DELHI HOLIDAY REVIEWS
Delhi
Home to more than 15-million people, the daunting city of Delhi teems and steams on the banks of the Yamuna River in northern India, a city of contrasts that visitors on holiday in Delhi either fall in love with or detest with a passion. Modern cars vie for space on the smelly, dirty streets withmore
Home to more than 15-million people, the daunting city of Delhi teems and steams on the banks of the Yamuna River in northern India, a city of contrasts that visitors on holiday in Delhi either fall in love with or detest with a passion. Modern cars vie for space on the smelly, dirty streets withmore
Do NOT book anything with DTTDC in Delhi! - Germanator. Date of travel: Nov 2009
My wife and I went to India for the first time in November and we were very suspicious of anybody and anything from the beginning. Before settling for a hotel in Delhi we wanted to consult the official tourism office to see if they could recommend us something not too expensive. On the Delhi map that you can get at the Indira Gandhi airport, there is an 'i' for information on the N block at Connaught Place. We compared this with the map in the Lonely Planet and here the entry was "Delhi Tourism & Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC)." Consequently, we assumed that it was the right address to go to and we told our taxi driver to take us straight there. We were welcomed by a guy named Nazir ("Naz"), who told us that he mostly lived in Canada, which his Canadian accent confirmed. He offered us tea and started to make nice conversation - the usual. When we asked him to find us a good, inexpensive hotel and showed him some suggestions in the LP, he told us that the prices had gone up dramatically and to prove this, he called some of them and asked for the room rates. Sure enough, it seemed that the rates had doubled. He showed us the website of a really nice hotel, which he could book for us for only Rs 2000 (instead of Rs 2500). This still seemed a lot to us, but then he started talking about our travel plans and suggested we go to "the Himalayas" to stay on a houseboat. Had we read the Lonely Planet thoroughly enough, our alarm bells should have gone off right then: it talks a lot about so called "houseboat hassles" and strongly advises against booking anything like that from Delhi. It must have been the price that made us sign without even knowing that this place was actually a lake in Kashmir, a region that most embassies advise against visiting and where our travel insurance wasn't valid because of ongoing violence in the region. Anyway, he said if we booked this "package" with him, it would include one night in Delhi in that nice hotel and three nights on the houseboat, two meals a day included - as well as the flight there and a driver at our service all the time. All this for €150 per person. When I asked him where the catch was, he got slightly irritated at me for questioning his trustworthiness. So we signed but soon realized that we still had no idea where exactly he was sending us. On the receipt it only said "flight to the Himalayas." When we called him from the hotel to ask for the name of the city we were going to, he got annoyed and told us to come by, so he would show us on a map. When we realized it was in Kashmir we got worried but Naz said, it's totally safe, why else would he send us there? When we got to Srinagar (Kashmir), we were picked up by Naz's associate Mustafa, who told us that he was his cousin. In fact, they looked almost identical (my wife still thinks they are one and the same person). After showing us our houseboat on Nageen Lake, he took us to his office in a hotel, supposedly to give us "information." Instead, he tried to plan our entire India trip for us, for $900 for 4 weeks. After we told him we didn't want to travel with a travel agency, all we wanted was to go to Dharamsala after this, he still tried to convince us that it would be so much cheaper, we wouldn't get reservations on the trains without him, etc. He told us to check for ourselves on the computer. But when I looked for a Srinagar-Dharamsala connection, he flipped out and yelled at me I wouldn't trust him and only he was our travel agent. He said if we didn't do the India trip with him, the trip only to Dharamsala would cost $160 and he would have to book it for us now or else there wouldn't be any available seats. So I tried to buy time, saying we would think about it and tell him tomorrow, and that we would want to visit a friend first. He got big eyes and asked "What friend?!" I told him, a guy I knew from college that did an exchange year. "You met him on the plane!!!!" he burst out. This was actually true. We had met a guy in the airport and told him that we had booked this trip with a travel agency and he had told us that it wasn't a good idea and if we had any trouble we should call him. So now Mustafa called me a "f***ing liar" and asked my wife why did she marry such a jerk, and he threw my water bottle around. My wife was really scared and started crying. "That's your fault because you f***ing lied to me! That's not how you do business!" Mustafa told me. He also said that he had so much power, he could cancel our flight back home and that we would see "how dangerous" he could be! At that point, my wife didn't care about the insane price for the trip to Dharamsala and just wanted to get out of there. So we paid him the $160... for a shared taxi to Jammu and a train ride to Pathankot, probably worth $20 altogether. From there we would have to take a bus to Dharamsala, which we would pay ourselves (of course he didn't tell us that right then). When I asked him for a receipt, he said he was too angry to give me one now, he would give it to us in the morning. Also, he asked for our receipt that we had from Delhi. We asked him to give us a copy of it, but he said he would give it to us later, since he didn't feel like it now. Naturally, we never got anything. That night, we left the light on in our room and I didn't sleep until it started getting light out. That's how scared we were because Mustafa was obviously a maniac, capable of anything. We imagined that he would try to kill us because we didn't accept his travel offers and could harm his business by telling people what happened. It didn't help that we heard gunshots and explosions during the night. We later learned that two Indian army soldiers were killed by militants while we were there. So much for a relaxing vacation!
