We stayed at the Imperial at the end of August. After reading some of the comments here, I was very concerned about our stay. We were totally WOWED by the Imperial and I would definitely return there in the future. Some standouts for me....
the hallways, filled with Indian prints and artwork
the pool is drop-dead gorgeous and a fantastic place to unwind at the end of the day
great little bookstore with unusual and older titles
breakfast was top-notch with numerous flavors of lassis, and great baked goods. One of my favorite breakfasts anywhere.

And the rooms are fantastic too. The rooms, to me, seem a little closed in due to the architecture of the hotel, which includes very narrow windows. But the housekeeping standards were very high. The room attendant took a very proprietary interest in the room, and was always responsive to any of our needs or requests.

The service at the Imperial was really great. In particular, the concierge got us an incredible tour guide with less than an hour's notice, and the guy only charged about $20 for four hours. It was a steal, and we did leave a very big tip. Also, we were truly satisfied with every driver we got through the hotel. Some were better than others, but they were all good, and the car service was quick and reliable.

I stayed in the Oberoi last time I was in Delhi, but it has nothing on the Imperial. I love historic old hotels (Raffles in Singapore being a favorite), but only if they have been maintained to a very high standard. The Imperial didn't let me down.

I now believe the water bottle thing. I think that a city hotel is a bit of a challenge for Aman, so will take longer than expected. Now that Henry & Char Gray have joined as GMs, I believe that standards will rise considerably. Staff has been resting on its laurels for 3 years, getting trained and getting paid, but now the guests have arrived, I think it has been a shock to some. There will have to be some major changes for this hotel to shine, so fingers crossed.

Imperial hotel is good option, pool is also good

I agree that The Imperial is a lovely building (the Art Deco suites are much lighter, by the way, than the more traditional offerings), but the food has never been up to much here and when Pierre Joachim and most of the management left last year, standards definitely dipped. They never did get around to building the spa they always promised.

If the building matters more than the food and the service, then I can see your point, but I would rather have great service and food.

We stayed at the Raffles in Singapore right before our stay at the Imperial in Delhi. I have stayed at Raffles many times but this was the first time since Jochem took over. I have always loved Raffles and all our stays there, and I loved it the most recent time as well. However, I did notice certain changes in the service and in the breakfasts in particular. I definitely got the impression that these were cost-cutting measures, and I wonder if some of the service changes at the Imperial are the same, reactions to a changed world economy, and to the fact that the customers are harder to come by! (Both Raffles and the Imperial were rather quiet compared to our other stays).

I used to love the Imperial, but I think it is now over. I think it's now pretty much the Oberoi. I will check the Aman out next trip, though.

Actually, I was seriously surprised and impressed by the Taj Palace, which used to be very package tour, but since they did their 3-floor club rooms and started upgrading F&B (check out Blue Ginger, which is a terrific Vietnamese restaurant) it has changed beyond comparison. It is also very near the airport.

Oberoi has gone off I feel. Aman Delhi needs at least 6 months.

It has been a few years since I was in Delhi, but have been there for business many, many times. My local friends always booked me in the Oberoi so that is my experience and I was never disappointed. It was always commented that in Delhi to stay in the Oberoi and in Mumbai the Taj Mahal near the Gateway to India at Apollo Bunder or the Oberoi at Nariman Point.

Restaurants at the Taj Palace are pretty good - I have to say that I still find it a bit of a conference hotel, though. Oberoi certainly isn't perfect - but in the field it is now probably ahead by default.

I have been a huge fan of the Oberoi Delhi for 20 or so years, but thought the service and attitude of staff had really declined. I was much more impressed with the Taj Palace this time as staff was more attentive and welcoming and if you stay on the club floor, the accommodation is far superior to The Oberoi. I was also really impressed with the food, especially at Blue Ginger, which just opened.

I also like the Taj Mahal Hotel Delhi, but think the rooms/suites need refurbishing. This is on the cards, but like most places, it has been delayed due to the downturn.