Delhi’s luxury hospitality market is witnessing a sharp spike in room tariffs ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Scheduled from February 16 to 20 at the Bharat Mandapam, the event has positioned India as a pivotal player in the global AI discourse.
Building on this, reports indicate that the summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, from February 16 to 20, is expected to attract significant international participation. An official release cited in the report said the event has already received more than 35,000 registrations, indicating an exceptionally high footfall for the week.
With demand rising rapidly and occupancy nearing full capacity across prime locations, travel portals and hotel websites are showing prices far above standard luxury rates, reaching several lakhs per night on peak dates.
Further underlining the summit's scale, the India AI Impact Summit is being positioned as the largest among the four global AI summits held so far. More than 100 countries are expected to participate. The summit is reportedly set to host 15 to 20 heads of government, over 50 ministers, and representatives from 40-plus prominent global and Indian companies.
Additionally, around 500 key figures from the global AI ecosystem, including researchers, innovators, and senior technology executives, are also expected to attend.
This extraordinary convergence has created the perfect storm for Delhi’s hospitality sector: a short window of ultra-high international demand, concentrated around central Delhi, with limited five-star inventory available near Bharat Mandapam.
The room prices listed for summit week reflect just how intense the demand has become. Data from major travel platforms and news reports indicate that a single night at The Imperial Hotel on February 16 is commanding a staggering INR 1,97,049, plus an additional INR 35,469 in taxes.
The same report noted that Hyatt Regency Delhi is charging close to INR 50,000 per night, while The Leela Palace Delhi is listed at INR 78,000 per night, including taxes.
The Shangri-La Eros is also seeing extreme demand. While it was reportedly sold out for February 18, room prices for February 16 were listed at around INR 89,000 per night, including taxes.
Moreover, on travel platforms, the steepest pricing appears concentrated around February 18 to 20, with some luxury categories crossing INR 4 lakh to INR 5 lakh per night for peak dates.
According to reports, five-star properties such as The Leela Palace, ITC Maurya and Taj Palace are among those offering rooms at what the report called moderate pricing at peak season rates, while several others are already reflecting sharp jumps.
Highlighting this trend, Davinder Juj, General Manager at Eros Hotel, New Delhi, told a media outlet that prices have increased nearly 30–50 percent during the summit compared to other dates in February 2026.
He also suggested that the industry is using this period to recover from a softer stretch earlier in the season. “Business in December and January has been a bit softer than expected. Revenue per available room growth has not met the levels seen in some other markets,” Juj said, adding that hotels are adjusting strategies to drive revenue in the coming months.
For regular travellers, whether tourists, families, or business visitors, the summit week stands out as one of the most expensive periods to stay in central Delhi in recent times.
Aloke Bajpai, CEO of travel portal Ixigo, also flagged the spike publicly, stating on X that hotel prices in Delhi NCR have crossed INR 1 lakh per night during the summit window.
The impact, therefore, is expected to extend beyond five-star hotels, as demand spillover often pushes up prices in premium four-star and upper mid-range categories across Delhi, Noida and Gurugram.
Consequently, travellers planning trips between February 16 and 20 may need to book early, consider alternative locations further from central Delhi, or shift travel dates if flexibility allows. With near-full occupancy already being reported across major hotels, the summit is shaping up to be a rare week where demand significantly outstrips supply.
(With inputs from PTI.)
1. Why are Delhi hotel prices rising sharply?
Delhi’s hotel prices are rising due to exceptionally high demand created by the India AI Impact Summit 2026, with limited luxury inventory near central venues.
2. Where is the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held?
The summit is scheduled at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, a key convention venue in the city centre.
3. How high are five-star room rates during summit week?
Reports indicate that peak-night rates at some luxury hotels have climbed into the lakhs, with certain categories listed at INR 4–INR 5 lakh per night.
4. Which hotels are seeing the biggest tariff spikes?
Rates have reportedly surged at properties such as The Imperial, The Leela Palace, Hyatt Regency Delhi and Shangri-La Eros.
5. Will this affect mid-range hotels in Delhi NCR too?
Yes. When five-star hotels sell out, demand often spills over into four-star and upper mid-range hotels across Delhi, Noida and Gurugram.