My wife and I went to India for the first time in November and we were very suspicious of anybody and anything from the beginning. Before settling for a hotel in Delhi we wanted to consult the official tourism office to see if they could recommend us something not too expensive. On the Delhi map that you can get at the Indira Gandhi airport, there is an 'i' for information on the N block at Connaught Place. We compared this with the map in the Lonely Planet and here the entry was "Delhi Tourism & Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC)." Consequently, we assumed that it was the right address to go to and we told our taxi driver to take us straight there. We were welcomed by a guy named Nazir ("Naz"), who told us that he mostly lived in Canada, which his Canadian accent confirmed. He offered us tea and started to make nice conversation - the usual. When we asked him to find us a good, inexpensive hotel and showed him some suggestions in the LP, he told us that the prices had gone up dramatically and to prove this, he called some of them and asked for the room rates. Sure enough, it seemed that the rates had doubled. He showed us the website of a really nice hotel, which he could book for us for only Rs 2000 (instead of Rs 2500). This still seemed a lot to us, but then he started talking about our travel plans and suggested we go to "the Himalayas" to stay on a houseboat. Had we read the Lonely Planet thoroughly enough, our alarm bells should have gone off right then: it talks a lot about so called "houseboat hassles" and strongly advises against booking anything like that from Delhi. It must have been the price that made us sign without even knowing that this place was actually a lake in Kashmir, a region that most embassies advise against visiting and where our travel insurance wasn't valid because of ongoing violence in the region. Anyway, he said if we booked this "package" with him, it would include one night in Delhi in that nice hotel and three nights on the houseboat, two meals a day included - as well as the flight there and a driver at our service all the time. All this for €150 per person. When I asked him where the catch was, he got slightly irritated at me for questioning his trustworthiness. So we signed but soon realized that we still had no idea where exactly he was sending us. On the receipt it only said "flight to the Himalayas." When we called him from the hotel to ask for the name of the city we were going to, he got annoyed and told us to come by, so he would show us on a map. When we realized it was in Kashmir we got worried but Naz said, it's totally safe, why else would he send us there? When we got to Srinagar (Kashmir), we were picked up by Naz's associate Mustafa, who told us that he was his cousin. In fact, they looked almost identical (my wife still thinks they are one and the same person). After showing us our houseboat on Nageen Lake, he took us to his office in a hotel, supposedly to give us "information." Instead, he tried to plan our entire India trip for us, for $900 for 4 weeks. After we told him we didn't want to travel with a travel agency, all we wanted was to go to Dharamsala after this, he still tried to convince us that it would be so much cheaper, we wouldn't get reservations on the trains without him, etc. He told us to check for ourselves on the computer. But when I looked for a Srinagar-Dharamsala connection, he flipped out and yelled at me I wouldn't trust him and only he was our travel agent. He said if we didn't do the India trip with him, the trip only to Dharamsala would cost $160 and he would have to book it for us now or else there wouldn't be any available seats. So I tried to buy time, saying we would think about it and tell him tomorrow, and that we would want to visit a friend first. He got big eyes and asked "What friend?!" I told him, a guy I knew from college that did an exchange year. "You met him on the plane!!!!" he burst out. This was actually true. We had met a guy in the airport and told him that we had booked this trip with a travel agency and he had told us that it wasn't a good idea and if we had any trouble we should call him. So now Mustafa called me a "f***ing liar" and asked my wife why did she marry such a jerk, and he threw my water bottle around. My wife was really scared and started crying. "That's your fault because you f***ing lied to me! That's not how you do business!" Mustafa told me. He also said that he had so much power, he could cancel our flight back home and that we would see "how dangerous" he could be! At that point, my wife didn't care about the insane price for the trip to Dharamsala and just wanted to get out of there. So we paid him the $160... for a shared taxi to Jammu and a train ride to Pathankot, probably worth $20 altogether. From there we would have to take a bus to Dharamsala, which we would pay ourselves (of course he didn't tell us that right then). When I asked him for a receipt, he said he was too angry to give me one now, he would give it to us in the morning. Also, he asked for our receipt that we had from Delhi. We asked him to give us a copy of it, but he said he would give it to us later, since he didn't feel like it now. Naturally, we never got anything. That night, we left the light on in our room and I didn't sleep until it started getting light out. That's how scared we were because Mustafa was obviously a maniac, capable of anything. We imagined that he would try to kill us because we didn't accept his travel offers and could harm his business by telling people what happened. It didn't help that we heard gunshots and explosions during the night. We later learned that two Indian army soldiers were killed by militants while we were there. So much for a relaxing vacation!
