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A legacy hotel that’s been established for over 35 years, the Taj Palace hotel Delhi suits business and leisure travellers alike. My overall Top Tip is to go there hungry, as the food is incredibly good.
The Taj Palace hotel Delhi is located in Chanakya Puri, a leafy, diplomatic enclave about 20 minutes drive away from the Indira Ghandi international airport. Importantly the hotel is also about 20 minutes drive away from some of the best independent shopping Delhi has to offer. Think Connaught Place, Shahpur Jat, Khan Market and the cool Santushti complex.
Plenty of delicious dining experiences to be had at the Taj Palace hotel Delhi. It depends what cuisine you’re in the mood for. But the best meal of the day and one of the highlights of our trip had to be breakfast in the Capital Kitchen, the hotel coffee shop.
Allergic to dairy? No problem, you’ll find almond, soya and lactose free alternatives, but that would mean you’d miss out on the gorgeous, fresh hung yoghurt, obligatory with a hot, stuffed parantha (Indian layerd bread definitely not gluten free) or some succulent, freshly cut fruit.
There are plenty of gluten free options though, the Western kind so granola, muesli and porridge from Bobs Red Mill but also the natural, original Eastern kind. Dosas, Idlis and moong daal chillas are all also gluten free and made fresh to order.
Chole are also gluten free, but maybe skip the deep fried bhatura, if you can!
We liked the fact the Taj takes seasonality into account as well; it was winter in Delhi when we visited so we got fresh methi and pea paranthas as fresh methi (fenugreek leaves) have a short winter season.
We also tried the Spicy Duck Chinese restaurant and would highly recommend it. I stayed in the area many years ago as a child and this restaurant used to be called Tea House of the August Moon!
Try the duck, but let them know if you’d like to assemble your own duck pancakes! Their chilli oil isn’t the same as in London, but there is wide variety of sauces to accompany your meal.
If it’s authentic Northern Indian cuisine you’re after, and why not, you are in Delhi, then head straight to Masala Art, also on the ground floor of the Taj Palace hotel. Expect high quality, well prepared, traditional North Indian food. We loved our Seekh kebabs, tadka daal and the onion kulchas are a must try.
We were treated to a taste of something called Sabz Ka Halwa, literally a soft, desserty type halwa made with vegetables. It was totally delicious blend of sweetness and a bit too easy to eat!
There is another award winning restaurant serving French/English cuisine, The Orient Express but we didn’t have time to try it on this visit. It did look quite formal though.
Do make some time to have a drink or cocktail at the Blue Bar one evening though, great views and cool vibes in this small, but atmospheric bar adjacent to the Spicy Duck restaurant.
Shops open l a t e in the morning in Delhi, between 10 and 11 am, so take your time getting up, use the spa or have a swim and then tuck in to a long, hearty breakfast and skip lunch.
We experienced a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite with a large sitting room and dining area, a small study and outdoor garden accessed directly from the sitting room. This was the Garden Presidential Suite located on the first floor of the hotel. It’s luxurious and spacious for sure but you couldn’t say that this could be any suite arrangement in any city in the world as the décor and artefacts completely reflect the legacy and heritage elements of the hotel.
The arrangement would be perfect for families or a group of friends who’d also like to maybe invite some family or more friends for an informal private gathering, the terrace just adds to the appeal. So try it for a special occasion, I would definitely go back with my family or a group of friends.
Certain rooms allow access to the Club facilities on the 7th floor of the hotel. Light refreshments are available 24 hours, but you could have your breakfast here, not as elaborate as downstairs, but still comprehensive. They also have a high tea service offering Indian tea time savouries and sandwiches. This is followed soon after by an evening drinks and snacks service.
Try the Sula Tropicale Brut sparkling wine. I liked this version of Indian rosé prosecco. This is a great place for a quiet chat or informal, small meeting.
Get a feel of the vibe of this place.
If you have time to fit in some fitness then do so! You can eat more. Try the heated pool, spa and the gym, all accessible via the mezzanine floor in all the lifts. Your author didn’t try the facilities on this trip.
Shops open late in the morning in Delhi, we’re talking between 10 and 11 am, so take your time getting up, use the spa or have a swim and then tuck in to a long, hearty breakfast and skip lunch.
Wear walking shoes or trainers for shopping about as pavements can be uneven and you may have to go up some narrow staircases to access some places, especially in Shahpur Jat and Khan Market.
Employ a reliable driver and car to stay with you throughout your trip, it’ll make your life so much easier.
Buy a local phone chip from the airport with a data package, talk time is way cheaper than Dubai.
Diet before you arrive as you’ll be eating way more than at home! Eat like a King at the Taj Palace hotel in Delhi.
NEXT POST COMING SOON ON THE BLOG
Shopping in Delhi
Go somewhere new every year, it’ll broaden your horizons and you’ll definitely see things differently when you come back home. Travel makes you richer.
