BACKGROUND Previously a Nikko hotel, The Metropolitan caters for a large number of Japanese. It has 185 rooms and suites over eight floors and has recently joined the Preferred Hotel Group under the Summit brand.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS I had arranged a transfer from the airport at a cost of INR1,400 (£18) but when I left customs the driver was nowhere to be seen. A call to the hotel indicated that the driver was there but had not expected me to be through immigration so quickly. We met soon after and were on our way. Check-in at the hotel was swift and I was escorted to my room, with my luggage arriving less than a minute afterwards.

WHERE IS IT? Around half a mile from the business and shopping district of Connaught Place.

ROOM FACILITIES I had requested a non-smoking room and was “upgraded” to a Club room. The room was of a good size and had two low beds with comfortable cotton linen. It felt like the  interior had been recently redecorated although the furniture was clearly not new. There were a table and chairs, desk, and a wardrobe unit with a safe and a flatscreen TV built in. There were many channels but some had very bad reception and only a couple were in English, including BBC World. One challenge was finding a plug – there was only one multi-socket (not suitable for UK plugs) on the side of the desk, so it was difficult to work and charge a mobile phone at the same time. In the hallway there was a minbar, and tea and coffee-making facilities.

The cream and brown marble bathroom had a bath and separate shower. It was clean but again had a mix of old and new fixtures. Toiletries were from the Craft House (a shop in the hotel).

The Club lounge is located in the basement and is open 7am-10pm. Being in the basement, it is not the nicest space and there is an odd smell as you leave the lift. You can request snacks and drinks from here but it is far nicer to be in the bar (happy hour in the Club lounge is 6.30-8.30pm). Being on a Club floor also allows two hours access to a meeting room in the business centre, free internet in the lounge and free use of a DVD player, printer, scanner and copier.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS Sakura on the lobby level is an award-winning Japanese restaurant often cited as the best in town, while Chutney on the first floor provides Indian cuisine and over 200 homemade chutneys. I ate at Patio, which is the 24-hour lobby café  – I went for Sunday lunch and was told there was no menu available, just a buffet brunch. This was okay but not what I wanted. The restaurant was pretty quiet so the buffet was of mixed quality. I steered clear of the desserts as a couple had small flies on them.

Glo Bar and Lounge is also off the lobby and has clearly been renovated recently. There were not many people in it when I visited, but it did have lively Western music playing from the last few decades. There is a good selection of wine, cocktails and snacks. If you just want something light it is probably the best place to go, but don’t bother to take a book as it is dimly lit. In-room dining is also available 24 hours a day.

BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES There are two meeting rooms for hire on the first floor with a maximum capacity of 400 people. Wifi internet access is available across the hotel at around £11 per day, and cards can be bought from the business centre in the basement. As I was staying for a few days, I arranged to get permanent access to avoid having the need for passwords and new cards every day. The business centre is modern and open 7.30am-11pm.

LEISURE FACILITIES The fitness centre, Zen Serena Spa and beauty salon are in the basement. They too look like they have been refurbished fairly recently, and the gym is well equipped with high-tech machines. The hotel also has an outdoor pool with a terrace, although it does not enjoy the most beautiful of surroundings.

PRICE Internet rates start from INR16,000 (£202) for a Deluxe room and INR20,000 (£252) for a Club room (plus luxury tax of 12.5 per cent). I booked via businesstraveller.com for INR12,500 (£157), including breakfast for a Deluxe room, but was upgraded to a Club room.

VERDICT A hotel of contrasts. Service could not be faulted, but while some parts have been renovated or partly renovated, others have not. Food ranges from the very good to the mediocre. It’s comfortable and reasonably priced but does not have everything you would expect from a hotel billed as five-star deluxe.

CONTACT The Metropolitan, New Delhi, Bangla Sahib Road; tel +91 11 4250 0200; hotelmetdelhi.com.

Julian Gregory