Taj Palace, New Delhi
Delhi

You arrive at the Taj Palace, cocooned in its six acres of green, and the city – that grand, cacophonous swirl of Delhi – fades to a hush. It’s not just the Diplomatic Enclave location (though that helps); it’s the sheer confidence of a place that has hosted heads of state, royalty and everyone in between, without ever feeling the need to shout about it.

The hotel has just emerged from an extensive renovation; a subtle, thorough polishing that’s given it renewed glow without disturbing its sense of timelessness. Marble gleams, upholstery is plush without being showy and the corridors retain the kind of hush you get in very good hotels, or very old libraries. Rooms are large and classically styled, with city or garden views and a sense of quiet grandeur that’s grown into, not designed. Think elegant double vanities, silk cushions and attentive but invisible service.

Dining here is a slow, considered pleasure. Spicy Duck does elegant Chinese in a room you’d happily spend hours in; Masala Art serves bright, confident Indian dishes with all the flair of the modern kitchen. Then there’s Orient Express, a gleaming carriage of a restaurant that serves up old-world European classics with impeccable polish. Even the all-day dining at Capital Kitchen, and poolside cocktails at Blue Bar feel elevated. The Tea Lounge, all clinking silver and linen, offers a quiet pause in the afternoon, the sort of place where conversations meander and stretch.

For those who’ve been on the road a while, the J Wellness Circle spa offers something closer to stillness than pampering – a warm, gracious space of Ayurvedic rituals and deeply restorative massages. The outdoor pool shimmers under the Delhi sun and feels, at the right hour, like a private retreat. There’s a fitness centre too, discreetly tucked away for those who prefer treadmills to tuk-tuks.

What the Taj Palace does best, beyond the silken sheets and the sandalwood scent in the lobby, is create a pause. A breath between the layers of Delhi’s history and hyper-modern momentum. For some, it’s a base for meetings. For others, a soft landing before heading out to Rajasthan, to the Himalayas, or to the chaos and colour of Chandni Chowk. But for many, it’s a place they come back to, not just because it’s reliable, or efficient, but because it’s quietly, insistently unforgettable.

Travel is the only thing that you buy that makes you richer.
Proverb