Sheraton New Delhi Hotel

While the Sheraton has upscale and elegant interiors, it lacks the wow factor common to the best of Delhi's other high-end properties. The lobby has expansive marble floors with dark inlay designs, while planters and floral arrangements brighten up the space. The hallways are dated and narrow, with green-and-blue patterned carpets that look more suited to a mid-range chain hotel than an upscale property, though the restaurants have a bit more pizzaz, particularly Delhi Pavilion, which features dark-wood shelving stocked with brass kettles and other knickknacks. Otherwise, there aren't many surprises here, and the Sheraton New Delhi hews closely to brand expectations. As is expected, given the hotel's name and location, most guests here are business travelers.

The Sheraton is located in the South Delhi neighborhood of Saket, right behind a huge strip of shopping malls. There are a number of restaurants nearby, but otherwise there's not much that will interest the average tourist within a walk. The nearest metro station is at Malviya Nagar, a four-minute drive or autorickshaw ride away, while the Saket Metro is an eight-minute drive from the hotel. The hip Hauz Khas Village -- with lots of shops, bars, and restaurants -- is a 20-minute drive away, while Connaught Place will take 25 minutes to reach by car. Getting to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi's best-known Sikh temple, is also around a 25-minute drive. The UNESCO World Heritage Qutub Minar is an eight-minute drive from the hotel without traffic, and Humayan's Tomb, also a UNESCO site, takes around 20 minutes to reach. The sprawling Lodhi Gardens, full of Lodhi-era tombs and meandering paths, is a 20-minute drive away. The Lotus Temple is around a 15-minute car ride from the hotel.Chandni Chowk -- the bustling market area near Old Delhi Railway Station -- is about half an hour by car, while it's an hour-long metro ride or 25-minute drive to New Delhi Railway Station. Indira Gandhi International Airport is about 30 minutes away by car without traffic, but can take significantly longer during peak hours.

Though this hotel has several different room categories, with an array of perks for upgrades, the look is similar across the board. Most have beige, lightly patterned carpets, medium-tone wood furniture, and traditional striped or floral upholstery on chairs and sofas. Wall art is equally traditional, with watercolor prints of local monuments, while fixtures include polished metal lamps. Overall, everything is well-kept, but feels a bit old fashioned. Bathrooms are done in beige marble, giving them a put-together upscale look, with large granite countertops, and either shower/tub combos or -- in suites -- separate tubs and walk-in showers. All rooms are relatively spacious, with entry-level Deluxe Rooms starting at 340 square feet, or 22 square meters, and floor plans getting larger from there. Deluxe Rooms feature sitting areas and either one king bed or two twins, plus electric kettles, safes, air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and free mineral water -- features which are standard in all rooms. Suites have separate living rooms with large writing desks, sofas, and chairs. Executive Club and Sheraton Club Rooms are entitled to a number of other perks in the hotel, though Wi-Fi isn't free in any room unless guests are SPG members. 

The Sheraton offers a good range of features aimed primarily at business travelers. Along with a 24-hour business center, the Sheraton has a decent selection of business facilities including a large ballroom that can be divided up into three smaller rooms for breakout sessions, three board rooms for six to 20 people, and a larger function hall. Outdoor events can also be staged by the swimming pool. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel for a fee (though guests get 30 minutes free per day at the business center). However, SPG members do receive free Wi-Fi. Higher-category rooms are entitled to a considerable number of perks, including late check-out, four pieces of free laundry per day, four hours of boardroom use, and access to the seventh-floor Sheraton Club lounge, where a free continental breakfast is served every morning; there's also an evening hors d'oeuvres and cocktail service. The Sheraton also has a bar and three restaurants, one of which -- Delhi Pavilion -- offers buffets at all three meals plus a la carte items 24 hours a day. There's also a midnight buffet held Saturday nights for those pulling all-nighters or people returning from nights out clubbing. Dakshin is open for lunch and dinner and focuses on South indian cuisine, while Pan Asian -- as the name suggests -- has items from across East Asia, including Japanese, Korean, and even Mongolian fare. Room service is available around the clock.The fitness enter is relatively large, with treadmills and a few other cardio machines plus a rack of free weights and a resistance machine. Yoga instructors and personal trainers are also available. A beauty salon offers hair and nail services plus a spa and a large outdoor lagoon pool with a waterfall feature and a couple of dolphin statues spouting water from their mouths, fountain style. It goes without saying that the look -- like much at the hotel -- is a little old school.