Best Hotels in Delhi for Every Budget — 49 Real Picks From £19 (2026)

Delhi's hotels run from about £19 a night for a real, bookable budget room near the airport to roughly £156 at Taj Palace in the Diplomatic Enclave — and almost everything in between costs a fraction of the equivalent room in London. This guide covers 49 verified Delhi hotels: 10 luxury, 10 mid-range and 29 budget properties, each with its live from-price and a direct link to today's rate. India's capital is really several cities stacked on top of each other — Mughal Old Delhi, imperial New Delhi, and the sprawling modern south — so the other half of this guide is about where to base yourself, because in Delhi the area you pick shapes the trip more than the star rating does.

Jump to your budget: Luxury · Mid-range · Budget stays from £19 · FAQs

Scout's 3 picks: 🏛️ Taj Palace, New Delhi — from ~£156, the grandest address in this guide. 🌆 The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel Delhi — from ~£64, the cheapest genuine five-star here. 💷 Airport Hotel Tashree — from ~£19, the cheapest verified bed in this guide. From-prices are live rates pulled while writing — tap any hotel for today's price on your dates.

Prices here are quoted in pounds as a rough conversion only; hotels charge in Indian Rupees (INR), so the exact sterling figure moves with the exchange rate. UK passport holders need an Indian e-Visa applied for online in advance — it is not issued on arrival, so start it well before you fly. Direct flights from London to Delhi (DEL) take around eight and a half to nine hours with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic or Air India. Before booking, read the current UK Foreign Office travel advice for India for entry rules and safety updates, and the official Incredible India tourism site for opening times and seasonal events. India drives on the left, like the UK — though almost no visitor drives themselves here, because the Delhi Metro is excellent and app taxis are cheap.

One honest caveat before you book: Delhi's winter air quality is genuinely poor. From roughly November to January the city sits under heavy smog, and if you are asthmatic or otherwise sensitive you should either travel outside that window or choose a hotel with in-room air purification. October, February and March give you the same comfortable temperatures without the worst of it.

Compare live Delhi hotel prices or search UK flights to Delhi (DEL).

The Best Luxury Hotels in Delhi

Delhi's five-star tier is one of the best-value luxury markets in the world for UK travellers — Mughal-scale hotels in the Diplomatic Enclave, glass towers in Aerocity beside the airport, and heritage properties in the north. From-prices are live rates pulled while writing.

1. Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport — Delhi · 5★ · 10,185 reviews · from ~£123/night. By far the most reviewed hotel in this guide, with over ten thousand reviews behind it — a long-established five-star on the Mahipalpur side of Indira Gandhi International. That review volume is the point: you know exactly what you are getting after a nine-hour flight. Best for stopovers and business trips rather than sightseeing bases.

2. Holiday Inn New Delhi Aerocity by IHG — Delhi · 5★ · 9,182 reviews · from ~£79/night. Aerocity is the purpose-built hotel district minutes from Terminal 3, and this is its most reviewed property. Familiar IHG standards, an easy shuttle to the terminals and a rate well under most European airport hotels. Ideal for a first or last night; not a base for exploring Old Delhi.

3. Pride Plaza Hotel, Aerocity New Delhi — Delhi · 5★ · 5,982 reviews · from ~£74/night. One of the best value-per-star picks in the guide: a full five-star in Aerocity for less than a mid-range room in most European capitals, with nearly six thousand reviews backing it. Pool, several restaurants, airport shuttle. A strong choice for families breaking a long-haul journey.

4. The LaLiT New Delhi — Delhi · 5★ · 4,963 reviews · from ~£89/night. A large Indian-owned five-star on Barakhamba Road, which puts it within walking distance of Connaught Place and on the metro network — a rare combination of proper luxury and a genuinely central address. Big rooms, several restaurants, a pool. The pick if you want five-star comfort and still want to sightsee on foot.

5. Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka — Delhi · 5★ · 4,091 reviews · from ~£76/night. Dwarka is the planned sub-city in south-west Delhi, close to the airport and connected by its own metro line and the convention centre. Modern five-star rooms at a suburban price. Practical for business and airport access, a long way from the historic core.

