Like Dubai’s transformation from desert outpost to cosmopolitan playground, New Delhi has evolved from colonial capital to a city of contrasts, where Mughal domes now share the syrupy skyline with gleaming corporate towers. Once defined by sprawling gardens and stately boulevards, modern Delhi hums with designer boutiques, embassies and Michelin‑minded restaurants nestled in once-quiet enclaves.
Luxury hotels have emerged as cultural landmarks in their own right. Among them, The Leela Palace. Since its opening in 2011, it’s considered one of the only addresses you need in Delhi. Just to walk over the threshold is to enter another world – hushed and discreet, impeccably well-mannered, with a flash of diamond buttons, rich brocade and almost theatrical commitment to purple. It’s a refreshing break from the colonial tropes of older stalwarts nearby and somehow makes you feel part of a city that’s always in motion.
My first trip to India came by way of a milestone: Virgin Atlantic’s 25th anniversary of flying to Delhi. Since launching flights between London Heathrow and the Indian capital in July 2000, the airline has grown its presence dramatically – India is now its third-largest market, with five daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and a tenfold increase to one million seats annually. It felt like the right moment to finally visit the capital, and I was lucky enough to travel as a guest of Virgin Atlantic, experiencing their Upper Class service from Heathrow with all the trimmings, from the private drop off and check in area to the Clubhouse lounge and that blissfully flat bed at 38,000 feet. And where better to begin than The Leela Palace: a hotel with glossy interiors, a refreshingly modern take on Indian luxury and just the right balance of pageantry and poise.
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Location
Located in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi’s Diplomatic Enclave, the hotel is set apart from the frenzy of Connaught Place and Old Delhi. This part of town is all embassies, high hedges and manicured prestige. The airport is a 30-minute drive (via the expressway), with chauffeured BMWs or Rolls-Royces available. Though you’re in a capital of 20 million, the manicured lawns and quiet courtyards make the noise feel miles away.
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Rooms and suites
There’s something undeniably glossy about The Leela Palace – the gold door to the dining room, Jack and the Beanstalk-high, the enormous Persian rug in the lobby, the best baths in India that fill in a jot. The flowers alone are enough to stop you in your tracks, dozens of eye-catching arrangements, vases practically tipping over with roses, amid a mass of gilt mirrors, polished floors and creamy upholstery.
All 254 rooms are lavish, even the smallest (around 550 sq ft) comes with butler service, pillow menus, blackout drapes and sprawling marble bathrooms. Heavy silks, carved wooden panelling and curated Indian art create a sense of intimacy despite the scale.
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In fact, art is a big deal here, wherever you are in the hotel, there’s a specially-commissioned piece glancing down at you. The Leela Palace has one of the finest collections of contemporary art and revived artisan crafts, from watercolours to royal portraits, traditional sculptures and embroidery from acclaimed Indian artists such as Satish Gujral, Pradosh Das Gupta and Jayasri Burman.
The higher in the hotel you go, the more opulent the room categories become. Upper-tier suites are designed less like hotel rooms and more like private residences, complete with their own plunge pools, spa treatment rooms, walk-in wardrobes and in some cases, private lifts for discreet arrivals. Butler service is, of course, standard but here it feels genuinely intuitive. Guests staying in the Royal Club get even more attention, with a separate entrance, private check-in and access to an exclusive lounge offering champagne breakfasts, afternoon tea and aperitifs.
For those with exceptionally deep pockets, The Presidential Suite is the crown jewel: over 4,800 square feet of gilded, high-security comfort, including bulletproof windows (this is, after all, home to many a visiting dignitary and royal), a private dining room, a personal study and sweeping views over the city.
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Dining
You could spend days at The Leela and still not eat the same thing twice. Jamavar, the hotel’s signature Indian restaurant, is all candlelight, carved screens and regal North Indian dishes layered with spice and story. Think slow-cooked lamb shank nihari, lobster neer moilee and kulchas stuffed with black truffle.
Up on the 10th floor, an outpost of New York’s Le Cirque feels like an evening out in Manhattan, if Manhattan had better views of Lutyens’ Delhi. The French-Italian menu is elegant without fuss: seared foie gras, perfectly al dente tagliolini and a wine list that could rival half of Bordeaux.
MEGU, the Japanese import offers some of the best sushi in the city, while The Qube delivers all-day dining in a soaring glass pavilion. The breakfast buffet veers toward decadent: South Indian dosa flipped fresh to order, tropical fruit smoothies, golden-edged omelettes and silver teapots of Darjeeling poured as if you’re royalty on a tight schedule.
What we love about this hotel is the palpable buzz in the air – the whole place is awash with excited laughter, business cards fly about and glamorous ladies sip on sweet-lime sodas in the grassy shades of the Library Bar gardens and somewhere nearby, someone is ordering another round of champagne at noon.
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Amenities
The rooftop infinity pool – the only one in Delhi – is reason enough to stay. Heated in winter, serene in summer, it floats above the chaos of the city below. Private cabanas with call buttons for cocktails add to the club-like vibe.
One of the prettiest city spas, The ESPA Spa is a two-floor wellness haven with Ayurvedic rituals, Western massage therapies, and a signature rose-oil scrub that makes stepping outside again feel like an affront. Floor-to-ceiling windows give panoramic views even from the treatment beds. There’s also a well-equipped gym, yoga pavilion and salon for a spot of five-star grooming.
Experiences
The hotel can arrange trips out of the city for those seeking a little adventure or cultural immersion. While many guests come to The Leela to retreat, those curious to explore are in expert hands. Private guides can whisk you to nearby Humayun’s Tomb – a 15-minute drive – for a serene stroll through Mughal grandeur, or you can hop into a rickshaw for a guided journey through the chaos and colour of Chandni Chowk, where spice merchants, silver traders and sari drapers jostle for space. There are curated shopping tours to Dilli Haat, a lively, open-air market stuffed to the rafters with regional crafts and street food.
Day trips to the Taj Mahal in Agra (around 3.5 hours by car or 90 minutes by train) can also be arranged, complete with a chauffeured car, packed picnic and private guide.
In-house, the experience is just as rich. High tea in the courtyard is an experience in itself, with live sitar music and plates of mithai (Indian sweets) and scones served under a canopy of banyan trees.
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Verdict
India has no shortage of luxury hotels but The Leela Palace New Delhi is something to behold: a modern take on a Maharaja’s palace. There’s the indisputable comfort and calm coolness of a hotel that works on every level – fun, discreet and polished within an inch of its life, all with some of the city’s most prominent landmarks and cultural hotspots just beyond its gates.
Details
- The Leela Palace New Delhi
- Address: Africa Ave, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, Delhi 110023, India
- Enquiries: +91 11 3933 1234
- Virgin Atlantic flies daily direct between London Heathrow and Delhi with return Upper fares from £2,932 per person, including complimentary food, drink, and inflight entertainment. Nightly rates at The Leela Palace New Delhi start from £250.
