The Leela Palace Hotel in Delhi, India

India › Delhi Hotels › Leela Palace Review
Updated: March 21, 2022
By Santorini Dave

Essentials
• Location: Diplomatic Enclave, near Safdarjung train station.
• Hotel website: theleela.com
• Hotel phone: +91 (0)11 3933 1234
• Check prices for The Leela Palace

Review of The Leela Palace New Delhi in India.

The Leela Palace offers luxurious rooms and a stunning rooftop pool in a great neighborhood.

The Leela Palace – One of the city’s finest: packed with charm and tradition, yet modern and new.

Even though it looks and feels like a colonial-era hotel, the Leela is actually only a few years old. The lavish lobby leads to some gardens (a rarity in a Delhi hotel), and the ground floor features several elegant restaurants and tea lounges. All accommodations are spacious, and even the lowest-category rooms are larger than most of the best rooms at rival hotels. All are lovingly decorated with twirling bed-stands, plush rugs, prints of Indian kings, and marble bathrooms, and with no other high-rises nearby, most views are excellent. And a standout feature is the rooftop pool with infinity edges. The surrounding area is reasonably quiet and comparatively clean and safe, though a little isolated.

See Also

The Leela Palace – The Location

  • Address: Africa Avenue, Chanakyapuri, in the southern suburbs.
  • Nearest Metro: Sarojini Nagar metro station is about 1.5 km away.
  • Area: In an area of wide and shady streets within the southern part of the city often called ‘Diplomatic Enclave’ because of the numerous embassies nearby.
  • How to Get There: From the airport, take the shuttle bus to the Aerocity metro station. Go to the New Delhi metro station and then get a connection to the Sarojini Nagar station (1.5 km from the hotel). Otherwise, a taxi (unmetered) to/from the airport will take about 35 minutes (15 km).

The Leela Palace – The Basics

  • Guests: Equally split between upmarket tourists, high-end business people, and government officials.
  • Views: The hotel is high, with nothing else blocking views of the leafy streets and gardens around New Delhi. Some rooms face the internal courtyard gardens, though views from all rooms are excellent.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Almost unique within Delhi hotels, 3 categories of suites feature private plunge pools, some with jacuzzis attached.
  • Extras: Guests of the Royal Club rooms get free airport transfers, access to the Club Lounge, and 24-hour butler service.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: +91 (0)11 3933 1234
  • Email: reservations@theleela.com
  • Website: theleela.com

The Leela Palace – Amenities

  • Pool: On the rooftop and stunning. With infinity edges, bar, and vast views across the city. Can be heated for the winter.
  • Spa: ESPA provides a fascinating number of treatments fusing modern needs with ancient methods. Also features a steam room and sauna.
  • Fitness Center: Adjoining the spa, the gym contains all the latest gear.
  • For Families: Cots. Baby-sitting.
  • Other Facilities: Boutique. Business Center.

The Leela Palace – Food and Drink

  • Restaurants: The Qube – Angular and covered with glass, it does resemble a cube. Open all day, serving buffets at breakfast and lunch. Casual, award-winning, and extra-long wine list. • Le Cirque – Gourmet Italian and French with New York-style vibe. Terrace seats and expansive views from the 10th floor. Dinner only and live jazz most nights. • Megu – Contemporary Japanese offering far more than just sushi. Terrace for cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner. • Jamavar – Fabulous Indian cuisine from across the country in a regal setting. Dinner only. • Spa Cafe – Indulge in a healthy snack or drink inside the spa. • The Lobby Lounge – For a quick coffee or long chat. Popular for traditional High Teas every afternoon.
  • Bars: The Library – Intimate, with low lights and velvet sofas. Finger food, international spirits, and signature cocktails. • The Royal Club & Lounge – Only accessible to guests from certain rooms. • Pool Bar – On the rooftop alongside the stunning pool.
  • Breakfast: Included in all rates.
  • Room Service: Available 24/7, and some suites have access to a butler at any time.

The Leela Palace – Rooms

  • Room Types: Grande Deluxe Rooms • Premiere Rooms • Grande Premiere Rooms • Royal Premier Rooms • Royal Club Rooms • Royal Club Parlours • Executive Suites • Luxury Suites • Grande Suites with Plunge Pool • Royal Suites with Plunge Pool • Maharaja Suites • Presidential Suites • List of all Rooms
  • Smoking Rooms: Some rooms allow smoking. Check with the management.
  • Best Room: About 10 times larger than the standard rooms, the Presidential Suites are so opulent. Packed with colonial furniture, they also feature private gyms, 2 living rooms, jacuzzis, and 24-hour butler service. Very private and exceptionally secluded.
  • For Families: An extra single bed can be squeezed into all rooms and suites, and a few have connecting doors. Surprisingly, no suites have 2 bedrooms or are set up for families.

The Leela Palace – Local Transport

  • Walking: Almost nothing worthwhile within walking distance. The backstreets are comparatively quiet, clean, and safe, but little to see.
  • Public Transport: The Delhi Metro is quick, reliable, and excellent value. The closest metro station is Sarojini Nagar, 1.5 km from the hotel.
  • Taxis & Rickshaws: Taxis are white, poorly-signed, and surprisingly hard to find. None will use a meter, and all are overpriced. Best organized through the hotel. Also available are Uber and Ola. Contrastingly, auto-rickshaws are everywhere.

The Leela Palace – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

    Nothing of any interest to locals, let alone tourists, within walking distance. So take a taxi, auto-rickshaw, or the metro to these places.

  • Hyatt Regency – This swish hotel 2 km further south has La Piazza (award-winning Italian food, with authentic décor and extended wine list), T.K’s Oriental Grill (Japanese teppanyaki and Mongolian barbeques in a swanky setting), and The China Kitchen (contemporary Chinese and bar).