6. Taj Palace, New Delhi — Delhi · 5★ · 3,918 reviews · from ~£156/night. The most expensive hotel in this guide and the grandest — the Taj group's flagship in the Diplomatic Enclave, set in landscaped grounds near Chanakyapuri's embassies. Service, restaurants and public spaces are on a different scale to everything else here. Book it when the hotel itself is part of the occasion.

7. Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Dwarka, New Delhi — Delhi · 5★ · 3,898 reviews · from ~£95/night. ITC is one of India's strongest hotel groups and its Dwarka property is a modern tower near the convention centre and the airport corridor. Excellent food, which is an ITC hallmark. Best for conferences, weddings and airport-adjacent stays.

8. Maidens Hotel New Delhi — Delhi · 5★ · 3,260 reviews · from ~£82/night. The heritage choice: a colonial-era hotel in Civil Lines in north Delhi, with high ceilings, big verandahs and gardens, and far more character than the glass towers. It is also the closest luxury property in this guide to Old Delhi and the Red Fort. Charm over gloss.

9. The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel Delhi — Delhi · 5★ · 3,012 reviews · from ~£64/night. The cheapest genuine five-star in this guide, and one of the largest hotels in the city — a Leela-run convention property in east Delhi near the Yamuna, with a pool, spa and a long run of restaurants. At around £64 the value is hard to argue with. Check what is on in the convention centre if you want quiet.

10. Shangri-La Eros New Delhi — Delhi · 5★ · 3,006 reviews · from ~£150/night. The second most expensive hotel here, on Ashoka Road between Connaught Place and the government quarter — arguably the single best-placed luxury address in the city for sightseeing, with India Gate and the Kartavya Path a short drive away. Polished international service and a rooftop pool. Worth the premium if location matters as much as comfort.

From-prices were pulled on live searches while writing and will move with your dates and the exchange rate. See all Delhi stays or search flights to DEL.

The Best Mid-Range Hotels in Delhi

Ten four-star hotels between roughly £38 and £84 — and unusually for a capital city, most of them are genuinely central, clustered around Connaught Place and Janpath rather than banished to the suburbs.

11. Radisson Blu Marina Hotel Connaught Place — Delhi · 4★ · 3,862 reviews · from ~£83/night. The most reviewed mid-range hotel in this guide and the best-placed: it sits on Connaught Circus itself, so the metro interchange, Janpath, the shops and the restaurants are all on the doorstep. International brand standards without five-star pricing. The default choice for a first-time visitor who wants to walk out of the door into the city.

12. The Connaught, New Delhi- IHCL SeleQtions — Delhi · 4★ · 3,578 reviews · from ~£84/night. Part of the Taj group's SeleQtions collection, near Connaught Place on Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg. It gives you Taj-family service and a rooftop pool at four-star money, which is the whole appeal. Rooms are comfortable rather than large.

13. Hotel Namaste Hindustan Just a Minute Away From New Delhi Railway Station and Connaught place — Delhi · 4★ · 2,446 reviews · from ~£38/night. The cheapest four-star in this guide by a wide margin, with an unusually strong 2,446 reviews for the price. It sits beside New Delhi Railway Station on the Paharganj side, which makes it superb for early trains to Agra and Jaipur — and means the surrounding streets are busy and loud. Excellent value if you can take the setting.

14. Hilton Garden Inn New Delhi/Saket — Delhi · 4★ · 2,046 reviews · from ~£63/night. Saket is in South Delhi, close to the Qutub Minar and the big Select Citywalk mall complex, on the yellow metro line. Reliable Hilton-standard rooms in one of the calmer, greener parts of the city. A good second-visit base, or a good one if South Delhi restaurants are your priority.

15. Hotel The Royal Plaza — Delhi · 4★ · 1,504 reviews · from ~£50/night. On Ashoka Road in the heart of Lutyens' New Delhi, between Connaught Place and the government quarter — a short drive from India Gate and the Kartavya Path. Large, slightly old-fashioned four-star with a pool. Strong value for a central address at £50.

