Pros

  • Convenient location near Pharganj backpacker area and railway station
  • Spacious air-conditioned rooms, some of which sleep up to four guests
  • Restaurant provides 24-hour room service and food from across India
  • Cafe with smoothies, coffee drinks, and pastries
  • Airport pick-ups included for guests with certain bookings
  • Travel services include train tickets, currency exchange, and laundry services
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
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Cons

  • Some rooms are dated or worn
  • Noise from rooms overlooking the street
  • Some rooms have tube TVs
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Bottom Line

The Hotel Ajanta is a 60-room hotel near the New Delhi Railway Station that straddles the line between a budget property and a mid-range hotel. Rooms here are consistently spacious and range from simple Superior Rooms to huge Family Rooms and Suites, though some are a bit dated and worn. Amenities are predictable and include free Wi-Fi, a restaurant with 24-hour room service, travel services, and free airport pick-ups for guests in higher-category rooms. Its location on the edge of the Paharganj backpacker enclave means easy access to backpacker-friendly shops and restaurants of the main bazaar. Travelers wanting to be right in the heart of everything might prefer the Hotel Hari Pikoro instead.

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Oyster Hotel Review

Hotel Ajanta

Scene

Value hotel with surprisingly elegant, Old World public spaces

The Hotel Ajanta is housed in a five-story whitewashed building that features a mix of colonial and modern styles that's a bit of a hodgepodge, but at least offer a clue as to the mixed bag of style and substance on offer at the Hotel Ajanta. Inside, the lobby is a good deal nicer than what one would expect of a budget hotel, with a dark-wood reception desk and dark-wood trim along the windows and doorways, plus a modern false ceiling and a few pieces of Edwardian-style furniture. Old framed photos and beautiful floor tiling in the hallways add to this Old World appeal, and there are numerous nooks with seating areas and brightly painted accent walls. Most guests are budget travelers wanting access to the nearby railway station, and the property attracts both domestic and international visitors, including families.

See More Scene

Location

In a busy area near the New Delhi Railway Station and the backpacker enclave in Paharganj

The Hotel Ajanta is located on Arakshan Road at the edge of the Paharganj neighborhood of New Delhi. The area is mostly known for its cheap flophouses aimed at international backpackers, though this particular strip is more popular with domestic travelers needing easy access to the nearby New Delhi Railway Station; the western entrance to the station is only a seven-minute walk from the hotel. Paharganj's main bazaar takes about the same amount of time to reach, and is full of backpacker-friendly eating joints plus numerous vendors selling cheap hippie clothes and costume jewelry. 

There are plenty of upmarket shops, restaurants, and cafes at nearby Connaught Place, a five- to 10-minute drive from the hotel. Old Delhi attractions such as the Red Fort and the busy market area of Chandni Chowk are also a 10-minute drive from the hotel, while it takes a bit longer to reach Old Delhi Railway Station due to consistently congested traffic in the area. Factor in about 15 minutes by car to India Gate, or 20 minutes to Humayun's Tomb. South Delhi attractions such as the Lotus Temple and the Qutub Minar can take 30 to 45 minutes to reach depending on traffic. It's likewise at least 30 minutes by car to Indira Gandhi International Airport, though traffic at peak times means at least an hour should be budgeted. Alternatively, it will take about an hour on the Airport Express from the railway station, which is the closest metro station to the hotel. 

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Rooms

Larger, air-conditioned rooms with minibars and big bathrooms, though noise and wear can be issues

The Hotel Ajanta offers four room types: Deluxe Rooms, Superior Rooms, Family Rooms, and Suites. Family Rooms are especially large, with two double beds and plenty of room to roam about, but even the entry-level Superior Rooms feel bigger than average. Decor varies a bit depending on room type -- some have marble floors while others are done in hardwood -- and the overall aesthetic is traditional and a bit dated. Furniture is generally wooden, and most rooms come with -- at a minimum -- tables with chairs, desks, large wardrobes, and small nightstands with drawers. Some of the Suites are more pleasant than most of the other rooms -- one has a blue motif, with a four-poster bed, a couple of hanging lanterns, and periwinkle-hued accent walls and trim and all have separate seating areas with small sofas and chairs. Note that while rooms here are kept clean overall, some do show signs of wear and tear, such as scratch marks on the wooden floors or tired-looking furniture. All rooms come with air-conditioning, tube or flat-screen TVs with cable, free Wi-Fi, blackout drapes, and minibars. Like the rooms, bathrooms are large and feature big walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads, spacious vanity areas with plenty of counter space, and small wall-mounted hairdryers.

