kml_8

Hi all, I'll be arriving at the international airport in New Delhi at around 9PM and plan to be picked up early the next morning to be driven to Agra. Does anyone have suggestions for hotels to stay which would be well located to get to Agra, hopefully shaving off a little time from the morning drive? Since we won't be staying at the hotel very long, I'm just looking for something basic but clean. Someone suggested the Trident Hilton Gurgaon, but I don't want to spend that much for just a quick overnight. Would prefer to spend about $100 give or take.

Thanks for any recommendations!

Cicerone

The international airport is south and a bit west of the city centre, and actually is not far from the Agra Road which is pretty much directly south of the city, so you want to stay in this area and look at hotels in the south or south west (e.g. Gurgaon), obviously avoiding New Delhi or old Delhi hotels and places like the Nizamuddin or Defence colony areas to the north and east. I can’t reocco a hotel in the US$100 a night range in that area, but I would say to look at Lonely Planet or the Sawdays’ website (see http://sawdays.co.uk/, click on the book for India; I don’t think they list many in the airport area). I think you may have a bit of a hard time, as that area did not exist until about a decade ago (other than as farmer's fields), and mainly consists of high rise apartments, shopping malls, offices parks and international hotels which are more expensive.

You might try the Centaur which is basically at the airport, I have never been inside, and its owned and operated by Air India, which may not be the greatest endorsement, but see http://www.centaurhotels.com/igi/. Their standard rooms would appear to be just within your budget range.

Other hotels to consider would be the (there are two, either would work, the one called the “New Delhi” hotel is of course not in New Delhi but is outside the centre and about 5 minutes from the airport, see http://www.radisson.com/), the Crowne Plaza Gurgaon (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/) or the Park Hotel in Gurgaon (http://www.theparkhotels.com, The Grand Hotel is quite close to the airport and is pretty nice (was originally a Hyatt) see http://www.thegrandnewdelhi.com (There is also a Grand Hotel Intercontinental in Connaught Circus in downtown New Delhi, so don't confuse the two.) The Uppals Orchid Hotel is quite nice and a good location for the airport/Agra road as well, but rooms can be uneven IMO, and may not be in the US$100 range in any event, but see http://www.theorchidhotelnewdelhi.com/.

vp_singh

I would suggest hotel Shervani, which situates very close to the India Gate, in the Sundar Nagar area. The rooms / toilets are very clean. The ones facing the zoological park are the better ones.I guess it will cost you no more than $ 150/-.
The Manor is even better located, from the point of view of approach to the road to Agra, though it should be around $170/-. It is a good property.

jessmanuel

I would go with The Manor. It is on Agra road and a lovely boutique hotel

dogster

Has anybody ever stayed at Tikli Bottom outside Delhi? 45 minutes from the international airport. I've always thought that might be a good lateral solution for people heading off into Rajasthan. Maybe not Agra tho'.

http://www.tiklibottom.com/index.aspx?Pageno=1

kml_8

Thanks for the suggestions! Does anyone know anything about The Claridges, Surajkund - which seems to be just off the road between Delhi and Agra. Near or in Faridabad which doesn't seem too charming of a locale - but we'll just be there to sleep.

Seems a bit more convenient to Agra than Gurgaon by the map - but maybe the roads are better?

Any thoughts are much appreciated!

vp_singh

Tikli Bottom is a beautiful property, (the name is so g...!), down the road to Sohna & a bit deeper in the countryside. The scenery is fabulous but the road to Jaipur via Sariska was not in a good shape, when I did this route a few years back, arriving at Jamwa Ramgarh, late into the evening.
The Claridges Surajkund, for all it seems from the brochure, should be a fine business hotel to stay a night in.
Happy travels!

Cicerone

Gurgaon is close to the airport, so my thinking was that after the long flight you would want to get to the hotel quickly rather than spending time getting to a hotel. But Faridabad is good as far as being outside of Delhi and on the Agra road. Sort of six of one half dozen of the other, IMO, because it will take you a bit of time in the evening to get there from the airport. From Gurgaon you can quickly take the side roads to get to the Agra road, so it is not out of the way to stay in Gurgaon.