16. bloomrooms @ Janpath — Delhi · 4★ · 1,450 reviews · from ~£58/night. Bloomrooms is a small Indian design-led chain built around clean white rooms, good wifi and no clutter, and the Janpath property is its best-located: minutes from Connaught Place and the National Museum. Rooms are compact by design. A favourite of younger travellers and solo visitors who want somewhere modern and safe.

17. The IVY Grand Hotel - Luxury living in City Centre Near Connaught Place — Delhi · 4★ · 952 reviews · from ~£55/night. A modern independent four-star within reach of Connaught Place, priced below the branded hotels around it. Nearly a thousand reviews, which is reassuring for an independent. Worth comparing against Hotel The Hans on your exact dates.

18. Park Inn by Radisson New Delhi IP Extension — Delhi · 4★ · 849 reviews · from ~£63/night. East Delhi across the Yamuna, near Akshardham and the blue metro line. Standard Park Inn rooms with a known brand behind them, in a part of the city most visitors never see. Practical for business in east Delhi or Noida; a metro ride from the sights.

19. Hotel The Hans - Connaught Place, New Delhi — Delhi · 4★ · 654 reviews · from ~£49/night. A long-running independent four-star on Barakhamba Road with a rooftop restaurant and pool, walking distance from Connaught Place and the metro. One of the cheapest central four-stars in the guide at around £49. Comfortable and unshowy.

20. Taurus Sarovar Portico — Delhi · 4★ · 615 reviews · from ~£50/night. Sarovar is a well-regarded Indian hotel group, and this South Delhi property sits near the airport corridor with a pool and a decent restaurant. Rooms are straightforward four-star. A sensible middle option when the Connaught Place hotels are full or pricier on your dates.

Mid-range rates move most around wedding season and big conference weeks — check your exact dates. See all Delhi stays or search flights to DEL.

Cheap Hotels in Delhi — 49 Real, Bookable Options From £19

This is the heart of the guide: 29 verified budget properties, all currently bookable, priced between about £19 and £35 a night. Most sit in three places — the Mahipalpur and Aerocity airport strip, the Paharganj and Karol Bagh belt near New Delhi Railway Station, and the South Delhi colonies around Kailash Colony and Nehru Place. Expect small, simple, air-conditioned rooms, and check whether breakfast is included before comparing two similar rates.

21. Airport Hotel Tashree — Delhi · 2★ · 120 reviews · from ~£19/night. The cheapest verified room in this guide. A small, simple two-star on the Mahipalpur airport strip with air conditioning and not much else, but it is real, currently bookable and has 120 reviews behind it. For travellers who want the bed to cost as little as possible before an early flight.

22. Hotel City Star — Delhi · 3★ · 135 reviews · from ~£20/night. A pound more than the cheapest bed here and a star higher, with a similar review base. Basic, clean, no frills. Fine for a night or two while you are in transit between trains and flights.

23. Treebo Rockwell Plaza — Delhi · 3★ · 726 reviews · from ~£21/night. The best-reviewed budget property in this guide, with 726 reviews, and it costs £21. Treebo is the Indian budget chain that standardises independent hotels to a fixed spec — clean linen, working air conditioning, checked basics — so you know what you are getting. The strongest all-round budget pick here.

24. Hotel Festival Mahipalpur At Delhi Airport — Delhi · 3★ · 398 reviews · from ~£21/night. Mahipalpur is the budget hotel village on the airport road, and this is one of its better-reviewed properties with 398 reviews at £21. Ten minutes from Terminal 3 by taxi. Exactly what you want for a 4am departure.

25. Hotel Kaushal Palace — Delhi · 3★ · 185 reviews · from ~£22/night. A modest three-star at the cheap end of the tier with a reasonable review count. Simple rooms, budget pricing, no surprises expected either way. A fair fallback when the Treebo properties are full.

26. Hotel Metro View — Delhi · 3★ · 72 reviews · from ~£22/night. The name is the selling point: being near a metro station is the single most useful thing a cheap Delhi hotel can offer, because the metro is how you will actually get around. Small review base, so read the recent ones. Cheap and practical.

