Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi, India

IndiaDelhi Hotels › Taj Mahal Review
Updated: March 22, 2022
By Santorini Dave

Essentials
• Location: At the corner of Shahjahan Road and Motilal Nehru Marg.
• Hotel website: tajhotels.com
• Hotel phone: +91 (0)11 6656 6162
Check prices for Taj Mahal

Review of Hotel Taj Mahal, New Delhi in India.

The iconic and luxurious Taj Mahal hotel features a colonial style decor and beautiful pool.

Taj Mahal – Large, sumptuous, and historic, but a little dated.

Soaring above the colonial-era residences of leafy New Delhi, this iconic hotel was one of the first of its kind in the Indian capital but now looks a little old-fashioned. However, it still offers a lovable charm, from the traditionally-dressed doorman to the plush lobby packed with fascinating Indian-style decorations. Rooms are airy and luxurious and feature more reminders of the British Raj era than most rivals. The pool is large and shady, while the underground gym and spa are extensive and well-equipped. Another advantage is that it’s within a short stroll of the city’s finest selection of shops, cafés, and bars at Khan Market.

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Taj Mahal – The Location

  • Address: Set back more than 100m from the main thoroughfare, Shahjahan Road, in the inner southern suburbs.
  • Nearest Metro: Khan Market metro station is 500m away.
  • Area: In New Delhi, built as the Indian capital by British colonialists. Wide, clean, and shady streets, and plenty of facilities in the nearby Khan Market area.
  • 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 Khan Market station (500m from the hotel). Otherwise, a taxi (unmetered) to/from the airport will take about 30-45 minutes (18 km).
  • Handy to: Khan Market.

Taj Mahal – The Basics

  • Guests: Seems to cater mostly for business people, but the old-world charm does attract many older foreign tourists.
  • Views: With no other high-rises nearby, views of the leafy streets are marvellous.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not really expected or provided at such a historic inner-city hotel in Delhi.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: +91 (0)11 6656 6162
  • Email: mahal.delhi@tajhotels.com
  • Website: tajhotels.com

Taj Mahal – Amenities

  • Pool: The pool is substantial. Colonial-era appeal with some natural shade and plenty of lounge chairs.
  • Spa: A long corridor alongside the pool leads to extraordinary facilities, including steam rooms, saunas, jacuzzi, and plunge pools.
  • Fitness Center: Next to the spa, Fitness at Jiva Spa is well-equipped and very spacious. Open 24 hours. Dedicated yoga section.
  • Facilities: Boutiques.

Taj Mahal – Food and Drink

  • Restaurants: Machan – Open 24 hours for a wide range of cuisines and buffet breakfast. Refined décor for a casual eatery. • House of Ming – Authentic Chinese and one of the finest in Delhi. • Varq – Contemporary Indian in a chic setting. Fascinating decorations. • Emperor’s Lounge – All-day lounge for tea/coffee. Also popular for finger food and desserts. • The Grill Room – Focuses on grilled meats and French cuisine. On the rooftop, providing some of Delhi’s finest views. Extended wine list. Dinner only.
  • Bar: Rick’s – Fashionable bar/lounge open from late afternoon until past midnight.
  • Breakfast: The more expensive rooms include breakfast.
  • Room Service: Available 24/7.

Taj Mahal – Rooms

  • Room Types: Deluxe Rooms City View • Luxury Rooms City View • Taj Club Rooms City View • Executive Suites Pool View • Luxury Suites • Grand Presidential Suite (1 only) • List of all Rooms
  • Smoking Rooms: Smoking is allowed in some rooms, but is not permitted in public areas.
  • Best Room: The 1-off Grand Presidential Suite is truly massive and swish. Extras rarely (or ever) found at other Delhi hotels include a vanity room, pantry, workout area, dining room, and library.
  • For Families: Most rooms can easily fit families of 4.

Taj Mahal – Local Transport

  • Walking: With footpaths mostly unblocked, it’s a nicer area for walking than most, and Khan Market (see below) is close by.
  • Public Transport: The Delhi Metro is quick, reliable, and excellent value. The closest metro station is at Khan Market, only 500m away.
  • Taxis & Rickshaws: Taxis are white, poorly-signed, and surprisingly hard to find. None will use a meter, and all are overpriced. Best arranged through the hotel. Also available are Uber and Ola. Contrastingly, auto-rickshaws are everywhere.

