Where to stay in New Delhi: best areas and hotels

Choosing a good area to stay in New Delhi is key. And especially a good hotel! The capital of India is one of the most chaotic cities in the world. In certain areas, at some times of the day it is impossible to move forward due to traffic, so you will lose a lot of time. But above all, you have to know how to choose a good hotel, since hygiene is not one of the most outstanding aspects of its accommodations. In this post we analyze the best areas and hotels to stay in New Delhi so you can choose the one that suits you best and start your trip through India on the right foot.

WHERE TO STAY IN NEW DELHI: BEST AREAS AND HOTELS

1. Connaught Place, the best area to sleep in New Delhi

If we have to choose only one area to stay in New Delhi, we would definitely choose Connaught Place. We decided to book the hotel in another area, but once in Delhi, we regretted it, as we saw that Connaught Place was the option that best suited our needs. Because? For many reasons!

First, for safety. It is an area very frequented by foreigners, so there is a lot of security. In addition, it is the perfect place for Western tourists; It is super close to the main attractions of New Delhi and international businesses predominate there.. This way you won’t feel the contrast as much! New Delhi is probably your entry point to India, so it’s important to start your trip right.

That is to say, Connaught Place is the city’s quintessential shopping area by Western standards. There you will find a lot of stores of recognized international brands and, most importantly, very good restaurants with western standards. We ate almost every day in that area! Unlike much of the city, Connaught Place is less dirty, although we dare not call it a clean area.

In addition, there are many ATMs where you can withdraw money and it is close to the station (for those who decide to travel by train). And finally, there is not so much trafficso you won’t feel so overwhelmed or waste as much time in traffic jams in the most populated city in India.

The only negative aspect is the price. Luxury hotels predominate, so in high season you will have a hard time finding a hotel for less than €130 per night. And that in India is a lot of money! However, It is the best area to stay in New Delhi.

Best hotels in Connaught Place:

Connaught Place is the best area to stay in New Delhi for…

✅ Sleep in a clean and safe area for tourists
✅ Be close to very good restaurants with Western standards
❌ The most expensive area to sleep in New Delhi

2. Paharganj, our choice

We wanted to find a good, nice and cheap hotel. And we found it in Paharganj! It is the cheapest area to sleep in New Delhi, especially because it is the one with the most hotel offerings. Its location helps a lot, right next to the train station. So if you travel through India by train, it will be perfect for you.

However, Paharganj is dominated by seedy hostels, so don’t get carried away by prices (or opinions). Indian standards are not the same as ours, so one of the best tips for traveling to India the thing is If you see a cheap hotel with good reviews in this area, look for reviews from foreigners. Furthermore, in India it is very common to post fake reviews.

In general, Paharganj is a good area to stay in New Delhi, although it gets a little unsafe at night. The main threat is pickpockets, who roam around at all hours of the day, but especially after dark. It’s super chaotic, especially during rush hour. On a couple of occasions we had to walk to the hotel because we were moving faster. Literally, during rush hours, it collapses.

And this chaos also affects the quality of sleep, since being a super chaotic area, the bustle can be felt from the room. Regarding restaurants, it is difficult to find clean places to eat, although it is not far from Connaught Place. In short, if you travel with a private driver and find a good hotel, you will be fine.

If you want to save, It is the cheapest option to stay in New Delhi. Of course, watch where you go!

Recommended accommodations in Paharganj:

Paharganj is the best area to enter New Delhi if…

✅ You want to save on accommodation
✅ You travel by train and want to be next to the station
❌ Very noisy and somewhat dangerous at night

3. Karol Bagh, a good alternative

If you like cheap sleep in New Delhi, Don’t make the same mistake we did. Our driver recommended us to sleep in Karol Bagh instead of Paharganj. And we didn’t pay attention to him! Karol Bagh is a commercial and residential area, located west of Paharganj, but much quieter than the latter. Also, the hotels are much better.

The hotel offering is not very large, but the few hotels there are are quite good. Three-star accommodation predominates, which will cost you between €25 and €50 per night with breakfast included.

Plus, there isn’t as much traffic, so you won’t waste as much time in terrible traffic jams. Regarding safety, despite not being touristy, it is much safer than Paharganj and you will find decent restaurants where you can fill your stomach for a few rupees (and without getting intoxicated).

Definitely, a hotel in Karol Bagh is better than in Paharganj. Without a doubt, an option to consider when sleeping in New Delhi if your budget is not very high.

Recommended accommodations in Karol Bagh:

Karol Bagh is the best area to stay in New Delhi for…

✅ Sleep in a three-star hotel without much budget
✅ Stay in a safer and quieter area than Paharganj
❌ It does not have tourist attractions

4. Aerocity, the most “western” area to stay in Delhi

Do you have a lot of respect for New Delhi? Don’t worry, Aerocity is the ideal option for you! If New Delhi is your gateway to India and/or you plan a stay of one or two nights in the city before going to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, Sleeping in Aerocity is like not being in India.

This area is located right next to the airport and only has luxury hotels and restaurants. There you will not feel the chaos of the city! Sleeping there is a good idea if you plan to hire a private driver to see the essentials of New Delhi in one day. If you already plan to visit the city in two days or more, it may not suit you so much, since the airport is 40 minutes from the center (without traffic).

Being close to the airport and housing luxury hotels, it is one of the safest areas to stay in New Delhi. So there you won’t have to worry about getting run over or pickpockets.

However, the bad part is that the prices are high. Even some four-star hotels have exaggerated prices. So be prepared that you will have to pay more than €150 per night! That said, recommended for stays of one or two nights if you don’t want to feel the contrast and don’t mind paying more.

Recommended accommodations in Aerocity:

Aerocity is the best area to stay in New Delhi if…

✅ You want to sleep in an area with Western standards and safe
✅ If you plan to visit the essentials of New Delhi in one day
❌ Face and away from the center

5. Old Delhi, to visit in a morning but not to sleep

And to finish this article about the best areas to stay in new delhi, we mention Old Delhi because of its weight at a tourist level, but not because of its convenience. If we take into account the location of the main attractions of New Delhi, a priori it would be better for you to sleep in Old Delhi, the old part of the city. There you will find some of the most visited monuments in the city such as the Red Fort, Jama Masjid or Raj Ghat. But don’t get carried away with that!

Old Delhi is the most touristy area of ​​New Delhi, however, we do not recommend sleeping there. It’s fine to visit during the day, but few people decide to sleep there because of how bustling the area is.. There are very few passable streets! In short, having a private driver in New Delhi and sleeping in this part will not help you at all, since some streets are only accessible by tuk tuk. And because of the traffic there is, you won’t even be able to move forward!

Like Paharganj, Old Delhi is relatively safe during the day, but dangerous at night.

Recommended hotels in Old Delhi:

Old Delhi is the best area to stay in New Delhi for…

✅ Be next to the main attractions of New Delhi
❌ Your private driver will not be able to drop you off at the door of your hotel
❌ Too noisy and unsafe at night

MAP WITH THE BEST AREAS AND HOTELS TO STAY IN NEW DELHI

On the following map you will find marked the best areas and hotels to sleep in New Delhi. From green to red, from most to least recommended. Enjoy India!