Hotel Review: Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, India
The Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi is a luxurious gem in Delhi, India, but is it worth it? Here’s our honest overview of our three night stay on our trip to Delhi help you plan your own trip! Visiting Delhi is a kind of chaotic experience, and picking the right hotel can make or break the trip. We’re all about squeezing the most out of our limited vacation days and weekends, so we’re giving an honest overview of our three night stay on our first trip to Delhi to help you plan your own trip.
Living the Luxe Life (with Amex Points!)
Now, before you think this is just another "luxury hotel brag" post, let me assure you, it's not! We actually used a combination of Amex points and strategic planning to make this stay happen. We snagged a Taj Club Suite with a queen bed – perfect for our travel style – and let me tell you, the view was incredible. (Pro tip: Using travel points can unlock some seriously amazing rooms!)
Being Amex Platinum cardholders also came in handy. We took full advantage of the club lounge access, which meant free drinks and yummy snacks (that were nearly full meals) whenever we wanted. Plus, we indulged in a massage at the hotel's incredible spa (thanks to the Amex platinum perk) and enjoyed some of the most amazing breakfast spreads we've ever seen (compliments of both Amex and the hotel).
Another mega Amex Platinum perk? We were able to have a late check out - like, 4 p.m. check out level late check out! This was awesome as we had a 9 p.m. flight onto our next destination. We were able to enjoy more of the city, then come back to shower, refresh, and pack before heading to the airport. This perk alone was worth the stay!
A Haven When Delhi Got Hazy
See that monument in the left picture? Barely? Now you get the picture of the level of smog in winter in India.
Let's talk about Delhi in January. Turns out, it wasn't exactly the best month to visit. In fact, it was one of the smoggiest months of the year. One day, the air quality was so bad that it made my asthma throw a bit of a tantrum and made it so hard to breath that I had to cancel one of our half day tours around New Delhi.
In fact, the smog was so bad one morning that our early morning tour from Delhi to Agra to see the real life Taj Mahal was pushed back by hours because the smog and fog was so thick that it was too dangerous to drive. So instead of arriving by the opening hour to get those glorious sunrise shots, we weren’t able to depart from Delhi until 9 a.m.
Thankfully, the Taj Mahal Hotel felt like a complete haven and had serious air purification. We spent the day sleeping in, doing a bit of work from our spacious room, enjoying a long and drawn out breakfast of the most amazing spread of Indian dishes, getting pampered at the spa, doing yoga at the hotel gym, and enjoying dinner at the Taj Mahal’s onsite restaurant. Having such a beautiful and comfortable place to retreat to made a huge difference in our Delhi experience and certainly gave my lungs a much needed day of reprieve.
Andrew & Kait at Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, India
Location, Location, Location
While the hotel served as a fantastic escape during Delhi's smoggy days, it was also conveniently located in a good part of town. It served as a great base for exploring the city itself and planning day trips. In no circumstance do you want to rent a car to drive yourself around the city, so we booked tours that offered to pick us up from the hotel. Nothing in Delhi was ever more than a 30 minute drive - which is something to be said in the serious traffic of this congested city! In this area, you’ll find many other very fancy hotels neighboring official government buildings. Andrew walked the area a bit while I was sheltering from the smog, and he felt like it was a safe area to take a stroll if you so desire.
Dining at the Taj Mahal Delhi
The breakfast options at the Taj Mahal Delhi were next level. We dined at the buffet, the seated breakfast at Machan, and at the club level, and no option disappointed! I think the buffet option was our actual favorite - not because of the buffet, but because of the staff! We started out with pretty typical american options with a black coffee, omlet, and fruit, but then one sweet waiter came by and ask if we’d like an authentic indian breakfast, and offered to bring us options one by one - all included with the already free breakfast, compliments of our American Express Platinum card. Once the Indian dishes started coming - oh man! From chai after chai after chai to dishes I would have caught the name of to the most incredible dosa experience of our entire trip, it was truly unforgettable. Hilariously, I think the staff had as much fun watching us indulge and enjoy the local flavors for dish after dish as much as we did eating it.
The club level food and drinks was surprisingly hefty and refreshing! From easy quick bites like fruits and veggies to full dishes of pasta and chicken, you could nearly make a meal out of the lounge level bites. The drinks, wine, and cocktails were complimentary as well. And because the club lounge was on a high level floor, the views from the lounge were remarkable.
For dinner, we enjoyed the food at the Machan restaurant. To get the last bites of elevated authentic Indian dishes, we kept to choices like Paneer masala kathi kebab and Baingan bharta. Not surprisingly, the food and the service were both absolutely incredible.
Our only regret about dining at the Taj Mahal Hotel? Not taking enough photos before eating the food! I guess the camera didn’t eat first on this trip.
More Than Just a Room (and a View!)
Of course, a fancy room and a good location are only part of the story. What truly blew us away was the staff at the Taj Mahal Hotel. Everyone – from the front desk to the spa therapists to the waitstaff – went above and beyond to make our stay incredible. They were friendly, attentive, and always happy to help with anything we needed, and even offered things we didn’t know we wanted - like a neatly arranged bedside table or rose petals sweetly decorating the area around my toothbrush and makeup bag. It’s always the little things! From the doorman to the breakfast staff and everyone in between, we’ve never had better, sweeter service than at this hotel.
Speaking of the people at the Taj - my massage therapist shared that Bill Gates, the Rock, and several Heads of State visit the hotel and get massaged by him often! The man certainly knew what he was doing, so I can see why so many would choose to stay at the Taj, if not come for the massage alone!
The Final Verdict: Smog or Shine, This Hotel's a Winner
Look, we're not going to sugarcoat it – January might not be the ideal time to visit Delhi due to the intense smog. However, the lack of crowds was a total plus, and the weather was still pleasantly warm. Plus, if the air quality does dip (which, unfortunately, happens), having a hotel like the Taj Mahal makes it a total non-issue.
Here's the TL;DR for those looking for highlights:
Pros:
Luxurious accommodations (especially from the club suites!)
Amazing staff that goes the extra mile
Perfect location for exploring Delhi and surrounding areas
Club Lounge access with free food and drinks
Incredible spa with fantastic Amex Platinum perk (free massage!)
Delicious breakfast
A haven during Delhi's occasional smoggy days
Late check out (complimentary with club level, and extended late check out with Amex)
Cons:
January can be quite smoggy in Delhi (research is key!)
Would we recommend staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel?
Absolutely! It might be a splurge, but it's one that's totally worth it, especially if you can leverage travel points and perks like we did. Honestly, while we enjoyed our time exploring the country and meeting lovely locals, India wasn’t our favorite vacation destination of all time (that spot in our hearts is reserved for Finland and Italy), but this hotel alone is worth coming back for. Just remember to check the air quality forecast for Delhi before booking your trip (unless you're cool with retreating to a luxurious haven like this hotel!).