For the first time in weeks, maybe months, we have something new to tell you. By locking us inside, the pandemic has only made our urge to connect to the world more profound. The excitement of planning a trip from scratch, the research, the anticipation — these lil’ things have always fuelled us to trade the comfort of the couch for unknown adventures. If anything, travel gave us something to look forward to even when we weren’t travelling. While travel looks different now and some cities are still locked down, waiting out the pandemic is not the only way to start travelling either. As many cities continue to exit lockdowns and restart businesses, travel is slowly crawling its way back into the picture—in the form of short getaways or staycations close to one’s place.

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If all you long for is but a short escape from the confines of your home, routine and hours of staring at the screen, your search ends here. Book a staycation to getaway for a weekend, to celebrate a secluded anniversary party or perhaps to just grab your laptop and go for a workcation.

Why Staycations?

For starters, a staycation is a holiday involving domestic destinations, weekend trips or quick escapes close to one’s city. In a world bitten by the corona bug where international travel continues to be in limbo, staycations are by all means the immediate salvation for the vacation-deprived. On the bright side, travellers with increased awareness about staycations no longer view them as the last resort for lack-of-choice situations but as a means to travel without compromising on health and hygiene.

Why are Staycations safe?

While the world bunkered in, we at Pickyourtrail spent the past months contemplating how travel will look like in the post-COVID era. After talking to our customers, stakeholders and travel lovers day in and day out, we learnt that safety and hygiene is the most pressing concern you need addressing before heading out.

In this regard, we’ve meticulously hand-picked nothing but the best from the current travel ecosystem—best travel options near your city that are perfect for kickstarting your post-COVID trip. Driven by extreme commitment to assure travellers a safe and hassle-free stay, they have truly stepped up their standards to cater to the “new normal” in every stage of the customer journey. Check out the list of best places near Delhi, for kickstarting your post-COVID trip, their unique safety measures, documents required for travelling, and more.

Where can you travel from Delhi right now?

And the first choice? Your own city! Months into self-isolation, what’s the harm in heading out for a short getaway no further from your city? Break free from your routine all while treating yourself to the full-fledged comforts of a vacation break — these are some of the best short trips from Delhi!

If you plan on vacaying for a weekend or perhaps longer, take a look at the locations close to the city—which at maximum, would require a 4-hr drive from the city.

1. The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake, Gurgaon

Gurgaon tops the list when it comes to quick travel destinations from Delhi. The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake—Where nature and urban glam come together for a mix between refreshing outdoor adventures and pampering indoor experiences. With the stunning views of mist-wrapped Aravali and Damdama Lake all around, get ready for a “glamping” holiday so close to nature yet not so far from luxury amenities. The resort is situated 60 km away from the city which you can reach in an hour by road. You don’t need an ePass to visit Gurgaon, and there are no mandatory quarantine restrictions upon reaching your resort. With contactless check-ins, virtual payments and easy thermal screening, Taj claims to “replace physical touch with the touch of care”.

2. Lemon Tree Hotel, Tarudhan Valley, Manesar

If all you’re looking for is a quick weekend getaway for business or friends parties, Lemon Tree Hotel is a great choice to look out for. The golf course resort spreads across a vast 72-acre area with offerings that cater to all kinds of travellers—think private studio apartments and ultra-luxury deluxe rooms. Lemon Tree Hotel is also pet-friendly, so you need not worry about leaving your pet buddies at home. The resort is a 2-hr drive from the city. You don’t need an ePass to enter Haryana nor there are any quarantine restrictions.

The hotel follows social distancing by offering only single or double occupancies to guests. No extra beds will be allowed, and the high-touch surfaces will be subject to thorough disinfection at regular intervals.

3. The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa, Sohna

The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa is a green escape featured in 40+ acres of Gurgaon outskirts. The pollution-free environment with well-spaced brick suites could take you far from the hustle and bustle of the city yet by staying so close (64 km) to the main areas. From jacuzzi baths to heavenly spa treatments, a whole world of glam awaits you at The Westin Sohna Resort & Spa! Sohna lies under the premises of Haryana and you don’t need an ePass to enter the town. The hotel banks on its deliberate safety practices and hospital-grade disinfectant facility to assure their guests a hassle-free stay. You will be provided with a unique phone ID which you can use for everything—from check-in to food orders.

Things to do in Gurgaon:

Sohna power-gliding
Damdama lake sightseeing
Yoga sessions at the resort

4. Tree of Life Hotels & Resorts Spa, Jaipur

Tree of Life Hotels & Resorts Spa is a 5-star property in the kaleidoscopic city of Jaipur that caters to all kinds of travellers—people looking for solo escapes, couples searching for curated anniversary experiences, families looking for an entertaining get-together and more. The unique offerings like jacuzzi tents, indoor pool suites, and curated wildlife safaris truly up the luxury game. You can drive from Delhi to this Jaipur resort (278 km) to ensure minimum social contact. Similar to Gurgaon and Haryana, Rajasthan doesn’t have any ePass rules or quarantine restrictions. The Tree House Resort is taking extremely prudent measures to ensure your safety apart from capping the guest attendance. PPE kits, sanitizers and protective gears will be made available in every low-contact area and you can handle all transactions virtually.

