Holiday Inn Express New Delhi International Airport T3 by IHG

This was an amazing experience, almost like finding a secret hotel. The room had no windows, but we didn’t mind. It’s in an administrative part of the airport, with an office and some kind of relaxation zone. We just wanted to sleep. The beds were comfortable, and there was a shower room with shampoo and shower gel, plus two free bottles of water. Finding check-in was tricky. It’s with the car hire desks in the domestic terminal, and you can’t go to the hotel on your own or access it directly. Airport staff have to take you there. All your luggage goes through security and scanning before you go up. The loft is very small, basically room for one luggage trolley and two people. It took about 45 minutes to get to the hotel after our flight landed. For a 3am check-in, this was the best way to arrive, and we were grateful they looked after us. If you can’t check your international bags before hotel check-in, don’t book the international section. We had to use the domestic section for that reason.

Do not book a stay here. You may not be allowed to check in even after paying, and you won’t get a refund. For example, if you book to depart from Terminal 3 and the airline changes your departure to Terminal 2, the hotel still requires you to depart from T3. They won’t refund you if the terminal changes. This is an absurd requirement. It cost me more than $900 (USD), and I can’t cancel or get a refund.

Anisha served us butter chicken, rice, and chapati in the restaurant and was very attentive. The food was amazing, and all the staff were very good. Our 12 hour layover on the way to Phuket turned into an amazing stay. The bed was very comfortable and we had everything we needed. There’s also a small gym. I wouldn’t hesitate to book here for a long layover in the future.

Breakfast was simply not good. I found a small cockroach in the covered bread and pastry display, and the staff removed it when I told them. I only ate chicken sausage, cucumber, egg, and an Indian type of pita, then rushed to the toilet 30 minutes later. The room was decent for getting some sleep, relaxing, and showering, but only if you have an onward international flight from terminal 3. Maintenance could be better: the hairdryer didn’t work and was hanging off the wall, and the water took about 10 minutes to get hot. At 75 euros for 7 hours, it doesn’t feel worth the price, though I guess it’s a monopoly and a choice if you need comfort.