A grand, but aging, hotel.
Written: Mar 07 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Elegant architecture, and generally luxurious furnishings. Good landscaping and location.
Cons: Lack of air filtration in a very polluted city, and things are aging.
The Bottom Line: An luxurious option for those who can stand Delhi's air pollution, but a poor choice for those with sensitive lungs.
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| dbirchall's Full Review: Hotel Ashok |
I spent a week in the Hotel Ashok in November of 2004, while attending a meeting hosted in its conference center. While I found the hotel very nice overall, its age shows, and in some ways it is incapable of competing with more recently built properties.
Located near official residences and embassies in the diplomatic area of New Delhi, the Ashok has long attracted members of the foreign service and others visiting on official business. Its stately architecture and opulent decor are well suited to this clientele.
Since the Ashok was built, though, the area surrounding Delhi has become more urban, with increases in traffic, industry and energy production, and a corresponding increase in pollution. Delhi is now one of the most polluted cities in Asia, and newer international chain hotels often include air filtration in their ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Not the Ashok! With any sort of retrofit likely impossible at this stage, its guests experience the fragrance of Delhi, which smells not unlike burning automotive brake pads, both indoors and out. My visit fell just before Diwali, the festival of lights, so there was even more smoke in the air.
To be fair, the unavailability of clean air is the property's only major flaw. Most infrastructure is in good shape, although the wiring is old and Internet connectivity was slow and intermittent during my visit.
These shortcomings are balanced, to some extent, by a high level of service. Step outside your room, and there will almost always be one or two staff within sight down the corridor, waiting patiently in case a guest needs something.
In addition to the aforementioned conference center, the property also features a swimming pool, a variety of good restaurants offering cuisine from within and beyond India, and an arcade of shops primarily aimed at tourists.
If you're used to Delhi's air, and want to stay in a historic hotel from the early days of India's independence, the Ashok is a good choice. Otherwise, you would do well to consider more modern lodgings with air filtration.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
dbirchall
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Member: Dan Birchall
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Reviews written: 262
Trusted by: 64 members
About Me:
Techie, writer, dad, outdoorsman, traveler.
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