New Delhi

[Zombie 284]

I'm traveling to New Delhi in a couple months and am looking for a hotel. The city is obviously massive so I'm looking for suggestions on the best areas to get a hotel or any suggestions on hotels themselves if you know of any good ones that aren't crazy expensive. Convenience for seeing the sights is a priority. 

[DoobieWah 1460]

Here is a timely article that I had just run across.

 

[Spur08 382]

Flagyl

[Js1 85574]

Great timing on this.  I'll be there end of November/early December. 

[Dbeasy 15092]

I suggest the Hilton in any country but there.

[Zombie 284]

2 hours ago, Spur08 said:

Flagyl

Buddy of mine married an Indian chick he met at UT. Whole family of 30 or so goes to India for the wedding. Every single one got sick. 

[DaysOff 7974]

They still have the plague...I mean the plague.

[Biff Tannen 45741]

There was some time traveler on the old site that had a thread.

[52-80 19246]

2 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

I suggest the Hilton in any country but there.

Ramses Hilton Cairo, Egypt, is also ass

[52-80 19246]

1 hour ago, DaysOff said:

They still have the plague...I mean the plague.

That's Madagascar tho

[Dbeasy 15092]

Buddy of mine married an Indian chick he met at UT. Whole family of 30 or so goes to India for the wedding. Every single one got sick. 

I traipsed in and out of that country for years without ever getting the proper shots in advance. It never occurred to me. Never got ill. I did, however, often see people pooping in the streets. So in that sense, it’s like what Austin is becoming.

[Js1 85574]

20 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

 

I traipsed in and out of that country for years without ever getting the proper shots in advance. It never occurred to me. Never got ill. I did, however, often see people pooping in the streets. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

There was some time traveler on the old site that had a thread.

Oh now I see why we got recommended the scat site. 

[Thetexashammer 1062]

I like Old Delhi better.

[RiceOwl 74]

I stayed at the Le Meridien which was pretty centrally located between Old Delhi and the diplomatic area of the city in early 2018... Pretty sure I paid $250ish for a club level room. 

It was nice, clean, etc... I was in India for 9 days and didn’t get sick. Just don’t drink the water and eat at places where you see at least a few other white people (/notracist). 

[RollLeft 5045]

[DFWTexEx 278]

It might be on the pricier side, by I highly recommend the JW Marriot Aerocity.  It's by the airport and is a much welcome relief after a long flight (or if you are leaving early in the morning).  It's in a quiet business park and near shopping.  They treat you really well.  The shower is among the best I have ever had (so important) and there is a sports bar / lounge that serves global/Western food.  It is not really centrally located, but I am not sure there is any location in Delhi that makes seeing the sights easy.  Just get a driver and let him do the work.  If you need a recommendation for a good, affordable service let me know.  The company I used was terrific and reliable, but not luxurious.

And if you are going to the Taj, don't do a day trip.  Get the driver to take you and spend the night in Agra.  If you can swing it at all, stay at the Oberoi.   It is definitely pricey for India, but it is a once in a lifetime experience that is worth it.  Your room will have a terrace overlooking the Taj and they will golf cart you over there at sunrise.  And it may have the best hotel pool I have ever experienced.

[Js1 85574]

39 minutes ago, DFWTexEx said:

It might be on the pricier side, by I highly recommend the JW Marriot Aerocity.  It's by the airport and is a much welcome relief after a long flight (or if you are leaving early in the morning).  It's in a quiet business park and near shopping.  They treat you really well.  The shower is among the best I have ever had (so important) and there is a sports bar / lounge that serves global/Western food.  It is not really centrally located, but I am not sure there is any location in Delhi that makes seeing the sights easy.  Just get a driver and let him do the work.  If you need a recommendation for a good, affordable service let me know.  The company I used was terrific and reliable, but not luxurious.

And if you are going to the Taj, don't do a day trip.  Get the driver to take you and spend the night in Agra.  If you can swing it at all, stay at the Oberoi.   It is definitely pricey for India, but it is a once in a lifetime experience that is worth it.  Your room will have a terrace overlooking the Taj and they will golf cart you over there at sunrise.  And it may have the best hotel pool I have ever experienced.

Thanks. I would like to know what service you used for the driver. 

[Zombie 284]

Thanks. I would like to know what service you used for the driver. 

Me too.

[DFWTexEx 278]

On 10/4/2019 at 9:03 AM, Zombie said:

On 10/3/2019 at 3:17 PM, Js1 said:

Thanks. I would like to know what service you used for the driver. 

Me too.

 

On 10/3/2019 at 3:17 PM, Js1 said:

Thanks. I would like to know what service you used for the driver. 

This is who I used:  India Private Driver

 

Mr. Bunty will take care of you.  Ask for a driver named Atma Ram.

[Js1 85574]

59 minutes ago, DFWTexEx said:

 

This is who I used:  India Private Driver

 

Mr. Bunty will take care of you.  Ask for a driver named Atma Ram.

Cool, already got in contact with them about one of their Golden Triangle packages 

[irishtexan 11522]

Went for work about 12 years ago. Stayed at the Hyatt Regency. It was super nice back then.