Things to do in Jaipur

5. Ramada by Wyndham, Neemrana

Ramada by Wyndham is a 4-star hotel located in great proximity to Rajasthan’s major attractions and hence the best choice for business getaways with a few days to spare. Fully equipped meeting and conference rooms, leisure outdoor settings and value-for-money make this resort absolutely worth the stay! The resort is situated 125 km away from Delhi which takes a 3-hr drive by road. Be prepared to find no active restaurants en route, and it’s better to pack enough for the journey. Neemrana doesn’t require an ePass to visit the place.

The Wyndham group has partnered with Ecolab, a cleanliness business expert to ensure that the hotel is totally infection-proof. The hotel also operates with hotel staff trained in state-of-art hygiene practices.

6. Neemrana Fort-Palace, Neemrana

Neemrana Fort-Palace is a premium 5-star heritage property in Rajasthan that lounges in the foothills of Aravalli range. The regal fort captures medieval Rajasthan perfectly in its royal demeanour and ornate interiors. Feel like a royal descendant in this 15th-century heritage resort in Neemrana, it can’t get any better than this. The resort is located 125 km away from Delhi and you can reach in about 3 hours by road.

Neemrana instructs the guests to drive down in their own vehicle as this ensures minimum social contact. They also arrange for transportation on request. You also avail contact-less check-in here.

7. Tijara Fort-Palace, Alwar

Tijara Fort-Palace is yet another jewel in the Neemrana group’s crown. Tijara is a beautiful town in Rajasthan that’s steeped deep in culture and roots. Enjoy its unadulterated culture and spicy cuisine by staying at this stunning 5-star heritage resort. The resort can be reached in 3 hours by road (167 km). You don’t need an ePass to visit or stay in Alwar.

Tijara Fort Palace is operated by Neemrana group of hotels and the Alwar property follows the same measures as stated above.

8. Hill Fort Kesroli, Alwar

Hill Fort Kesroli, a 700-year old paradise, is the most elegant resort in Rajasthan if not the whole country. The 5-star heritage property makes you feel like a royal with its castle-like rooms, and everything else like the curated romantic experiences and the world-class cuisines is the cherry on top. The hotel is a 4-hr drive from Delhi. Hill Fort Kesroli is operated by Neemrana group of hotels as well and they follow the same measures across all properties.

Things to do in Rajasthan:

9. The Leela Palace, New Delhi

With 194 deluxe rooms, 42 luxury clubs, Delhi’s only infinity swimming pool, and 18 grande suites, the Leela Palace is an uber-chic oasis in the capital city. As a go-to choice for family get-togethers, wedding anniversaries and family parties, Leela Palace was ranked third among the top 10 hotels in Asia by a prestigious magazine. A better place to celebrate your royal honeymoon vacations and parties you cannot find. Since you don’t need an ePass for intercity travel, you can drive down to the hotel in your own vehicle or hire a taxi.

As the jewel in the crown of its world-class service, The Leela Palace goes above and beyond to ensure a hassle-free stay to the guests—feel assured with round-the-clock doctor assistance, professional health experts and hygiene check teams. On top of that, the hotel has capped the number of guests at any given time to eliminate crowding. They’ve ruled out mandatory deposits and you are free to cancel your booking anytime.

10. Andaz Delhi, New Delhi

Hyatt is an iconic brand that carved a name for itself in the hospitality industry soon after it was founded in 1957. Through unmatched hospitality and one-of-a-kind luxury offerings, Hyatt’s Andaz Delhi still stands ahead of its new-gen counterparts. The plush 5-star property lets you indulge in Michelin-starred restaurants, 140+ deluxe suits, spas, outdoor pools, indoor bars and more.

Andaz Delhi has scaled up its hygiene standards with a cross-functional panel of professional medical and safety advisors at the epicenter. Prioritizing safety, the hotel has also halted any high-contact amenity until further notice.

Things to do in Delhi NCR

Documents required when you are travelling

You don’t need an ePass to travel from Delhi to any of the places mentioned in this list—Rajasthan, Gurgaon and Haryana. According to state government protocols, visitors must subject themselves to mandatory home quarantine for seven days. However, you might be subject to health screening and ID verification at the respective borders and hotel checkpoints, hence it’s mandatory to carry these documents with you:

Personal ID proof
Vehicle RC copy

Nothing like treating yourself to a short escape all while staying in your comfort zone. Book your staycation now to kickstart your first post-COVID vacation to travel destinations from Delhi. And if you’re also looking to travel to any other country from India post-COVID, you can head down to Pickyourtrail.com and start planning.

Check out the rest of the list —

Best Places to Visit Near Bengaluru
Best Places to Visit Near Kolkata