I just can't decide whether I should slag this hotel or give them credit for the few redeeming qualities they displayed. I arrived at the airport and the transfer arranged through the tour company was a no-show! I phoned the hotel but they were unable to send anyone...suggested that I hire a taxi, but assured me it wouldn't cost more than 450 INR. So far-so good!
I hired a cab, gave him the address, and we were on our way to Karol Bagh. He agreed when I got in that the fee would be 450 INR! The trouble started in Karol Bagh...he could not locate the hotel. He phoned them, there was much discussion and head bobbling, but still, after circling around in horrendous traffic, we seemed no closer to the Vishal Heritage. At one intersection, traffic stopped completely, and we couldn't move at all. Men left their cars to survey the problem and there was more arm waving, raised voices and head bobbling. I began to fear that my driver would throw me out in frustration with my backpack and throw me to the mob, but finally we were able to get moving again, and the hotel was just around the corner.
Check-in was fast - surprisingly so, but after 3 hours for a 45 minute drive, I think they could tell that I was about to lose it and wanted to get the crazy white woman out of the lobby! My room was dingy, but the AC worked! I knew it was a basic hotel, so decided to make the best of it and grab something to eat in the rooftop restaurant. As I was discussing my order with the waiter, I heard maddened scurrying in the ceiling of the restaurant. A chase had ensued that ran inside the ceiling from one end of the room to the other. I looked at the waiter - pointed to the ceiling...."Rats?" He bobbled at me - neither agreeing or denying! I ate quickly and vowed that I would not eat in there again. Shower time - no hot water....ever!
I was joining a tour, so the next night we had our meet & greet in the restaurant. The boldness of the rats was shocking! We had 11 people in the room and the rats had left the ceiling to scurry up and down the line of dishes for the buffet - not 5 metres away from us. No one made a move - As reported in other reviews, the wi-fi only works in the lobby, although, management graciously allowed me to use their business computer in lieu of providing me with the password. I tried it, but it would not allow me to close off any of the applications that I opened and I was concerned with the security. Finally I had the password, and I spent several hours in the lobby connecting with the real world. I returned in two weeks and there was a complete turnaround in attitude. I was given a much better room - cleaner, more modern....they arranged for my transfer to the airport and I found that their mastery of the English language had improved considerably in the two weeks I had been traveling. I paid 500 INR for the transfer, but then once we got close to the airport, the driver hit me up for an additional 250 INR! The hotel had made an error and charged me for the wrong airport. Wasn't he a good driver? Didn't he speak good English? Did I have a problem with him? *sigh* I just wanted to get to the airport and leave Delhi behind. This was clearly a "bait and switch" technique! But what recourse did I have at that point? Fortunately, 250 INR is worth nothing to me....it is just the principal....but principals were what was missing the most in India.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC