The Prime Balaji Deluxe @ New Delhi Railway Station Hotel

As the name suggests, the Prime Balaji Deluxe @ New Delhi Railway Station Hotel is popular with travelers transiting through the nearby New Delhi Railway Station, and appeals to domestic and international travelers who don't want to shell out too much for a clean place to stay. It's behind a main road on a small street that looks a bit run down. Inside is a pleasant lobby with dark granite floors, modern off-white seats, and a few contemporary touches in the form of metal ceiling sculptures, track lighting, and a lighted reception desk. A spiral staircase and a glass elevator at the center of the interior give the property a little more polish than this category normally possesses in the Paharganj area. Like the other common areas, the restaurant has modern decor, with fuchsia booth seating, dark wood-finished tables and chairs, and polished marble floors. There's additional shaded outdoor terrace seating for cool days.

The Prime Balaji Deluxe is located just a block off a main road in the Paharganj neighborhood of New Delhi, an area known for its cheap hotels, backpacker-friendly eating joints, and numerous shops selling cheap hippie clothes and costume jewelry. The big appeal of staying here is the hotel's proximity to New Delhi Railway Station, which also has a metro stop, and takes 10 minutes to reach on foot. Otherwise it's a 20-minute walk to the Rama Krishna Ashram Marg station of the Delhi Metro, at the far end of Paharganj. Connaught Place can be reached in about 20 minutes on foot -- or 10 minutes by tuk-tuk -- and Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk is a half-hour drive away depending on traffic. Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and Jantar Mantar, both near Connaught Place, can take as little as 10 minutes to reach by car. Factor in about 15 minutes by car to India Gate, or 20 to 25 minutes to reach Humayun's Tomb. South Delhi attractions such as the Lotus Temple and the Qutub Minar can take 30 minutes or longer to reach depending on traffic. The Indira Gandhi International Airport is about an hour away by car depending on traffic. 

The Prime Balaji has 54 centrally air-conditioned rooms across two room categories: Deluxe and larger Executive Rooms, all with one queen or two twin beds. There are two predominant decor schemes found throughout the rooms, but they don't necessarily coincide with the room category. The look is pleasantly modern, though not exactly fresh and contemporary. Some have dark furnishings that contribute to an overall dark feel, plus thick polka-dot drapes mismatched to red-and-tan bed runners and cushions that resemble marble inlay and clashing checkered wall panels with even more visual stimulation in the form of striped chairs. Others are a bit less busy, with red, gold, and green-striped bed runners and lighter decor. All rooms come with kettles, safes, minibars, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, and fast and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are large by Delhi standards, with lots of marble, rainfall showerheads, elevated vessel sinks, and basic toiletries. While things are mostly quiet here, some guests have noted a bit of traffic noise from time to time. 

The hotel doesn't offer many amenities, but the Wi-Fi here is free and fast. They also offer airport pick-up services and an on-site restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating that serves both Indian and international items. Breakfast is included in room rates and includes hot Indian specialties plus continental items.