27. Treebo Cabana — Delhi · 3★ · 386 reviews · from ~£22/night. Another Treebo, with 386 reviews and the same chain-checked standards as Rockwell Plaza at the same sort of price. Compact rooms, reliable cleanliness. One of the safest £22 bets in the guide.

28. Hotel Aerocity Purple Orchid — Delhi · 3★ · 419 reviews · from ~£23/night. Budget rooms on the Aerocity side of the airport, which is unusual — the district is otherwise full of five-stars. With 419 reviews it is one of the better-documented cheap options near Terminal 3. The pick for a stopover on a tight budget.

29. Hotel Classic Diplomat — Delhi · 3★ · 100 reviews · from ~£23/night. An independent three-star in South Delhi at a genuinely low rate, with a round hundred reviews. Basic but well located for the southern colonies and the metro. Worth a look if you want to be away from the airport strip.

30. Hotel Ajanta — Delhi · 3★ · 107 reviews · from ~£24/night. A long-established budget hotel on Arakashan Road in the Paharganj belt, minutes from New Delhi Railway Station. It has been serving travellers and pilgrims for years, which shows in how routine the early check-outs are. Convenient for dawn trains to Agra.

31. New Hindustan By Backpackers Heaven — Delhi · 2★ · 20 reviews · from ~£24/night. The most backpacker-flavoured property in the guide, in the Paharganj area where Delhi's independent-travel scene has always been based. Very few reviews, so treat it as a budget punt rather than a safe bet. Suits travellers who want the Paharganj experience rather than a quiet night.

32. Gallivanto Inn - Rohini — Delhi · 3★ · 49 reviews · from ~£24/night. Rohini is a large residential district in north-west Delhi on the red metro line — a long way from the monuments, which is why the price is this low. Modern, small, simple rooms. Sensible if you have business up there or want cheap and quiet.

33. Royal Comfort Castle — Delhi · 3★ · 73 reviews · from ~£25/night. A small independent budget three-star with a modest but positive review base. Nothing distinguishes it beyond being cheap and currently bookable, which at £25 is enough. Check the exact location against your plans before booking.

34. Hotel Airport Residency — Delhi · 3★ · 127 reviews · from ~£25/night. Another Mahipalpur airport-strip option, with a decent 127 reviews. Simple rooms and, importantly at this price, staff used to guests arriving at unsociable hours. Confirm the pickup arrangement directly if you land after midnight.

35. Skylink Suites Bed & Breakfast — Delhi · 3★ · 68 reviews · from ~£25/night. A bed-and-breakfast rather than a hotel, which some travellers much prefer — smaller, more personal, breakfast usually part of the deal. Modest review count. Suits independent travellers who do not need a front desk at 2am.

36. Wood Castle — Delhi · 3★ · 153 reviews · from ~£26/night. A tidy independent three-star with 153 reviews at the middle of the budget band. Straightforward, clean rooms with air conditioning. A dependable middle-of-the-tier choice.

37. Hotel Grand Godwin — Delhi · 3★ · 117 reviews · from ~£26/night. One of the better-known names on Arakashan Road near New Delhi Railway Station — the slightly smarter end of the Paharganj-adjacent budget scene, with a rooftop restaurant. Handy for trains and for Connaught Place by metro. Expect a noisy street outside.

38. The Oakland plaza - Nehru Place by Orion Hotels — Delhi · 3★ · 359 reviews · from ~£27/night. Nehru Place is South Delhi's commercial hub, on the violet metro line and close to the Lotus Temple and Kalkaji. With 359 reviews this is one of the stronger budget picks in the south of the city. Good for a longer, cheaper stay away from the airport strip.

39. Bloomrooms @ New Delhi Railway Station — Delhi · 3★ · 898 reviews · from ~£27/night. The second-best-reviewed budget property here, with 898 reviews, and a design-led chain room beside New Delhi Railway Station for £27 — a genuinely unusual combination in this part of the city. Small, white, modern, safe-feeling. The pick for solo travellers catching early trains.

