Maidens Hotel New Delhi

The Maidens Hotel - a few more images

by pchamlis

"The Elegance of the Past"

The Maidens Hotel opened in 1903, some eight years BEFORE New Delhi became the capital of British India. So, it is steeped in the times and feel of the early 20th century Raj period.

This is a classy place with a real feel for both service and history. And yet, you'll feel comfortably "at home", and well received.

"Friendly, efficient and so very Indian"

I was surprised to see so many women in India wearing saris. I figured that some would be in evidence, but I kind of thought it would be more of a rural thing. Not so. Everywhere we went, we saw beautiful and elegant ladies dressed in true Indian finery.

"Maybe for breakfast, while it's still not too hot"

The Maidens has a nice little outdoor area, just beyond the breakfast area. We didn't use it, preferring to stay inside... it was already getting pretty warm by 830 or 900 am. But if you're in the mood to eat outdoors, it's peaceful and there's a nice garden.

"Pleasant grounds, nice for a morning walk"

The peaceful and pleasant grounds of the Maidens Hotel is great for a morning walkaround. Like I say, it's amazing how quiet and relaxing the place is, given that the bustle of New Delhi is just beyond the wall.

"The Maidens' rooms are very spacious"

One particularly nice thing about the Maidens is the size of the rooms. They're very, very large - and with the high ceilings that accompany architecture of one hundred years ago, they seem even larger.

Our room had a large king bed, a sitting area with a small couch and two chairs, a second (in another room) sitting area with a desk, and a twin bed (where our daughter slept), and a very large bathroom.

Delhi is, by both Indian and world standards, kind of an expensive place for hotels. The Maidens is a true find in that it's a solid 4-star property, has excellent service, has that historical character and grace that we like, and has a lot of space and comfort.

"A comfortable, efficient and tasty breakfast nook"

The Maidens doesn't really have a sit-down evening restaurant. However, they do serve a nice buffet breakfast every morning, in a bright and cheery room just off the main lobby. The service is efficient and "perfect" in a raj sort of way - the Maidens takes seriously its British heritage.

And the food will get you off to a good start. All the traditional American and British brekkie items, as well as a cooked to order omelet and egg chef.

"A grand style"

Just another exterior shot of the Maidens Hotel, showing its colonial charm and grandeur. A walk around its grounds is quite peaceful and relaxing whenever you'd like a bit of down time.

"The little touches of class"

The Maidens is, as I've said, quite proud of their colonial past, and they preserve many of the nuances that you might have seen at the hotel years or decades earlier.

A lot of hotels supply you with a morning newspaper. But, putting it in a linen bag and hanging it on your door is just - at least to me - an extra little touch of refinement.

OK gotta go, I need to read my "Times of India". Namaste!

Meeting Uma in Delhi

by pchamlis

"A kind soul, a good friend and a great VT meet"

In the time leading up to our India visit, my online VT friend Uma Shankar (umashankar on VT) and I communicated regularly. Uma was a great source of support, information and guidance, as I put my trip together. During this time, we agreed that we'd hopefully get to meet on our trip.

The morning of October 4th, 2008, we had our meeting, for coffee at the Oberoi Maidens Hotel (where we were staying) in Delhi. Uma dropped by and we spent perhaps an hour together sharing pleasant conversation and coffee. My wife and daughter also enjoyed meeting Uma, agreeing with me that he was an incredibly kind soul and good friend. My wife Bonnie was especially interested in Uma's explanations of Hinduism and some of the more well-known Gods and histories. His introduction was so interesting that it led her to purchase a book entitled "Hindu Gods and Goddesses" which enhanced our understanding and enjoyment of our time in India. Becoming more familiar with the religion and culture of Hindu India made our trip very special.

As both a welcoming gift AND as a 28th wedding anniversary gift for Bonnie and I, Uma brought us a tasty box of Indian dessert cakes, milk-based and heavenly sweet. They were made at a local purveyor called Gugar's Bikaneri. Uma tells me that there are several different locations of Gugar's, and I do recommend trying their wares..... they are very very tasty. They were especially nice as an addition to a hot cup of coffee. Thank you again, Uma, for your kindness in welcoming us and remembering our anniversary. (and thanks for providing tasty snacks that we continued to enjoy the next day as we motored to Agra)

India has over a billion citizens, and I'm sure that a great majority of them are wonderful folks. However, I feel as if Uma is truly "one in a billion" when it comes to kindness, consideration and friendship. It was my honor to meet him, and I thank him again for taking the time to visit us at the Maidens on that Saturday morning.

Namaste, my friend. I hope you someday find your way to America, and that I can return the favor.

"Hindiusm primer from Uma"

In this photo, my wife Bonnie and my daughter Sara listen as Uma fills them in on details of various Hindu epics and teachings