhi is still pretty much at the hotels, so it's not like you would be going wrong by spending an evening at a place like Bukhara. But there are others that are equally good and less touristy.

I was last at the Maurya in August. Can't compare to other properties in Delhi since I prefer SPG, but my thoughts were:

Pluses: free happy hour drinks in hotel pub for SPG platinums, updated modern rooms, pleasant AND competent staff, good location for early AM departures from DEL

Negatives: a bit stuffy for Delhi, but other properties could be similar

Just back from 3 weeks in India...Too late your for specific question, but, perhaps for future Delhi hotel stayers:

Lots of negatives on service at Imperial. Personally had lunch at both Oberoi and Imperial and both had major service issues.

Did walk through the new, not yet opened Aman. It is already a WOW! Chic luscious contemporary with tennis courts, pools, huge spa, separate suite building with private plunge pools, balconies, private entrances. It's out of the immediate center location means a true oasis with easier ingress and egress and, scheduled to open in January, the daily Aman training has been going on since first of October.

And then, there are the terrific wildlife lodges in Madya Pradesh. Next year is the year when all 4 of the & Beyond/Taj properties will be complete. Tigers, Tigers, Tigers, trained in Africa guides and Nepalese providing "from the heart" service. Tres terrific!

AND, I hear Taj will introduce private plane transfers next year between three of their lodges - otherwise, you can find yourself in a car for five hours.

Agree about Aman Delhi - wonderful design. Will stay there in the Spring.