Where to Stay in Delhi: Modern Aerocity or Historic Charm? Family Hotel Review

When visiting New Delhi with your family, choosing where to stay can make a bigger difference than you expect.

On our family trip, we decided to try two very different areas — the modern Aerocity near the airport, and the more historic part of Delhi around Sham Nath Marg. We stayed in Aloft Aerocity and Maidens Hotel, and they ended up shaping completely different parts of our trip.

If you’re trying to decide where to stay in Delhi with kids — Aerocity or a more central, historic area — this is the comparison we wish we’d had before booking.

Quick Answer: Aerocity or Central Delhi with Kids?

From our experience, both can work — they just serve different purposes.

• Aerocity works best for arrival and departure, when you want things to feel easy, clean and low effort

• Historic or central areas give you more atmosphere, but also come with more noise, intensity and energy

The key isn’t choosing one over the other — it’s understanding what each one gives you, and when you need it in your trip.

This guide compares both stays from a family perspective:

• what each area actually feels like day to day

• which works best for first-time visitors

• and how to decide what suits your family

If you’re still planning your wider route through India, A Practical 10–14 Day Family Golden Triangle Itinerary shows how these choices fit into the overall trip.

Where relevant, we’ve included the hotels we stayed in and booking options we used when planning. Some of these are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you book through them — at no extra cost to you. We only recommend places we’ve stayed or would confidently choose again as a family.

Maidens Hotel, 7 Sham Nath Marg – Historic Charm in Old Delhi

Where We Stayed in Delhi: Maidens Hotel vs Aloft Aerocity

Maidens Hotel (Historic Delhi – Space, Calm and Character)

Why We Chose It

We wanted somewhere that felt a bit removed from the intensity of Delhi, but still practical for sightseeing. Maidens stood out for its historic feel, space, and consistently strong reputation as a calm, family-friendly stay.

Rooms & What It Was Actually Like

The first thing we noticed was the space.

The room felt genuinely large, and having a roll-out bed set up for our son at no extra cost made things immediately easier — especially as that’s not always a given.

There were also a few small touches that made a difference — a welcome snack on arrival, water always available — the kind of things that remove friction when travelling with kids.

Location & Getting Around

It’s well placed for exploring Delhi, but what we appreciated more was that it didn’t feel overwhelming.

After busy mornings out, coming back somewhere quieter made a noticeable difference to how the day felt.

We also ended up at Civil Line Social nearby a couple of times, which was easy, relaxed, and worked well as a family dinner option.

Why It Works for Families

For us, this hotel wasn’t about ticking boxes — it was about how it felt to return to.

It gave us:

• space to unwind

• a calmer base in a busy city

• and somewhere that made long sightseeing days more manageable

If you’re looking for a family-friendly hotel in Delhi with space and a calmer feel, you can check availability for Maidens Hotel here

Aloft, No5B, Aerocity – Modern Convenience Near the Airport

Aloft Aerocity (Modern Delhi – Simple, Practical and Easy)

Why We Chose It

Aloft was all about convenience. We stayed here at the end of the trip, when we didn’t need atmosphere — just something easy, close to the airport, and straightforward after travelling.

Rooms & What It Was Actually Like

The rooms were modern, clean, and functional — not memorable in the same way as Maidens, but exactly what we needed at that point. Having water provided as standard was another simple but helpful detail, especially with kids.

Facilities (What Helped Most)

This is where Aloft worked really well as a family stay.

Our son loved:

• the pool

• the pool table in the lobby

• and just having space to move around

After a full itinerary, that mattered more than anything else.

Location & Food

Being in Aerocity made everything simple.

There are:

• restaurants

• food halls

• and plenty of options within walking distance

We didn’t have to think about where to eat, which was exactly what we wanted at the end of the trip.

Why It Works for Families

This is the kind of place that removes stress.

It works well when you want:

• an easy arrival or departure

• minimal travel

• and a simple, predictable environment

If you want a low-stress, family-friendly hotel near Delhi airport, you can check availability for Aloft Aerocity here

What to Do in Delhi with Kids (Planning Around Your Stay)

One thing we realised quickly is that what you do in Delhi and where you stay are closely linked.

This is not the kind of city where you’ll be moving constantly between attractions — it works much better when you build your days around a clear plan and then come back somewhere calm to reset.

For us, that meant:

• focusing on a few key sights in the morning

• keeping afternoons lighter

• and not trying to cover too much ground

What made the biggest difference wasn’t just the sights themselves, but how manageable the days felt with a child.

If you’re deciding what to include and how to structure your time, Best Things to Do in Delhi with Kids shows what actually works in practice and how to plan your days around it.

Modern Aerocity vs Historic Delhi: Which is Right for You?

• Aloft Aerocity: Ideal for short stays, airport convenience, and modern amenities. Families with energetic kids will appreciate the pool, games, and mall nearby.

• Maidens Hotel: Better for longer stays exploring Delhi’s historic sites. The combination of historic charm, spacious rooms with a free bed for kids, and central location makes sightseeing easier for families.

Regardless of where you stay, water is typically provided in well-rated Delhi hotels, and supplementing beds for children may be free in certain hotels – always ask!

Both Aloft Aerocity and Maidens Hotel offer excellent family-friendly stays, but they cater to different experiences. If you’re flying in or out of Delhi, the modern convenience of Aloft is perfect. For a more immersive Delhi experience with sightseeing, Maidens Hotel is the way to go.

Families visiting Delhi can actually combine both styles in one trip – a modern stay near the airport and a historic stay in central Delhi – for a well-rounded experience.

If you want a full hotel round up of our visit to Indian's Golden Triangle see Family-Friendly Hotels Along India’s Golden Triangle: Unique Stays in Delhi, Agra & Jaipur

plan your TRIP TO india with kids

If you’re planning your family trip to India, these guides will help you pull everything together:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.