Where to stay · Delhi · India
Where to stay in Delhi
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Connaught Place. Colonnaded Georgian circle at the centre of New Delhi with restaurants, bars and the main metro hub. Best alternatives — families: Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri; budget: Paharganj.
Key facts
- First visit
- Connaught Place
- Families
- Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri
- Budget
- Paharganj
- Nightlife
- Connaught Place
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Connaught Place | Colonnaded Georgian circle at the centre of New Delhi with restaurants, bars and the main metro hub |
| Families | Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri | Leafy avenues of bungalows, embassies and grand hotels |
| Couples | Hauz Khas Village | Medieval reservoir ruins with boutiques, cafés and bars |
| Budget | Paharganj | Backpacker bazaar opposite New Delhi Railway Station |
| Luxury | Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri | Leafy avenues of bungalows, embassies and grand hotels |
| Nightlife | Connaught Place | Colonnaded Georgian circle at the centre of New Delhi with restaurants, bars and the main metro hub |
| Food lovers | Old Delhi | Mughal-era bazaars, mosques and havelis around Chandni Chowk |
| Solo travellers | Paharganj | Backpacker bazaar opposite New Delhi Railway Station |
| Shopping | Connaught Place | Colonnaded Georgian circle at the centre of New Delhi with restaurants, bars and the main metro hub |
| Quiet stays | Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri | Leafy avenues of bungalows, embassies and grand hotels |
Delhi neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and nightlife
Connaught Place
Built in the 1930s, Connaught Place's white colonnaded circles surround a central park above Rajiv Chowk, the busiest metro interchange. Restaurants, bars, Janpath's street market and many mid-range hotels are close by, and the Airport Express terminus at New Delhi station is a short ride away.
- Good
- Central with excellent metro links; Plenty of restaurants and bars; Walk to several sights
- Watch out
- Touts approach visitors in the outer circle; Traffic and crowds
- Nearby
- Janpath, Agrasen ki Baoli, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Rajiv Chowk metro
$ · Best for budget and solo travellers
Paharganj
Paharganj's Main Bazaar is a long, narrow street of budget hotels, guesthouses, rooftop cafés and stalls selling clothes and souvenirs. It is chaotic and noisy, but extremely convenient for train journeys and only a short metro ride from Connaught Place and Old Delhi.
- Good
- Very low-cost rooms; Next to New Delhi station; Traveller cafés and rooftop restaurants
- Watch out
- Chaotic, noisy and dirty streets; Touts and scams around the station
- Nearby
- New Delhi Railway Station, Connaught Place, Old Delhi
$$ · Best for culture and food lovers
Old Delhi
Shahjahanabad, the walled city built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century, packs the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and specialist bazaars for spices, silver and paper into dense lanes. A few restored havelis offer heritage stays, letting you explore the food lanes early in the morning and after dark.
- Good
- Walk to the Mughal sights and food lanes; Atmospheric heritage havelis; Unique street life
- Watch out
- Congested and noisy; Few hotels and limited car access
- Nearby
- Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli
$$$ · Best for nightlife, couples and solo travellers
Hauz Khas Village
In South Delhi, Hauz Khas Village wraps around a 13th-century reservoir and the madrasa and tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. Its lanes hold boutiques, galleries, cafés and bars that fill up at weekends, and the adjoining Deer Park is good for walks.
- Good
- Lake views and medieval ruins; Cafés and nightlife; Closer to Qutb Minar and Mehrauli
- Watch out
- Crowded on weekend nights; Few hotels inside the village itself
- Nearby
- Hauz Khas Complex, Deer Park, Qutb Minar
$$$$ · Best for luxury, quiet stays and families
Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri
The tree-lined heart of New Delhi, laid out by Edwin Lutyens, holds Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Lodhi Garden and the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri. Some of the city's best-known luxury hotels are here, along with Khan Market's cafés and bookshops.
- Good
- Green, calm and spacious; Close to Lodhi Garden and India Gate; Upmarket hotels and dining
- Watch out
- Expensive; Few budget options or street life
- Nearby
- Lodhi Garden, India Gate, Khan Market, National Rail Museum
$$ · Best for budget, shopping and families
Karol Bagh
Karol Bagh is a commercial neighbourhood west of Connaught Place, known for Ajmal Khan Road's street market, wedding wear and jewellery shops. Its many mid-range hotels and Blue Line metro stations make it a practical, good-value base for families.
- Good
- Good-value hotels; Metro access; Lively markets
- Watch out
- Crowded and noisy; Few sights within walking distance
- Nearby
- Ajmal Khan Road, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh metro
$$$ · Best for food lovers, quiet stays and families
South Delhi colonies
Planned residential colonies like Greater Kailash, Defence Colony and Nizamuddin East have guesthouses and boutique B&Bs on quiet streets, with neighbourhood markets full of restaurants and cafés. Humayun's Tomb, Lodhi Garden and the Violet and Pink metro lines are nearby.
- Good
- Quiet, residential feel; Excellent neighbourhood restaurants; Close to Mughal monuments
- Watch out
- Mostly guesthouses rather than full hotels; Need taxis or metro for central sights
- Nearby
- Humayun's Tomb, Nizamuddin Dargah, Lodhi Garden
$$$ · Best for luxury and quiet stays
Aerocity
Aerocity is a purpose-built hospitality district next to Indira Gandhi International Airport, with international chain hotels, restaurants and bars around a central plaza. Its Airport Express station reaches central Delhi in about 15 minutes, making it ideal for short stays and late arrivals.
- Good
- Minutes from the airport; Modern hotels and restaurants; Fast metro to the centre
- Watch out
- No historic character; Far from Old Delhi
- Nearby
- Indira Gandhi International Airport, Aerocity metro station
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Connaught Place | $$$ | Janpath, Agrasen ki Baoli, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Rajiv Chowk metro |
| Paharganj | $ | New Delhi Railway Station, Connaught Place, Old Delhi |
| Old Delhi | $$ | Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli |
| Hauz Khas Village | $$$ | Hauz Khas Complex, Deer Park, Qutb Minar |
| Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri | $$$$ | Lodhi Garden, India Gate, Khan Market, National Rail Museum |
| Karol Bagh | $$ | Ajmal Khan Road, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh metro |
| South Delhi colonies | $$$ | Humayun's Tomb, Nizamuddin Dargah, Lodhi Garden |
| Aerocity | $$$ | Indira Gandhi International Airport, Aerocity metro station |
Getting to your hotel
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is about 16 km south-west of Connaught Place. The Airport Express (Orange Line) runs from Terminal 3 via Aerocity to New Delhi station in about 20 minutes; Terminal 1 is on the Magenta Line. Prepaid taxis and app pick-up zones are outside arrivals, and road journeys take 40–90 minutes depending on traffic.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Delhi for first-time visitors?
Connaught Place. Built in the 1930s, Connaught Place's white colonnaded circles surround a central park above Rajiv Chowk, the busiest metro interchange.
+Where should families stay in Delhi?
Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri: Green, calm and spacious.
+Which area of Delhi is best for a budget stay?
Paharganj ($): Backpacker bazaar opposite New Delhi Railway Station.