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Features

Restaurant with items from across India, airport transfers (free for some), and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi

The Hotel Ajanta's amenities are very much aimed at overseas visitors and include foreign currency exchange, tour and train bookings, luggage storage, and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi. There's also a restaurant -- Vagabond -- with colorful seating and a menu featuring food from across India, plus a casual cafe, Voyage Cafe, serving teas, coffees, and pastries. Room service is available around the clock. The hotel makes a point of noting their high hygiene standards and use of mineral water to reassure international guests concerned about tummy upsets. Airport pick-ups are included in some room rates.

See More Features

Things You Should Know About Hotel Ajanta

Also Known As

  • Ajanta Hotel

Address

8647 Arakshan Road, behind New Delhi Railway Station, Paharganj, Ram Nagar,, New Delhi 110055, India

Website

Oyster Hotel Review

Hotel Ajanta

Scene

Value hotel with surprisingly elegant, Old World public spaces

The Hotel Ajanta is housed in a five-story whitewashed building that features a mix of colonial and modern styles that's a bit of a hodgepodge, but at least offer a clue as to the mixed bag of style and substance on offer at the Hotel Ajanta. Inside, the lobby is a good deal nicer than what one would expect of a budget hotel, with a dark-wood reception desk and dark-wood trim along the windows and doorways, plus a modern false ceiling and a few pieces of Edwardian-style furniture. Old framed photos and beautiful floor tiling in the hallways add to this Old World appeal, and there are numerous nooks with seating areas and brightly painted accent walls. Most guests are budget travelers wanting access to the nearby railway station, and the property attracts both domestic and international visitors, including families.

See More Scene

Location

In a busy area near the New Delhi Railway Station and the backpacker enclave in Paharganj

The Hotel Ajanta is located on Arakshan Road at the edge of the Paharganj neighborhood of New Delhi. The area is mostly known for its cheap flophouses aimed at international backpackers, though this particular strip is more popular with domestic travelers needing easy access to the nearby New Delhi Railway Station; the western entrance to the station is only a seven-minute walk from the hotel. Paharganj's main bazaar takes about the same amount of time to reach, and is full of backpacker-friendly eating joints plus numerous vendors selling cheap hippie clothes and costume jewelry. 

There are plenty of upmarket shops, restaurants, and cafes at nearby Connaught Place, a five- to 10-minute drive from the hotel. Old Delhi attractions such as the Red Fort and the busy market area of Chandni Chowk are also a 10-minute drive from the hotel, while it takes a bit longer to reach Old Delhi Railway Station due to consistently congested traffic in the area. Factor in about 15 minutes by car to India Gate, or 20 minutes to Humayun's Tomb. South Delhi attractions such as the Lotus Temple and the Qutub Minar can take 30 to 45 minutes to reach depending on traffic. It's likewise at least 30 minutes by car to Indira Gandhi International Airport, though traffic at peak times means at least an hour should be budgeted. Alternatively, it will take about an hour on the Airport Express from the railway station, which is the closest metro station to the hotel. 

See More Location

Rooms

Larger, air-conditioned rooms with minibars and big bathrooms, though noise and wear can be issues

The Hotel Ajanta offers four room types: Deluxe Rooms, Superior Rooms, Family Rooms, and Suites. Family Rooms are especially large, with two double beds and plenty of room to roam about, but even the entry-level Superior Rooms feel bigger than average. Decor varies a bit depending on room type -- some have marble floors while others are done in hardwood -- and the overall aesthetic is traditional and a bit dated. Furniture is generally wooden, and most rooms come with -- at a minimum -- tables with chairs, desks, large wardrobes, and small nightstands with drawers. Some of the Suites are more pleasant than most of the other rooms -- one has a blue motif, with a four-poster bed, a couple of hanging lanterns, and periwinkle-hued accent walls and trim and all have separate seating areas with small sofas and chairs. Note that while rooms here are kept clean overall, some do show signs of wear and tear, such as scratch marks on the wooden floors or tired-looking furniture. All rooms come with air-conditioning, tube or flat-screen TVs with cable, free Wi-Fi, blackout drapes, and minibars. Like the rooms, bathrooms are large and feature big walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads, spacious vanity areas with plenty of counter space, and small wall-mounted hairdryers.

See More Rooms

Features

Restaurant with items from across India, airport transfers (free for some), and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi

The Hotel Ajanta's amenities are very much aimed at overseas visitors and include foreign currency exchange, tour and train bookings, luggage storage, and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi. There's also a restaurant -- Vagabond -- with colorful seating and a menu featuring food from across India, plus a casual cafe, Voyage Cafe, serving teas, coffees, and pastries. Room service is available around the clock. The hotel makes a point of noting their high hygiene standards and use of mineral water to reassure international guests concerned about tummy upsets. Airport pick-ups are included in some room rates.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Business Center

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Smoking Rooms Available

  • Swim-Up Bar

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.