Delhi is unlike anywhere else - B T Yang. Date of travel: Feb 2009
After Hotel Ajanta driver's scam and the extortion by hot-water begging, I thought I was done with Delhi, especially after a noisy night. The next morning, I saw gentle cows, gentle breakfast vendors, and gentle worshipers, and I decided to stay and explore. The best way to see Delhi is 1) Do not get a guide; they tend to be pushy and impatient; 2)get a Metro map 3) Do your homework ( reading). Everyone has his/her opinion on different places to go or to see. I found the best place to go is Chadni Chowk ("Chowk" means "junction"), Old Delhi. That's where you find all religions live side by side, and it's like a movie set. No need to pay the outrageous INR 250 entrance fees "for foreigners" to see the Red Fort; Jama Masjid (Jama Mosque) is free, and just as great. No rest rooms at McDonald's. No rest rooms at Metro stations either. Compare with NYC, Delhi is slightly dirtier, slightly more polite, slightly more crowded, more religious, and much more historical, much much more economical place. Shut out the western mentality and begin enjoy Delhi!
After Hotel Ajanta driver's scam and the extortion by hot-water begging, I thought I was done with Delhi, especially after a noisy night. The next morning, I saw gentle cows, gentle breakfast vendors, and gentle worshipers, and I decided to stay and explore. The best way to see Delhi is 1) Do not get a guide; they tend to be pushy and impatient; 2)get a Metro map 3) Do your homework ( reading). Everyone has his/her opinion on different places to go or to see. I found the best place to go is Chadni Chowk ("Chowk" means "junction"), Old Delhi. That's where you find all religions live side by side, and it's like a movie set. No need to pay the outrageous INR 250 entrance fees "for foreigners" to see the Red Fort; Jama Masjid (Jama Mosque) is free, and just as great. No rest rooms at McDonald's. No rest rooms at Metro stations either. Compare with NYC, Delhi is slightly dirtier, slightly more polite, slightly more crowded, more religious, and much more historical, much much more economical place. Shut out the western mentality and begin enjoy Delhi!
Good City - Maria Cyrus. Date of travel: Oct 2008
I thought Delhi would not be as green but when we arrived we found it was just opposite of our imagination. Nice city.
I thought Delhi would not be as green but when we arrived we found it was just opposite of our imagination. Nice city.
Delhi - Donald. Date of travel: Aug 2008
Delhi is one crazy city.
Delhi is one crazy city.
Money for value - David. Date of travel: Aug 2008
On my visit to New Delhi the capital of India, my family and I stayed at Hotel Sri Nanak Continental situated in the heart of city Delhi. I enjoy staying there because it was very clean hotel & they provided me with Internet through wi-fi to use my Laptop in my room. The bathroom was very clean compared to other hotels I've stayed in previously. I recommend others to stay at Sri Nanak as they provided me complimentary pickup from airport. A great service!
