Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka

The Raidsson Blu brand is significantly more upscale than the Radisson, and guests may be pleasantly surprised by the Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Dwarka. The hotel is round -- like a thick tube -- and rooms are situated around a central atrium. The first couple of floors have shops from the on-site mall as well as a jungle-like installation of fountains and greenery. Most guests here are Indian business travelers who come for on-site meetings, and it's really not the best part of town for tourists, as it's removed from all of Delhi's attractions (and there are plenty of comparable hotels nearer to the airport -- including another Radisson Blu). 

The Radisson Blu Hotel is located in the suburb of Dwarka, right in between the Dwarka Sector 12 and Dwarka Sector 13 metro stations. It's in a part of town that doesn't have much for tourists, and the main reason to stay here for most guests is that it's close to the airport, a 20-minute drive away (traffic permitting) Old Delhi Railway Station and Old Delhi's bustling market area -- Chandni Chowk -- is around an hour away by metro or by car with no traffic (or considerably longer during busier times of day), while Connaught Place, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, and Jantar Mantar, can be reached in about 40 minutes by car (without traffic) or 55 minutes on the metro. New Delhi Railway Station takes 45 minutes to reach by car (without traffic) or an hour by metro. Factor in about 40 minutes by car to India Gate or Humayun's Tomb (again, without traffic -- during peak times, journey times can nearly double). South Delhi attractions such as the Lotus Temple and the Qutub Minar can take 45 minutes or longer to reach depending on traffic (or up to 90 minutes by metro). 

The Radisson Blu offers 219 rooms in total, 25 of which are Executive Suites. Rooms have wood floors, light-wood furniture, and large etched-glass tree motifs behind the beds. The color scheme is beige-gray and red, wit throw cushions, rugs, and bed runners adding pops of color to the spaces. Entry-level Superior Rooms have flat-screen TVs with 50-plus channels, minibars, kettles, desks with data ports, individually controlled air-conditioning, and bathrobes, plus beige marble bathrooms with walk-in showers, vessel sinks, and a reasonable amount of dining space. Business Class Rooms are the same size, but add bonuses such as free buffet breakfast and larger bathrooms with soaking tubs and windows that look out into the rooms. Executive Suites are almost twice the size of the rooms and have separate living areas with sofas, chairs, and dining tables. Accessible rooms are also available. Views are either of the central atrium or of the exterior, though some past guests have complained of shoddy views obscured by walls. 

The Radisson offers plenty of facilities, including a lovely outdoor pool with a few parasol-shaded lounge beds for guest use. There's also roomy fitness center with lots of treadmills and a selection of free weights, plus a game room with a billiards table, ping-pong, and foosball. There are a salon on-site, Affinity, offering hair styling and mani/pedis, and a spa, O2, with massage treatments. The hotel even has its own mall -- Soul City -- featuring plenty of shops, including a branch of Fab India, one of the country's best-known shops for high-quality traditional Indian clothing. The Radisson offers four different on-site dining options plus the option of 24-hour room service. Rice serves pan-Asian food at lunch and dinner, with a live kitchen and a menu featuring unusual takes on Asian fare, including vegetables skewered on sugarcane sticks. Dvar - The Gateway focuses on Indian cuisine and is only open at dinnertime. The space also has traditional folk music performances Tuesday through Sunday. Atrium, the tea lounge, has a varied menu that's dominated by teas, cakes, and sandwiches. There's also a 24-hour coffeeshop with all sorts of a la carte and buffet cuisine options. In addition to the restaurants, there are two bars: A State of Music, and Seppelin, the latter of which has long happy hours every day.  Business travelers can take advantage of the 24-hour business center and there are three boardrooms and three banquet halls available for rent. Wi-Fi and valet parking are included in room rates. Other services include express three-hour laundry (for a fee), express checkout, and airport transfers (for a fee).