F EVER there was an oasis of calm in the chaotic free-for-all that is India’s capital city, it is the zen The Lodhi New Delhi. The quiet beige sandstone takes the harsh Delhi sunlight and serenely filters it through intricate latticework to etch geometric shadows across quiet colonnaded corridors. Inward looking, meditative almost, this retreat, at launch time the very first Aman city hotel, is entirely removed from the heat, dust and daily grind of life outside its haveli walls.

In the heart of New Delhi, just south of the Delhi Golf Course and close to Humayun’s tomb, this stunning boutique hotel is discrete but attentive, minimalist but comfortable. Of the 31 unobtrusively elegant rooms and 29 suites, seven boast a 32 square metre pool within a private garden. All rooms and suites face inwards to the courtyard lawns, and have a terrace and a 15 square metre hideaway sunken pool, with the mundanities of life smoothed over by clean lines, gleaming dark wood walls and cool marble underfoot.

In keeping with the structured simplicity of the Mughal Era, Aman New Delhi’s style is supremely uncluttered; there isn’t even a lobby to interrupt the clean space. A lone elephant statue welcomes visitors at the porch. The entrance flows into the living room, which flows into the reception area and so on.

This is a place for quiet contemplation. The health centre is set in a cool courtyard with a Pilates studio, 50m pool, and gym. Fitness buffs will find three tennis courts and three squash courts. Step into pampering wellness at one of the private treatment rooms at the Spa & Salon or enjoy a traditional Hammam steam bath. Innovative Indian cuisine is to be found at Indian Accent (formerly at The Manor) while Elan serves as a restaurant and bar. With the old Aman connection, the hotel offers a six-day Aman India Journey with stays at Amanbagh and Aman-i-Khas in Rajasthan. Enjoy one of the best New Delhi luxury hotels in style and save the rush for elsewhere. The Lodhi New Delhi is a sanctuary to be savoured, stirred, never shaken.