40. Rockland Hotel - C R Park — Delhi · 3★ · 51 reviews · from ~£28/night. Chittaranjan Park is a quiet, leafy South Delhi neighbourhood known for its Bengali community and its food. This is a small hotel in the middle of it, near Nehru Place and the Lotus Temple. Modest review count; a good pick for calm rather than convenience.

41. Hotel Tara Palace Daryaganj — Delhi · 3★ · 20 reviews · from ~£28/night. Daryaganj sits on the edge of Old Delhi, which makes this one of the very few budget hotels in this guide within walking reach of the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. Only 20 reviews, so read them before committing. Worth it purely for the location if Old Delhi is your focus.

42. Hotel The R Blues - Near IGI Airport New Delhi — Delhi · 3★ · 59 reviews · from ~£28/night. A small three-star in the airport belt near Indira Gandhi International, at the upper end of the airport-strip price range. Basic rooms, short taxi to the terminals. Compare it against the cheaper Mahipalpur options on your dates.

43. The Orion Express - Kailash Colony — Delhi · 3★ · 130 reviews · from ~£28/night. Kailash Colony is one of the pleasant South Delhi residential areas, on the violet metro line with good restaurants nearby. This is a tidy small hotel with a reasonable review base. A sensible base for a quieter Delhi trip.

44. Red Maple Bed & Breakfast — Delhi · 3★ · 75 reviews · from ~£29/night. A guesthouse-style bed and breakfast rather than a hotel, with the personal service that implies and breakfast usually included. Fewer facilities, more warmth. Suits travellers who would rather stay somewhere small than somewhere anonymous.

45. Hotel Godwin Deluxe — Delhi · 3★ · 102 reviews · from ~£29/night. The sister property to Hotel Grand Godwin on the same Arakashan Road strip near New Delhi Railway Station, at a similar price and standard. Rooftop dining, functional rooms, unbeatable for train departures. Same caveat: the street is busy day and night.

46. Jukaso Inn Down Town — Delhi · 3★ · 51 reviews · from ~£30/night. A small central budget hotel in the Connaught Place area, which is the rarest thing in this tier — most cheap Delhi rooms are near the airport or the station rather than the middle of the city. Modest review base. Excellent if walking to Janpath and the metro matters to you.

47. Ginger East Delhi — Delhi · 3★ · 642 reviews · from ~£30/night. Ginger is the Taj group's smart-basics brand, and with 642 reviews this east Delhi property is one of the most trusted budget names in the guide. Clean, functional, well run, with a recognisable group behind it. Good for travellers who would rather pay £30 for certainty than £22 for a gamble.

48. The Grand Orion - Kailash Colony — Delhi · 3★ · 250 reviews · from ~£34/night. The larger of the two Orion properties in Kailash Colony, with 250 reviews and a slightly higher standard than its Express sibling. Comfortable South Delhi rooms near the metro and the restaurants. At £34 it is worth checking the cheapest four-stars too.

49. Hotel Sopan Heights — Delhi · 3★ · 351 reviews · from ~£35/night. The most expensive property in the budget tier and one of the best reviewed, with 351 reviews — a comfortable three-star in South Delhi near Sadiq Nagar and the southern colonies. At £35 it sits just below Hotel Namaste Hindustan, the cheapest four-star here at £38, so compare the two directly.

All 29 budget rates were pulled on live searches while writing and shift with your dates, the season and the exchange rate — the monsoon and the peak summer heat are cheapest, October to March dearest. See all Delhi stays or search flights to DEL.

Where to Stay in Delhi: Choosing Your Base

Connaught Place and central New Delhi — the first-timer's answer. The colonnaded circles of Connaught Place are Delhi's transport heart: the yellow and blue metro lines cross here, the Airport Express terminates at New Delhi station a few minutes away, and India Gate, the Kartavya Path, Janpath and the National Museum are close. Old Delhi is a short metro ride north. It is also where most of the mid-range four-stars in this guide sit, and by capital-city standards they are cheap.

Paharganj and Arakashan Road — the budget and backpacker belt, directly opposite New Delhi Railway Station. Honest version: it is gritty, crowded, noisy and full of touts, and it is also where you will find the cheapest beds in the city and the easiest 6am starts for trains to Agra and Jaipur. If price and train access are the priorities, stay here. If you want quiet or you are travelling with children, do not.