Taj Mahal – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

    Khan Market (1 km, see below) is the only option, and thankfully, it provides the finest selection in New Delhi. Along a back lane are:

  • L’Opera – Very tempting patisserie for cakes, sandwiches, and coffee.
  • Punjab Grill – Friendly, good value, and authentic food.
  • The Beer Café – Wine, beer, tapas, and Western food. Prominent corner position with upstairs viewing.

And in a corner cluster within about 20m of each other are:

  • Smokey’s BBQ & Grill – All sorts of meats grilled to perfection. Equally popular for draft beer and live music.
  • La Vie – Another restaurant with surprisingly chic décor. Renowned for pizza and other Italian dishes. Daily specials.
  • Wok in the Clouds – Authentic street-food in a very stylish setting. Also Thai, Chinese, and European food. Bar attached.

Nearby Shops & Markets

  • Khan Market – An extended area of narrow lanes brimming with better-than-normal shops and restaurants, but there is no real street market as such. Now a major attraction, Khan Market is seedy in places but does offer some well-known outlets too, such as Starbucks and Subway. Follow the signs (which are rather confusing) from over the road, but if dark, always use an auto-rickshaw. (1 km).

Taj Mahal – The Hotel

The imposing hotel dominates a quiet area of New Delhi.

Named after the exquisite monument (which is actually in Agra), the Taj Mahal hotel dominates a tranquil part of New Delhi.

The hotel is set back from the main road and shielded from traffic noise.

The entrance is up a short path and set back from the main road, so rooms are shielded from traffic noise.

The regal hotel features a traditionally-dressed doorman at the entrance.

The hotel is regal in every sense, with a traditionally-dressed doorman at the entrance.

The old-fashioned hotel needs a refresh.

The hotel is old-fashioned and does need some updating (rather than modernization).

The lobby is decorated with old-style furniture.

The sumptuous lobby area features plenty of old-style furnishings.

The hotel has a very spacious layout.

There is so much space everywhere because the hotel was built many years ago.

Emperor Lounge is very elegant.

The Emperor Lounge at the lobby is particularly elegant.

House of Ming is very classy.

One of many restaurants within the hotel is the very swish House of Ming.

Varq serves contemporary Indian cuisine in a sophisticated setting.

Also within the hotel, Varq serves contemporary Indian cuisine in a sophisticated setting.

Rick’s bar and lounge is open till very late.

Rick’s is a chic bar/lounge open until after midnight.

The 24-hour Machan café also serves breakfast.

Breakfast is served at the Machan café, which is open 24 hours.

The wallpapers and paintings in the cafe really stand out.

Features of the Machan café are the wallpaper and paintings.

The large pool is surrounded by a vast deck and lots of lounge chairs.

The hotel pool is particularly large and inviting, with a broad deck and plenty of lounge chairs.

The large fitness centre features state-of-the-art equipment.

The fitness center is enormous and features all the state-of-the-art equipment expected.

The spa features lots of treatments and facilities.

The spa offers everything that any guest could possibly want.

The spa offers an extensive range of massages, scrubs, and treatments.

All sorts of massages, scrubs, and beauty treatments are available at the hotel spa.

The lobby hosts a few chic boutiques.

A few chic boutiques are in the lobby area.

The hotel neighborhood has clean and shady streets.

The hotel is in a tranquil part of New Delhi, where the streets are wide, clean, and shady.

Khan Market nearby hosts a lot of shops, cafes, and bars.

About 10 minutes on foot (follow the confusing signs), Khan Market is a collection of 100+ shops, cafés, and bars.

Wok in the Clouds and La Vie are popular restaurants in Khan Market

Khan Market provides an incredible selection of places to eat and drink, such as Wok in the Clouds and La Vie.

Khan Market also features The Beer Café and Punjab Grill.

In another area of Khan Market is a back lane, home to The Beer Café and Punjab Grill, among others. Check rates and availability: Taj Mahal

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