Novotel New Delhi City Centre

The Novotel New Delhi City Centre surprised me. The welcome was wonderful, the lobby is tidy and elegant, and I had a personal contact person from the first minute. The room on the Executive Floor was quiet and comfortable, and the breakfast was fantastic. The only thing I would advise against is wandering around the neighbourhood on foot if you don't know Delhi.

Quick verdict: A new, modern and very welcoming hotel with a personal contact person, a great room on the Executive Floor, excellent sleep, good WiFi and a breakfast that is hard to beat. The area around it is not for a casual stroll. JCI Score 4.0 out of 5.

Location

I took an Uber from New Delhi Airport to the hotel. It was late morning or around noon, and the ride took about half an hour, which is quite good for Indian traffic.

One tip from my own experience: don't let anyone talk you into anything at the airport. Go straight to the Uber pick-up zone. Many people wait for arriving travellers there and make very attractive offers. If you don't know the city, be careful with those.

The hotel is fairly central, so it works as a base. Book an Uber or a tourist guide and visit the sights from there. I did not have much time for sightseeing.

Getting There & First Impression

The Novotel is guarded. Before a taxi is allowed onto the grounds, it is inspected and checked more closely.

The reception was great. The team was attentive and very friendly. The lobby was tidy and beautiful, and it impressed me.

Check-In & Loyalty Experience

I was assigned a personal contact person straight away. Some of the communication then continued on WhatsApp, which is common in India, and I felt very well looked after.

As a Platinum member, I got a room on the Executive Floor, which was a small upgrade. In the room I found a welcome snack set with nuts, Masala Makhana and fruit, which was meant especially for me as a Platinum guest. There were a lot of sweets and a nice welcome greeting. Fresh water was always provided. I asked for more water several times, and it was never a problem. I also used the laundry service, and that went smoothly and politely too.

The bar and restaurant are on the same level as the breakfast restaurant. That is where I had my welcome drink and a few small snacks. There was also an Executive happy hour that I used. You got a drink, or you could order small snacks free of charge.

The Room

The room was great. I heard very little of the street and the city at night, which was very pleasant. The air conditioning did its job and was not too loud.

I slept very well. The pillows, the blankets, the atmosphere and the blackout were just right.

There was a small desk where I could sit and work a little. It was not big, but it was perfectly fine. There was also a small seating area, which was very comfortable. The WiFi was very good. I also connected the TV to my Netflix account, and that worked easily.

The shower has a privacy screen towards the bedroom. You can push it to the side, and then you get more daylight into the bathroom.

Food & Drink

The breakfast was fantastic. It was a big buffet with many different stations, Indian and Western. The coffee was very tasty. You are welcomed nicely and led to your table, which made it a very pleasant start to the day.

On the way to the breakfast area, there was a decorated table with flowers. The hotel celebrates Indian holidays and changing themes there to show the diversity of Indian culture. It was a nice detail.

Digital Customer Experience

The communication with my personal contact person ran partly via WhatsApp. The TV worked with my own Netflix account without any trouble.

The Bill & Value

Two nights cost €202.60 (about $238) in total, which is €101.30 (about $119) a night. I earned 980 Reward points and 557 Status points. For this standard, with an Executive Floor room, a great breakfast and such friendly service, that is excellent value.