South Delhi — Hauz Khas, Saket, Kailash Colony, Nehru Place and C R Park — leafy, calmer and much greener, with the best restaurants and bars in the city and the Qutub Minar, Lodhi Garden and the Lotus Temple close by. Metro connections are good, but Old Delhi is a proper journey. The choice for repeat visitors and longer stays.

Aerocity and Mahipalpur — airport nights only. Aerocity holds the international five-stars minutes from Terminal 3; Mahipalpur across the highway holds the cheap ones. Both exist to remove the airport journey from your first or last day. Neither is a neighbourhood, so do not plan a holiday around them.

Beyond the Hotel: What to See in Delhi

Delhi is really two cities. Old Delhi is the Mughal one: the great red sandstone Red Fort, the vast courtyard of Jama Masjid, and the packed lanes of Chandni Chowk, where the street food is arguably the best in India and the Khari Baoli spice market is the largest in Asia. Go in the morning, take the metro to Chandni Chowk station, and accept that it will be loud. Then there is New Delhi, the imperial capital laid out in the twentieth century: India Gate at the end of the ceremonial Rajpath, now the Kartavya Path, the government buildings behind it, the National Museum with its Harappan and Mughal collections, and the calm of Lodhi Garden, where medieval tombs sit among joggers and picnics.

Two of Delhi's monuments are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and both are unmissable: Humayun's Tomb, the sixteenth-century Mughal garden tomb that set the template the Taj Mahal later perfected, and the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli, where a 73-metre brick minaret has stood since the thirteenth century. Add the marble lotus-shaped Lotus Temple, the enormous carved stone Akshardham temple complex across the Yamuna, and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the Sikh temple with a sacred tank and a community kitchen that feeds thousands of people a day, free, to anyone who comes. For an evening, Hauz Khas Village in South Delhi pairs a medieval reservoir and ruined madrasa with a dense run of restaurants and bars.

Delhi is also the gateway to the Golden Triangle. Agra and the Taj Mahal are around 100 minutes away on the Gatimaan Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin, which makes a day trip genuinely comfortable — just remember the Taj is closed to visitors on Fridays. Jaipur, the Pink City, is roughly four and a half to five hours by train or road. Most visitors use Delhi as the first stop and move on rather than day-tripping both.

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Delhi Hotels FAQs

Do UK passport holders need a visa for Delhi? Yes — UK passport holders need an Indian e-Visa, and it is NOT issued on arrival. Apply online in advance through the official Indian government e-Visa portal, well before you fly. Approval usually comes back within a few days, but leave a comfortable margin. Your passport must be valid for at least six months and have two blank pages. Only use the official government portal — third-party "visa services" charge a large mark-up for the same document.

What currency is used in Delhi? The Indian Rupee (INR). Every price in this guide is quoted in pounds as a rough conversion only, because that is what UK readers compare against — the hotel itself charges in rupees, and the exact sterling figure moves with the exchange rate. Cards are widely accepted in hotels, malls and chain restaurants; carry cash for autorickshaws, street food and smaller guesthouses. Use bank ATMs rather than airport exchange desks.

Are there direct flights from the UK to Delhi? Yes. London to Delhi (DEL) is a direct route of roughly 8.5 to 9 hours, flown by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Air India depending on the season. Indira Gandhi International is India's busiest airport and the main long-haul gateway, so it is also where most onward domestic connections to Jaipur, Udaipur, Goa and Kerala start. Search flights to DEL to compare fares and departure airports for your dates.

When is the best time to visit Delhi? October to March. That is the cool, dry window when walking Old Delhi, Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar is genuinely comfortable. May and June are extremely hot, with daytime temperatures that make sightseeing punishing. July to September is the monsoon — humid, with heavy downpours. October, February and March are the sweet spot if you want warmth without either extreme.