I don’t know that Claridges at all, see if tripadvisor.com has any comments. The one in New Delhi is fine (have not seen the rooms). For one night my view is that you can usually stand anything.

My issue with the Manor is that it is in Friends Colony which is more in central Delhi, and not only will it take you time to drive there in the evening, you will encounter Delhi traffic in the morning coming out from there. It’s also over your US$100 budget (but so is Claridges, I believe).

I have been asking people for years to please go to Tikli Bottom! I want someone to see stay there and write a report! Not sure the OP wants to do the drive at 9 pm after an int’l flight, but perhaps, see http://www.tiklibottom.com/

dogster

I went up the Hoogli with the lady who ran Tikli Bottom. She was very nice lady indeed, very interesting. Exactly the kind of lady you imagine would run a place like Tikli Bottom. I keep trying to get there.

JaneB

Re: Uppal Orchids. Our "free" ride to the airport cost $20. We almost missed our early morning flight to London because the transportation did not arrive until much later than we requested. We were charged for "using a laptop computer" in the room. We had no computer. It was not easy to convince them otherwise.

saivenkat

thanks for your useful information..
Dig Bands

cherylcd

The Lemon Tree Hotel in Gurgaon is nice. Small "boutique" type hotel. I don't remember the price but I don't think it was too expensive.
Here is the info from the website
866, Udyog Vihar, Phase V
Gurgaon 122016, Haryana
Exit No. 5 on National Highway 8
(from Delhi's International and Domestic Airports)
Gurgaon
I don't see a price but I know it was not expensive
India, 122016
Hotel Phone: +91 124 4423232
Fax: +91 124 4423212

live42day

If you go to expedia.ca or com they have the lemon tree udyog for $154 CDN per night. I am thinking of that one for my last night before I fly out as well. Good reviews.

Amy

When I saw this topic my first thought was the Lemon Tree, Udyog Vihar. (Trident Gurgaon is lovely, lovely, lovely, but yeah, a bit pricey) so I'll third the recommendation. I stayed happily at the Lemon Tree my first night in Delhi: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...rip-report.cfm It was under $100 a night at that time booking directly with the hotel website (which is listed in a post near the end of my trip report, by the way.)

live42day

I just found another hotel on cleartrip.com.
The Claremont, which is not far from the airport in Gurgaon.
It is $135 CAD for a double but if you book on cleartrip this weekend, November 7 and 8 you will get 25% or 1000 rupees off.
Looks like they have good reviews too, and less expensive.

rohanarora536

Mate try some guest houses Most of the hotels which users are suggesting are 5 star and u have to shed around 170$ for 1 night. don;t stay in gurgaon as u have to travel Agra so south delhi will be a better option

Amy

Erm, the Lemon Tree for a random night I just checked out comes up at $92. Since the poster was looking for a hotel under $100, I recommended it as I had a decent experience there. I'm not sure where a price like $170 came from.

Cicerone

I just arrived in Delhi this evening, and there is some convention or something going on because it was almost impossible to find an available room here downtown or in NOIDA or Gurgaon, although my office tried for about a week before my arrival. They did luckily find the Country Inn Gurgaon, which opened just this past Thursday. I have to say it is quite nice, a solid 4 star. It’s a Carlson hotel if you know some of their US hotels. I am paying about US$130 exclusive of tax. See countryinns.com/india

CaliNurse

I've been looking for places not too far from airport (no more than 20 min ride--in Indian trffic) but pleasant, not too hectic area, and reasonably priced.
So far , found Chooti Haveli, which is not too much of a ride from the Int'l airport, if i'm reading the map correclty. Prices are below what you seek, reviews on TA are ecellent, and it looks lovely on the web site.

CaliNurse

sorry for typo. it's CHhoti Haveli.