I will be facing the following situation on Dec 22: Departing Pune 11:30 AM, reaching DEL 1:30 PM, and then catching an international flight at 3:30 AM. We have chosen this long a connection to be somewhat protected in the event fog delays. However, if no or minimal delay, we'll have to figure out what to do for about 10 hours.
I have relatives, but in Noida, and feel reluctant to trek that far and it is a work day to boot. Some friends in Delhi, can sound them out, but the same issue of it being a work day.
Assuming that we may be on our own...
We can leave the luggage at Left-luggage facility and may be open to some walking around in CP etc, but we we won't t want to exhaust ourselves just before a very long journey (Delhi-London-Chicago). So some base to rest may be needed, in which case we probably don't need to use the left-luggage after all!
At the airport itself, I have been curious about the "Transit Hotel" but feedback from friends has been uniformly negative. There are a few "spa" type lounges, but I think they charge by hour, and may only be good for 1-2 hours anyway, not 10-11 hours. Of course there are hotels.
There is a half-n-half option: Dump the luggage; train to CP and pass some time in gift shops, coffee shops, light dinner; back to airport and then 2-3 hours in a spa lounge.
I am sure many of you (or your friends/family) have faced this situation. What is your advice? Or, better, what would you do?
I have relatives, but in Noida, and feel reluctant to trek that far and it is a work day to boot. Some friends in Delhi, can sound them out, but the same issue of it being a work day.
Assuming that we may be on our own...
We can leave the luggage at Left-luggage facility and may be open to some walking around in CP etc, but we we won't t want to exhaust ourselves just before a very long journey (Delhi-London-Chicago). So some base to rest may be needed, in which case we probably don't need to use the left-luggage after all!
At the airport itself, I have been curious about the "Transit Hotel" but feedback from friends has been uniformly negative. There are a few "spa" type lounges, but I think they charge by hour, and may only be good for 1-2 hours anyway, not 10-11 hours. Of course there are hotels.
There is a half-n-half option: Dump the luggage; train to CP and pass some time in gift shops, coffee shops, light dinner; back to airport and then 2-3 hours in a spa lounge.
I am sure many of you (or your friends/family) have faced this situation. What is your advice? Or, better, what would you do?