I've never seen such opulence juxtaposed with abject poverty. People shitting on the roads in front of buildings plated with gold. Be prepared for thousands of people to beg for money from you. I thought the temples were pretty cool. My boss bought a bunch of rugs and got fitted for suits and had them all shipped back. There's a jain temple there where, when people die, they just dump their bodies on the roof to be consumed by vultures. A dude who had an apartment nearby says he occasionally would find a human finger on his balcony. So that's pretty cool.

[DFWTexEx 278]

I should point out that there are separate licenses for official tour guides, to get into places like the Taj or Red Fort.  Your driver should be great, but he can't go in with you or be your guide.  For not much money, they (either Mr. Bunty or the driver) will arrange for a tour guide.  I usually loathe tour guides, but my driver to Agra talked me into it and I don't regret it.  Touring the Taj and the Red Fort with someone who can really speak to it was very helpful and he is your private guide, so you control the speed and detail.  It was well worth it.  I did the Taj in the afternoon with the guide and then went back the next morning at sunrise and just hung by myself and took pictures.

[J.R. 150]

I personally do not think a tour guide is that helpful for Red Fort. But definitely worth seeing. Absolutely huge piece of construction and architecture. I was whisked to the front of a long line to get in apparently for being a white person. 

[Js1 85574]

11 hours ago, DFWTexEx said:

I should point out that there are separate licenses for official tour guides, to get into places like the Taj or Red Fort.  Your driver should be great, but he can't go in with you or be your guide.  For not much money, they (either Mr. Bunty or the driver) will arrange for a tour guide.  I usually loathe tour guides, but my driver to Agra talked me into it and I don't regret it.  Touring the Taj and the Red Fort with someone who can really speak to it was very helpful and he is your private guide, so you control the speed and detail.  It was well worth it.  I did the Taj in the afternoon with the guide and then went back the next morning at sunrise and just hung by myself and took pictures.

You're rocking this.  Yeah, I have a friend from the southern part of India who said, as a white dude, finding a private guide at Taj or anywhere else will be a piece of cake.  Finding a guide or having Mr. Bunty do it is fine, I was just struggling with the logistics of getting from Delhi to Agra to Jaipur and back to Delhi and dealing with booking trains and train schedules and stuff.  If I had more time in my personal life, I'd handle all of that myself.  But I don't at the moment, so letting Mr. Bunty arrange a driver for all of that sounds nice. 

[Js1 85574]

On 10/10/2019 at 12:13 AM, DFWTexEx said:

 

This is who I used:  India Private Driver

 

Mr. Bunty will take care of you.  Ask for a driver named Atma Ram.

 

On 10/10/2019 at 12:13 AM, DFWTexEx said:

 

This is who I used:  India Private Driver

 

Mr. Bunty will take care of you.  Ask for a driver named Atma Ram.

I didn’t get Atma Ram but cannot stress enough how great this recommendation was.
Mr. Bunty was incredibly professional, easy to contact, handled everything and I had a very nice, professional, friendly driver. Having them arrange the hotels, guides, etc was so helpful. As was relaxing car rides between cities - no planes, no trains. 

not to mention my guide made sure I got to go off the beaten path to some local spots/sights. 

[DFWTexEx 278]

10 hours ago, Js1 said:

 

I didn’t get Atma Ram but cannot stress enough how great this recommendation was.
Mr. Bunty was incredibly professional, easy to contact, handled everything and I had a very nice, professional, friendly driver. Having them arrange the hotels, guides, etc was so helpful. As was relaxing car rides between cities - no planes, no trains. 

not to mention my guide made sure I got to go off the beaten path to some local spots/sights. 

Great to hear.  I'd like to know more about your itinerary.  I only did Agra on my last trip and would like to do more next time.

[Bone3421 716]

Pics?

[Js1 85574]

I’ll figure that out How to do that when I get back Next week 

[Orale 1087]

I’ll figure that out How to do that when I get back Next week 

Liar ; ). I'm headed to New Delhi later this month in combination with a visit to Nepal to see the Himalayas. I'd like to do the Golden Triangle but am waffling between a driver/tour versus going by train and doing my itinerary with a local guide in Agra and Jaipur. Was the drive a pleasant one or would being able to stretch out in first class on a train have been more comfortable?

[Js1 85574]

2 minutes ago, Orale said:

On 12/5/2019 at 9:58 AM, Js1 said:

I’ll figure that out How to do that when I get back Next week 

Liar ; ). I'm headed to New Delhi later this month in combination with a visit to Nepal to see the Himalayas. I'd like to do the Golden Triangle but am waffling between a driver/tour versus going by train and doing my itinerary with a local guide in Agra and Jaipur. Was the drive a pleasant one or would being able to stretch out in first class on a train have been more comfortable?

The drive with a private driver was comfortable. Not very long to get between the cities in the golden triangle. 

[Orale 1087]

Some photos from my time in Delhi the last few days. I'm starting the Golden Triangle tour (Taj Mahal, Jaipur forts) today. Delhi is a chaotic place, but also fascinating. The Gandhi Museum located in the villa where he was assassinated in 1948 was the highlight of the city.