Connaught Place (see below) offers many terrific places, such as:

  • Chili’s – Appealing corner position. Always popular for pasta and grills. (9 km).
  • Ministry of Beer – Hip meeting spot for all sorts of ales and pub-style meals. (10 km).
  • The Imperial Spice – Classy décor, classic Indian food, and attentive service. (10 km).
  • Brioche Dorée – European-style patisserie and café on 2 floors. Always popular for pastries, coffee, and light meals. 100% vegetarian. (10 km).

Nearby Shops

  • Nothing within walking distance, so get a taxi, auto-rickshaw, or the metro to Connaught Place (9 km). Don’t be put off by the incessant traffic and noise of the (one-way) outer ring road. Stroll among the endless places to eat, drink, and shop within the inner streets, and relax at Central Park, in the middle of the circle.

The Leela Palace – The Hotel

The hotel is located in the Diplomatic Enclave of Delhi.

The iconic Leela Palace hotel dominates this area of Delhi known as the ‘Diplomatic Enclave’ because of the number of embassies in the area.

The hotel belongs to a famous Indian-owned chain of hotels.

The Leela is one in a chain of Indian-owned hotels, and sister to the Leela Ambience Convention Hotel (reviewed separately).

The lobby, guest lounge, and the hotel offer a colonial-era charm.

The hotel is only a few years old but exudes a colonial-era charm throughout, right from its lobby and guest lounge.

The reception features marble columns and plush rugs.

The reception area also features marble columns and plush rugs.

The guest-lounge features old-fashioned Raj era furniture.

The guest lounge in the lobby area is packed with old-fashioned furniture reminiscent of the Raj era.

The afternoon High Teas at the Lobby Lounge are extremely popular.

The Lobby Lounge at the Leela Palace is enormously popular for its High Teas every afternoon.

The Qube serves breakfast to guests.

Breakfast is served at The Qube, which is aptly named (if a little oddly spelt).

The Qube offers lunch buffets and a la carte meals all day.

The Qube also offers buffets at lunch and a la carte meals all day and into the evening.

The Qube offers views of the gardens and lawns.

The Qube overlooks the gardens and lawns, both rarities among city hotels in Delhi.

The Library Bar offers seating in the ground floor corridor.

The ground floor corridor is lined with ornate chairs, some of which are part of The Library Bar.

The Library Bar has intimate and comfortable seating.

The setting is intimate and the sofas are very comfortable at The Library Bar.

The Library Bar is known for its signature cocktails and imported spirits.

The Library Bar offers a range of signature cocktails and imported spirits.

Megu is known for its contemporary Japanese menu.

At the end of the ground-floor corridor, past The Library Bar, Megu serves contemporary Japanese cuisine.

The boutique selling traditional shawls and jewelry is very popular.

The Leela is home to an inviting boutique specializing in traditional shawls and jewelry.

The infinity-edged rooftop pool is stunning.

The stunning infinity-edged rooftop pool is the only one of its kind in Delhi.

The rooftop pool offers superb views of the city.

Views across the leafy streets and city gardens are superb from the rooftop pool.

The corridors are designed with wood paneling and plush carpets.

Corridors of plush carpets and wood paneling lead to a variety of rooms and suites.

Corridors feature alcoves for guests to lounge in.

Along the corridors are alcoves with ornate seats.

The suites are very spacious.

The suites are among the most spacious in Delhi.

All rooms and suites have old-fashioned furniture and modern amenities.

All rooms and suites feature old-fashioned furniture as well as all the latest mod-cons.

All accommodations are adorned with prints of pre-colonial and Raj-era India.

The walls of the rooms and suites are lined with prints of pre-colonial and Raj-era India.

Each suite comes with a spacious marble bathroom.

Especially notable is the spacious marble bathroom in every suite.

The linen and decor in all accommodations is unrivaled.

The beds in the rooms and suites feature the sort of linen and décor very rarely seen at rival hotels.

Rooms offer views of the city streets, gardens, as well as the inner courtyard.

Most rooms overlook the city streets and gardens, while some on the lower floors face the internal courtyard and gardens.

The hotel neighborhood is relatively pleasant and clean.

The area around the hotel is comparatively pleasant and not as noisy and dirty as other parts of the city.

La Piazza at the Hyatt is renowned for its wood-fired pizzas.

About 2km from the Leela, the Hyatt hotel is home to La Piazza, renowned across the city for its wood-fired pizzas.

The China Kitchen serves contemporary cuisine.

Also at the Hyatt, The China Kitchen offers contemporary cuisine and a pleasant setting inside and out.

Connaught Place is the closest destination shopping.

With no shops or other facilities in the immediate area, take an auto-rickshaw to Connaught Place.

Brioche Dorée patisserie and cafe is an excellent pace.

One of many terrific places to eat along the outer ring road at Connaught Place is the Brioche Dorée patisserie and café.

Ministry of Beer nearby is very popular.

Near Brioche Dorée is the hugely popular and very trendy Ministry of Beer.

Chili’s is known for its grills and pasta.

With an appealing corner position, Chili’s is always popular for grills and pasta.

Imperial Spice is another good restaurant at Connaught Place.

The Imperial Spice is yet another tempting restaurant at Connaught Place.

The metro is an efficient mode of transport.

Fast, efficient, and very cheap, the metro is a great way to get around the city. Check rates and availability: The Leela Palace

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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave Author Bio. Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece and recommend the best hotels, best neighborhoods, and best family hotels in top destinations around the world. We also make hotel maps and travel videos. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.