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FireLake at the Radisson Blu Nairobi Arboretum is the first FireLake restaurant in Africa! We sampled their lunch offering with wine and had a look around the hotel.
We tried the red organic salad bowl and thai fish cakes to start with and went on to share a red snapper for our main course.
The food is fresh, tasty and beautifully presented by experienced chef Sebastien Mireaux. We liked the way they made use of edible flowers and also liked our charred bak choi vegetable. Desserts comprised of a generous platter of three different puddings. We thought the lemon meringue tart spoke the loudest to us!
Again very well presented but the innovative raspberries on rice cakes were also good and something I hadn’t eaten before. Portions are more than ample if you’d like to share.
The menu offers choice but isn’t bewilderingly big! Food is Mediterranean with an African and Indian slant.
We wanted to try the sukumawiki tots with bacon, African spinach and boursin cheese but these weren’t available on the day we visited.
You can sit inside the spacious restaurant with the josper grill, on the front terrace near the elegant pool or on the back terrace behind the restaurant. I liked the view from the front terrace of the pool and the vertical green wall reflecting the verdant arboretum across the road.
All the spaces are light and airy wherever you choose. It’s new at the moment so everything is clean, well maintained and smart. But the colours of the walls are generally cool and sophisticated as well as being appropriate bearing in mind the location and name of the hotel.
F i r e L a k e
at the Radisson Blu Nairobi Arboretum is the first FireLake restaurant in Africa
Prices are commensurate with that of a smart, international branded hotel. Here’s an idea:
Firegrilled Emperor Red Snapper KSh 2300
Organic Red Salad KSh 1100
Thai Fish Cakes KSh 1800
Divide by 100 to get the rough US Dollar price!
You could have a lighter, less formal bite at the Arborista coffee shop on the ground floor of the hotel. There is a large terrace and the coffee and snack menu was comprehensive enough for a light meal. I was impressed with the Serax brand of candles in the recessed shelving. I’ve never seen this French brand in Nairobi before and wasn’t sure if they were sale, but would make sophisticated gifts for any occasion.
Get a feel of the vibe of this place.
Always add some greenery into your environment, a house plant or something for the garden. It’s soothing to the mind to look at something green and growing.
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A short break in Budapest is an easy 5-hour flight away on Emirates. English is widely spoken there and your money goes a long way in this historic city with gorgeous architecture. It’s a very walk able city and nowhere near as crowded as nearby Prague. No visa requirements for British passport holders unlike St Petersburg which was our first choice.
We stayed at the Marriott Budapest hotel as it was reasonably priced and well located. A rate of roughly 812 Euros for 2 people for 3 nights is what we got in June 2019. We booked directly over the phone.
Our rate included breakfast and taxes. The Marriott is also a brand we’re familiar with. It’s on the Pest side of the city, definitely the side you want to stay on. It’s more lively and easy to get to most of the city from Pest.
The hotel is on the river Danube and close to the Intercontinental and the Four Seasons. Just in the same line. You have good views of the river from your room and there are also clubrooms that offer you a beautiful terrace with stunning views.
The outside of the hotel is quite boxy though and not very attractive, but you’re only sleeping there. Breakfast is very good and the whole hotel has quite a contemporary feel. There are 3 Marriott hotels in Budapest, this is the Marriott Budapest that is located on the Danube. Tell that to your taxi driver.
Take a taxi from the official stand at the airport and clearly tell them your hotel, also ask how roughly how much it will the cost to get there. It should be around 9000 Hungarian Forints or 27 to 30 Euros.
We generally had good experiences taking taxis from hotels and we always asked roughly how much the fare would be to our destination. We were unaware that simply hailing a taxi on the street could result in much higher fares as these are run by sometimes unscrupulous companies, try to avoid this, go to a hotel and order from there or walk back!
The local currency is the Hungarian forint and everything is priced in local currency. So change money early on and try to pay in forints. You’ll pay a better rate for anything you buy. Credit cards are widely accepted. There is a little exchange near the Marriott Budapest hotel that gave us 310 forints for a euro and didn’t charge commission. That’s pretty good.
The Castle Complex in Buda, allow at least 3 hours for that trip. But do see our note below on best way to do this outing
A walk down Vaci street and surrounding roads, allow at least 2 to 3 hours
The main synagogue and walk in the Jewish quarter, allow about 2 hours. See our notes below on where to eat around here
A drink at the High Note Skybar at the Aria hotel, allow about 2 hours for this but you MUST BOOK
A drink and a pre dinner snack at the Parisi Udvar hotel, allow about 1.5 hours. This is a gorgeous building and has a great history
Dinner at Aszu restuarant, ideally on the pavement; we spent about 2 hours here. Great food and good wines
A trip to the Ludvig museum, it has some Picassos and lot’s of contemporary art. Walk back along Rada street
Factor in time for resting at your hotel and enjoying the steam, jacuzzi, sauna and possible pool dip. You’ll be doing lots of walking so you do need to rest a bit too. Also factor in time for taking loads of stop and stare photos, popping into churches, drinking glasses of chilled, cherry beer and hot cappuccinos.
