Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar

The Radisson Blu is an upscale business hotel attracting primarily those in town for work and domestic travelers with friends or family in the area. Its suburban West Delhi location means that it doesn't get many international travelers, and it's particularly inconvenient for tourists. Location aside, the hotel is a sharp Radisson outpost in the Delhi region, and is housed in a multidimensional building consisting of white, charcoal, and pale tan blocks. Inside, things are eye-catching and contemporary, an aesthetic that carries throughout much of the hotel, which makes this a particularly nice choice for business travelers. The towering lobby is done in lots of cream and black marble with polished chrome details and a few dramatic flourishes, like the large fleur de lis pattern in the floor. Whimsically proportioned chandeliers hand overhead, giving this hotel a more playful (and potentially gaudy) style that's a refreshing change from most business properties.

Radisson Blu Hotel is located in Paschim Vihar, a West Delhi suburb, in an area with plenty of shops and restaurants that will be handy for the many domestic and business travelers that pass through the property. It's a 25-minute drive to the shops and restaurants in the busy West Delhi neighborhood of Karol Bagh and a half-hour drive to Connaught Place and the adjacent Jantar Mantar, a collection of ancient astronomical instruments that's popular with tourists. However, extensive traffic jams during peak hours means that the drives to both areas -- and really anywhere of interest in the city -- can take significantly longer. Getting to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi's best-known Sikh temple, takes at least 25 minutes by car. The sprawling Lodhi Gardens, full of Lodhi-era tombs and meandering paths, is around a half-hour drive away. Humayun's Tomb, one of the city's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Delhi, is a 35-minute drive away, as is Qutub Minar. South Delhi's Lotus Temple is 45 minutes away by car, as are Old Delhi Railway Station and Old Delhi's bustling market area, Chandni Chowk. Indira Gandhi International Airport is about half an hour away by car without traffic, but can take longer during peak hours.

In a world of business hotels that favor tan, taupe, and any other variation of beige, the rooms at this Radisson Blu outpost are a nice change of pace. Yes, they are a bit whimsical by business-hotel standards -- the oversized pin-cushion headboards have a Wonderland-like quality -- but the look is modern across the board. Expect to see subtle damask print accent walls that match soft furnishings and bed runners plus light or dark wood laminate or hardwood floors. Colors range from bronze and copper in some of the higher category rooms that we visited to black and gray in units like the Superior Rom that we saw.

The hotel offers Superior and Business Class Rooms -- both of which measure around 36 square meters (118 square feet) -- as well as 21 suites, the star of which is the 142-square-meter (466-square-foot) Presidential Suite. Superior and Business Class Rooms are more or less the same, though the latter are located on the Business Floor and include access to a boardroom and other in-hotel perks detailed below.

Standard features include minibars, flat-screen TVs with satellite cable, electric safes, desks, free Wi-Fi, coffee- and tea-making facilities, air-conditioning, and free bottled water. The bathrooms are sleek and contemporary, done in lots of black and white, right down to the black marble tile floors with bold white veining. Walk-in showers have huge rainfall showerheads, while soaking tubs in higher-category rooms are a welcome addition. Bathroom amenities include make-up mirrors, robes, toilets, and hairdryers, and many have phones next to the tubs.

The Radisson Blu has plenty of amenities geared toward business guests, with multiple meeting rooms and event spaces, including four ballrooms, two banquet halls for up to 120 guests, and an array of smaller meeting spaces and board rooms. Wi-Fi is also free throughout the hotel, and fast. Guests staying in higher-category rooms, like Business Class Rooms, receive free evening cocktails, free airport transfers (both ways), and two pieces of laundry washed per day. 

The 24-hour fitness center is one of the more striking features and is housed in a large, airy space, with plenty of treadmills, stationary bikes, and ellipticals as well as free weights and weight machines. There's also a spa, Vyoma, with massages and beauty treatments, plus an outdoor rooftop lap pool with views of the surrounding area and a few lounge chairs for sunbathing. 

Dining facilities include Level 2, a 24-hour restaurant with buffets at breakfast, lunch, and dinnertime featuring cuisine from around the world. There's also a snazzier evening restaurant, Indyaki, which fuses Indian cuisine with Japanese Teppanyaki-style cooking. Cupcakes serves cakes and pastries along with teas and coffees throughout the day (it even has an evening happy hour), while the Tea Lounge serves snacks and hot drinks from morning until late. Oro has a large wine list and a tapas menu, and room service is available. Breakfast at Level 2 is included in room rates and grab-and-go options are available for those who don't have time to sit down and dine.