Some hotels have a signature cocktail or a signature colour, but The Imperial in New Delhi is one of the few hotels in the world to have a signature scent. When you cross the threshold of the hotel the first thing you notice is the subtly sweet scent of mandarin oranges. The citrusy scent is everywhere in the hotel, from the wide corridors to the lobby lounges, but is far from being overpowering.  And where does this scent come from? Tiny oil incense burners placed discreetly around the hotel.

This scent is just one of the little touches that make The Imperial, a member of Preferred Hotels, the most elegant hotel in New Delhi. Exquisite flower arrangements””some are towering, while others are more understated””placed around the hotel are created by a team of Paris-based floral designers, who swoop in every three months to consult on the designs.

Flowers and scents aside, there are plenty of reasons to book a stay at The Imperial. Its location on Janpath Road, near the embassies, make it equally popular among ladies who lunch as well as smart travellers who want to experience India in style. Kate Winslet, Marisa Tomei and John Galliano have all stayed at The Imperial when in town. The shops of Connaught Place are a short stroll away, but if you want to shop without leaving the grounds of the hotel, The Imperial houses the only Chanel boutique in India.

It's not just style mavens who should be attracted to the hotel. History buffs will love it too. In 1911, when King George V declared New Delhi the new capital of India, The Imperial was part of the original master plan for the city. This plan called for a garden hotel in the heart of New Delhi. The hotel was built in 1931 by D.J. Bromfield and the design blended Art Deco, Victorian and old colonial styles. The hotel was the first of the four “Maidens of the East” which included Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The Imperial is also where Pandit Nehru, Mahatama Gandhi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Lord Mountbatten would meet in the early 1930s to discuss the partition of India and creation of Pakistan.

More than 70 years after its opening, The Imperial still retains an aura of colonial grandeur. Guests arrive at the hotel via a driveway lined with 24 King Palms. Flanking the entrance is a pair of bronze lions standing guard as well as two full time greeters in crisp white uniforms. During the daytime the look is one of tropical sophistication, but at night the hotel really comes alive with the floodlit white exterior and the gardens glowing with thousands of tiny white lights.

The interiors have lost none of their colonial charms either. The ballroom still has its original sprung floor, and the wide corridors are covered with thick Persian rugs. Art is everywhere in the hotel. A wide range of 18th and 19th century paintings, lithographs and painted murals are in the rooms, public corridors and lounges. One of the collections on display is "British Art in India" from artists who worked in India in the late 17th and 18th centuries, including William Simpson and John Zollony.

The look of the 232 guest rooms also blends colonial and art deco motifs, with the materials used being sourced from around the world, including Italian marble, Burmese teak, and French Porthault linens. Our room, a heritage suite, had a super king sized sleigh bed, striped curtains and an elegant sitting area with antique furniture. The spacious marble bathroom has a separate shower stall and bathtub with a powerful rain shower. The Deco Suites, some of the biggest in the hotels, have gorgeous antique and reproduction pieces of furniture.

For food, there are nine options to choose from so guests won't get bored. Non-guests should make a point to eat at The Spice Route. The menu follows the journey of the spice route, from Kerala through Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia to Thailand and Vietnam. The restaurant is divided into nine sections, each representing the "journey of life." For instance, the restaurant entrance is very narrow, allowing one person to enter at a time, symbolising how everyone comes into the world alone. There are also notable sections for wealth and the Kama Sutra, all depicted in murals on the walls.

If, like us, you believe that the journey of life should involve as much pampering as possible, then book yourself a day at the hotel's Six Senses Spa. When it opens later this year it will be the biggest in India.

Rates start at $475 USD.

The Imperial
Janpath
New Delhi
India
Phone: +91 11 2334 1234 / 4150 1234

www.theimperialindia.com

www.preferredhotels.com