Inn at Delhi - Bed and Breakfast Homestay Delhi, India - Mel Green. Date of travel: Jun 2008
Delhi was hot and chaotic. We did not do a proper research, should have gone in October -December, but nonetheless was an unforgettable experience. Loved the small trinkets that we collected and the food.
Delhi was hot and chaotic. We did not do a proper research, should have gone in October -December, but nonetheless was an unforgettable experience. Loved the small trinkets that we collected and the food.
Delhi - Nice city - Susan Green. Date of travel: Mar 2008
I travelled India once in my life and I found a few good cities like Chandigarh, Shimla, Dehradun, etc. and Delhi is one of them. I also visited one of the wonders which is Taj Mahal in Agra - it's really a gorgeous city to travel.
I travelled India once in my life and I found a few good cities like Chandigarh, Shimla, Dehradun, etc. and Delhi is one of them. I also visited one of the wonders which is Taj Mahal in Agra - it's really a gorgeous city to travel.
Delhi Overview - Abigayle. Date of travel: Apr 2005
Delhi, a capital city of the Federal Republic of India. It is one of India's fastest growing cities. It has sprawled over the West Bank of the river Yamuna, straddling the river. The city has two distinct parts, Old Delhi & New Delhi. Old Delhi is centered on the Red Fort built by Emperor Shah Jehan between 1636 & 1658. The streets of Old Delhi are narrow & bustling. The beauty & serenity lies inside the courts of the main buildings. Delhi has some of the finest museums in the country. Its boutiques and shopping arcades offer access to a wealth of traditional and contemporary crafts, from all over the country. New Delhi was proclaimed the capital of India by the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944), & is tree-lined & spacious.
Delhi, a capital city of the Federal Republic of India. It is one of India's fastest growing cities. It has sprawled over the West Bank of the river Yamuna, straddling the river. The city has two distinct parts, Old Delhi & New Delhi. Old Delhi is centered on the Red Fort built by Emperor Shah Jehan between 1636 & 1658. The streets of Old Delhi are narrow & bustling. The beauty & serenity lies inside the courts of the main buildings. Delhi has some of the finest museums in the country. Its boutiques and shopping arcades offer access to a wealth of traditional and contemporary crafts, from all over the country. New Delhi was proclaimed the capital of India by the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944), & is tree-lined & spacious.
Delhi is the best place to be - Manish Verma. Date of travel: Jan 1970
We went to Delhi from London in December, I guess the best weather for us to go. Once we landed we realised traffic is a bit too much but soon we got used to it and started to ignore trafiic but enjoy the history. We went to Red Fort, Raj Ghat, Connaught Place (Rajiv Chowk) and then to Qutab minar. Best was shopping and even better was food, loved every minute.
We went to Delhi from London in December, I guess the best weather for us to go. Once we landed we realised traffic is a bit too much but soon we got used to it and started to ignore trafiic but enjoy the history. We went to Red Fort, Raj Ghat, Connaught Place (Rajiv Chowk) and then to Qutab minar. Best was shopping and even better was food, loved every minute.
Delhi is a mad mad city!!! - nicky. Date of travel: Jan 1970
Delhi is mad in its own way but still it gives immense pleasure and adventure for which people keep coming here day in and day out.
Delhi is mad in its own way but still it gives immense pleasure and adventure for which people keep coming here day in and day out.
CHOOSE A DESTINATION IN DELHI
| Hotels in Delhi | User Rating |
| 5-Star Hotels |
| Le Meridien | | * * * * * | |
| see all 5 Star Hotels in Delhi | |
| 4-Star Hotels |
| Inn at Delhi (Anand Niketan) | | * * * * * | |
| see all 4 Star Hotels in Delhi | |
| 3-Star Hotels |
| Delhi Bed and Breakfast | | * * * * * | |
| Sri Nanak Continental Hotel | | * * * * * | |
| Hotel Clark International | | * * * * * | |
| Sai Villa | | * * * * * | |
| Shantigriha Bed and Breakfast | | * * * * * | |
| see all 3 Star Hotels in Delhi | |
| 2-Star Hotels |
| Hotel Ajanta | | * * * * * | |
| Hotel Mohan International | | * * * * * | |
| Hotel Chand Palace | | * * * * * | |
| Hotel Pallvi Palace | | * * * * * | |
| Hotel Yuvraj Deluxe | | * * * * * | |
| see all 2 Star Hotels in Delhi | |