Walk across the Chain bridge to the Buda side of the city and you’ll be met by the official Castle shuttle buggy bus service (blue and white) that offers you a circuit of 4 stops where you can get on and off as you please. Take this shuttle, it’s worth it and very convenient as there is a lot of walking involved.
When you get to the St Mathias church, the tower and Fisherman’s Bastion (stop 2), buy the combined ticket that allows you in to all the attractions. It’s only worth it IF you are going to go up the Mathias tower, beware though; it’s a very steep staircase with 200 steps. Coming down was more challenging for me than going up.
Pay in FORINTS as we have said already; if you are accompanied by school or college aged kids ask for a STUDENT PRICE for them, they rarely asked for student cards as proof. Note you do have to pay to use the toilet, in forints of course.
But the castle complex is gorgeous and well worth the trip. St Mathias church was converted to a mosque for 145 years then back to a church!
TAKE NOTE: There is a posh looking café called Felix at the end of Stop 4 of the buggy tour, we were desperate for a coffee and snack so we popped in.
It’s beautiful and food was very good and not too expensive but it was clear that they would rather we had not stopped at their establishment, at all.
Not sure why this was the case, we weren’t shabbily dressed, just a little hot from the 35 degrees walking around. Maybe you will be more warmly received!
What we didn’t do but you could try
A trip to Margaret Island
Swimming in any of the pools and spas
A trip out to a vineyard in the countryside
A visit to Parliament Building and Heroes Square
Taking a tram ride
Riding the funicular up to the Castle
For a quick, good quality, casual vegetarian meal or snack while shopping, try Fruccola just off Vaci street. Vegan options here too. Ice cream cones on the go are about 1 Euro from most stalls around here, but they don’t fill to the top, just one small scoop.
For an idling in-between meal snack break on a pretty square, try Gerloczy and order cherry beer or a lemonade with some pickles. Probably good for breakfast if your room rate doesn’t include it. Pop in to the flower shop on the corner and buy some beautiful Meraki candles and lavender to take home.
For a great cup of coffee and a cake in the Jewish quarter go to Magveto café. But wait till 12ish for the fresh cakes! Dreamy, warm, home made cherry pie with perfect pastry, very cool bookish café.
For a good lunch in the Jewish quarter with a nice vibe, try Mazel Tov, a large contemporary terrace type café/restaurant serving Middle Eastern food. Book if you can, but we just walked in.
For superlative pastries on the go and a take away coffee try the Nordic style Norma coffee shop, smells divine and Budapest’s answer to Ole and Steen! Try the cardamom and or cinnamon buns.
For a very good dinner, not expensive by Dubai standards try Aszu restaurant. You must book before hand though; I loved my trout fillet and rhubarb dessert. Try the Hungarian wine as well. Service was very good. I would go again.
For pre dinner drinks and a snack try the bruschetta at the Parisi Udvar hotel, fabulous customer service too! And they had a very helpful and knowledgeable concierge. This is a heritage hotel that is part the Hyatt Unbound collection.
GOOD TO KNOW
We wanted to go to Dobrumba restaurant for dinner but it was totally booked out, interestingly our hotel concierge had never heard of the place!
Do have a pre dinner drink at the High Note Sky bar roof top at the Aria hotel, we loved this. But you MUST BOOK before hand.
Remember it’s absolutely fine to order tap water for free at any restaurant or café in Hungary so that’s a good saving.
Late morning coffee at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace.
Coffee and lemonade late morning at the Four Seasons should have been a relaxing, cool experience in a heritage building. But we received a why are you coming in here at all if you’re not staying here attitude and generally unfriendly and cold vibes. Amazingly good prices though! Less than Euros 3 for a good cup of coffee, but spoilt by the snotty, bad service. It wasn’t busy either.
Snack lunch at the Felix restaurant in Buda.
We’re not sure what we did to upset them, but they clearly weren’t happy for us to be at their very empty restaurant! Our food and drink was very good though, but the service and attitude left a bad taste in our mouths.
Drinks and snacks at the bar in the Marriott Budapest hotel.
We were made to feel rather silly for asking if there were crisps or peanuts at the bar that we could have along with our wine at about 5.00pm in the evening.
We moved to the next bar just a few steps along taking our drinks with us and ordered some crispy squid. Rubbery, chewy squid fried in processed breadcrumbs for almost 8 euros and very slow service. This was a shame as the views are so nice from this hotel. Do not even try to order anything off menu such as some Hungarian pickled vegetables; great with drinks, as the staff will be completely flummoxed!
Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our short break to Budapest and would highly recommend it. But don’t go there if historic buildings are not your thing and you’re not keen on walking around. Good food is available as is lovely service but don’t expect it as routine in what is a city that is geared to tourists.