How bad is Delhi's winter air quality? Honestly, it is poor — this is the one caveat worth taking seriously. From roughly November to January, cool stagnant air, crop-residue burning in neighbouring states and traffic combine to produce heavy smog, and readings regularly reach levels considered unhealthy. If you have asthma or another respiratory condition, either travel outside those months or book a hotel with in-room air purification, and check daily air quality readings while you are there. Many mid-range and luxury Delhi hotels now advertise purifiers precisely because guests ask.

Which area should I stay in for a first visit to Delhi? Connaught Place and central New Delhi. It is the transport hub — metro lines meet there, the Airport Express terminates nearby at New Delhi station, and India Gate, the government quarter and Janpath are close. Old Delhi's Red Fort and Chandni Chowk are a short metro ride, and Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar are straightforward from there too. It is the easiest base for a first trip.

Is Paharganj worth staying in? It depends what you want. Paharganj is the backpacker district opposite New Delhi Railway Station: extremely cheap rooms, cheap food, travel agents and constant noise. It is gritty, crowded and not to everyone's taste, but it is unbeatable for price and for early trains. If you value quiet or are travelling with family, pick Connaught Place or South Delhi instead and pay the difference.

What is the cheapest area to stay in Delhi? Paharganj and the Mahipalpur airport strip. Between them they account for most of the sub-£25 rooms in this guide. Karol Bagh and outer areas like Rohini are also cheap. Central New Delhi and South Delhi's leafier colonies carry a premium, but Delhi's premium is small by UK standards — a good four-star in Connaught Place is still under £60 in this guide.

How much does a budget hotel cost per night in Delhi? Roughly £19 to £35 a night for the 29 budget properties in this guide, pulled on live searches while writing. Airport Hotel Tashree starts around £19 and Hotel City Star around £20, with most of the tier landing between £22 and £30. Those are lead-in rates for the cheapest available room on flexible dates — wedding season, festivals and big conference weeks push them up.

What is the most expensive hotel in this guide? Taj Palace, New Delhi, at around £156 a night on the searches we ran while writing — the Taj group's Diplomatic Enclave flagship. That is the true top of this guide's price range. Shangri-La Eros New Delhi is close behind at about £150, and the rest of the luxury tier mostly sits between £64 and £123, which by global five-star standards is remarkable value.

Is the Delhi Metro good for tourists? It is excellent — one of the best metros in Asia. It is clean, air-conditioned, cheap, signed in English and covers almost everything a visitor wants, including Chandni Chowk for Old Delhi, Qutub Minar, the Lotus Temple (Kalkaji Mandir) and Akshardham. The Airport Express runs from Terminal 3 to New Delhi station in around 20 minutes. Buy a tourist card or a smart card on arrival and avoid rush hour with luggage.

Should I use Uber and Ola, or street taxis, in Delhi? Use Uber or Ola. App bookings give you a fixed fare, a tracked route and no negotiation, which removes the single most common tourist hassle in Delhi. Prepaid taxi booths at the airport and station are the safe alternative. Avoid unmetered street taxis and, especially, anyone near New Delhi Railway Station who offers to take you to a "tourist office" — that is a well-known scam that ends in an overpriced tour.

Can I drink the tap water in Delhi? No — drink sealed bottled or properly filtered water only. Most hotels supply bottled water in the room or have a filtered dispenser. Avoid ice at street stalls, and go easy on raw salads at the cheapest places until your stomach has adjusted. Street food in Chandni Chowk is one of Delhi's great experiences; choose busy stalls with fast turnover and food cooked in front of you.

How do I do a day trip to Agra and the Taj Mahal? Take the Gatimaan Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin station — it is the fastest train to Agra Cantt and takes roughly 100 minutes each way, which makes a same-day return genuinely comfortable. Book ahead, since it sells out. The alternative is the Shatabdi from New Delhi station or a car with a driver on the Yamuna Expressway. Note the Taj Mahal is closed to tourists on Fridays.

Which side of the road do they drive on in India? The left, as in the UK — but Delhi traffic is far denser and lane discipline is looser than you will be used to. Almost no visitor self-drives, and there is no need to: the metro, app taxis and autorickshaws cover everything. If you do want a car, hiring one with a driver is normal, cheap and much easier.

