I would actually suggest the Imperial as you can walk to many things in that area and it is a bit of history in itself. However, if you are choosing strictly between the 2 you have mentioned, I would choose the Leela Palace. A brand new hotel with lots of mod cons which you may not find in the Taj Mahal.

Neither of the 2 hotels on your list are particularly well located for Old Delhi, but on Christmas Day when traffic won't be very heavy it may not matter so much. The Taj Mahal is a bit closer in terms of distance.

The Imperial is also closer to the New Dehli train station where the 6 am train leaves for Agra.

Thanks so much that's really useful advice. I had considered the Imperial but there seem to be a lot of negative comments because they are building the metro outside and this put us off.

I was swaying towards Leela Palace so I think that's where we'll go now.

Thanks again for your help

The metro construction is taking up a bit of the road and sidewalk, which can be a little inconvenient, but overall I don't think you would find it terrible, especially on so short a trip. (Sidewalks in India are bascially non-existent any way, perhaps posts you have seen, Ii assume on tripadvisor.com did not realize this and were outraged at the "absence" of something that was not there much to begin with; although that area of New Delhi is one of the few places that does have a few sidewalks.) I don't think noise is an issue, and Christmas Day is a public holiday in any event so there should not be any construction going on that day and traffic should be light so you can walk in the roadway. Indians are very forgiving of pedestrians and will give them right of way if you assert yourself a little bit.

OK that's a really good point - you're right, the posts were on tripadvisor. I take most things with a pinch of salt but when I looked at the Leela Reviews there were absolutely no negatives which was really what is swaying me ... I'm still swaying

Another vote for the Imperial, it is quite good. However if it is strictly between the two you mention in the initial question, I'd choose the Taj Mahal Hotel.

If you are still wary of the Imperial, let me add the Oberoi Delhi to the list (and confusion . A fantastic hotel that I think does much better than the Taj Mahal or even the famed ITC Maurya which has rested on the laurels of its restaurants too long now.

Ha ha, no confusion on that one ... The Oberoi is out of our budget for that night, which is the only reason its not in the mix - I am very partial towards Oberoi's after my stay at the one in Bali ... best hotel experience EVER!

Still haven't made a decision yet ...

Fwiw, I stayed at the Leela last month and thought it was amazing. I haven't stayed at other hotels in Delhi, so can't compare it to the Imperial, but I can say it was better overall experience than the Peninsula or Oriental in Bangkok. Given your limited time, You might also consider mixing some chill time at the Leela with a few sights like the Sikh temple or Gandhi museum.

I just wanted to say a big thank you to galactus and especially CICII for your advice here. I had ruled out The Imperial very early on but you convinced me to take another look and I'm so glad I did. We stayed from 24-26 December and it was fabulous. Having stayed at many beautiful hotels around the world I have to say this is the best hotel I have ever stayed at. Absolutely beautiful, fabulous facilities - wonderful spa, gorgeous heated outdoor pool, beautiful gardens, exquisite restaurants, impeccable service, wonderful breakfast and our room (we were given a free upgrade) was stunning. It truly was a highlight of our trip and I would recommend to anyone going to Delhi. you were absolutely right about the metro CICII, it was so far from the actual hotel building that you weren't even aware of it until you left the hotel grounds - really not a problem at all. We weren't particularly fussed on Delhi as a city, but would go back ina heartbeat - just to stay at The Imperial!

Wow, i stayed at ITC Maurya and loved it. Sounds like The Imperial is a must-do next time! Thanks, Violet!

I'm glad you had a nice time in Delhi violetm. I read your report too, fantastic stuff. As for the Imperial, can't say I'm surprised - its top notch.