The Imperial Hotel
Delhi

The Imperial Hotel is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Lux City Hotels and our Top 10 Hotel Spas.

From the moment you drive down the royal palm-lined driveway you know you have reached somewhere special. Built in 1934 as a jewel in the crown by the British Raj, this landmark hotel, located in the heart of New Delhi, exudes style and colonial elegance.

The team at Ampersand are long-time patrons of this Art Deco classic and it is the hotel we use the most for our clients visiting India. The Imperial holds the top spot because of its old world charm and convenient location, a short walk or taxi ride from the sites, and it is simply unrivalled in Delhi for those with an interest in colonial history wishing to travel back in time.  

Designed by Lutyens assistant, Bromfield, the hotel's inlaid marble floors, three-story atriums, fountains and lithographs are complemented by 235 well-appointed rooms and grand suites, the Imperial Spa, and wonderful restaurants and bars – including the acclaimed Spice Route restaurant and buzzy 1911 Bar.

An integral part of Lutyen’s blueprint for New Delhi, ordered by the new Imperial ruler, King Emperor George V, The Imperial was a hub for the movers and shakers in India’s new capital. It was at The Imperial in the 1930s that Lord Mountbatten, Pandit Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi met to discuss the partition of India and Pakistan. We recommend taking a tour of the hotel with one of their historians to learn more about The Imperial's heritage.

With its priceless collection of artworks, perfect green lawns and combination of cool white Art Deco, Victorian and colonial architecture, The Imperial still manages to exude an authentic sense of Raj-era charm in one of India’s most modern and fast-changing cities.

My favourite thing is to go where I've never been.
Diane Arbus