How many days do I need in Delhi? Three full days is the sensible minimum: one for Old Delhi (Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and the spice market), one for the Mughal monuments (Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites), and one for New Delhi (India Gate, the Kartavya Path, the National Museum, Lodhi Garden). Add a fourth for Akshardham, the Lotus Temple and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, and a fifth if you want Agra.

Is Delhi safe for tourists? Delhi is visited by millions of people a year without incident, but it demands more street awareness than Mumbai. The realistic risks are scams and overcharging rather than violence: touts around New Delhi Railway Station, drivers who claim your hotel is closed, and "government tourist offices" that are nothing of the sort. Book taxis through an app, go straight to your hotel, and read the UK Foreign Office travel advice for India before you go.

Is Delhi good for solo women travellers? Many solo women travel Delhi successfully, but it needs more planning than most Indian cities. Use app taxis rather than street transport after dark, use the women-only carriage at the front of every metro train, dress modestly at religious sites, and choose a hotel in a well-lit central or South Delhi area rather than the cheapest room in Paharganj. Arrange an airport pickup if you land late at night.

What are the UNESCO sites in Delhi? Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar complex and the Red Fort are all inscribed. Humayun's Tomb is the sixteenth-century Mughal garden tomb that prefigured the Taj Mahal, and the Qutub Minar is the soaring brick minaret in Mehrauli in the south of the city. All three are easy metro trips and all three reward going early, before the coach groups arrive.

Should I stay in Aerocity? Only for airport nights. Aerocity is a purpose-built hotel district minutes from Terminal 3 with a strong cluster of international five-stars — Holiday Inn and Pride Plaza in this guide — and some good budget options. It is exactly right for a late arrival, an early departure or a short stopover. It is not a neighbourhood, so do not base a sightseeing holiday there.

What is South Delhi like as a base? Leafy, calmer and much greener than the centre, with the best restaurant and bar scene in the city. Hauz Khas Village, Saket, Greater Kailash, Kailash Colony and Nehru Place all sit here, close to the Qutub Minar and Lodhi Garden. It suits second-time visitors, longer stays and anyone who wants quiet evenings. The trade is a longer metro run into Old Delhi.

Is Old Delhi worth the chaos? Absolutely, but treat it as an expedition rather than a stroll. Chandni Chowk is dense, loud and hot, and the lanes around the Khari Baoli spice market are barely wide enough for two people. Go in the morning, take the metro to Chandni Chowk station, consider a walking-tour guide, and build in a break. The Red Fort and Jama Masjid are right there, and the street food is the best in India.

Do Delhi hotels charge extra fees? There is no resort fee, but Indian hotel rates carry GST, which varies by room rate band, and some properties add a service charge or price breakfast separately. Budget rooms are the most likely to exclude breakfast. Always check what is included on the hotel's live page before comparing two similar-looking rates.

Is breakfast usually included in Delhi? At the luxury and mid-range tiers, usually yes, and often a large Indian and continental buffet. In the budget tier it is inconsistent — some include a simple breakfast, others charge a small supplement. Because breakfast is rarely expensive to add in Delhi, the room rate matters more than the inclusion when you are comparing.

Is Delhi a good base for the Golden Triangle? It is the standard starting point. Delhi, Agra and Jaipur form the Golden Triangle, and Delhi has the international airport, the fastest trains and the widest choice of hotels of the three. Agra is around 100 minutes by Gatimaan Express; Jaipur is roughly four and a half to five hours by train or car. Many visitors do Delhi first, then move on rather than day-tripping both.

Which hotel in this guide is the best value overall? Two stand out. The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel Delhi at around £64 is a full five-star with a pool and spa for less than a mid-range room in most European capitals. At the other end, Treebo Rockwell Plaza from about £21 has the highest review count in the budget tier — 726 reviews — at almost the lowest price in it.

How do I book these exact hotels at the prices shown? Every hotel name in this guide links to its live page on JetMeAway, where you can set your dates and see today's real rate with taxes shown. The from-prices here were pulled on live searches while writing, so your dates will give a different number. We take an affiliate commission from the provider — we never add a mark-up or a booking fee to your price.

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