If you assumed luxury hotel rooms in Delhi usually cap at a few thousand or even a lakh per night, February 2026 is proving otherwise. A quick look at bookings on travel platforms like MakeMyTrip has revealed shockingly high prices, with some five-star hotel suites in the capital crossing the Rs 10 lakh mark for a single night.
This surge has nothing to do with festive seasons, weddings, or holiday travel. Instead, the reason lies in the fast-approaching India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to take place at Bharat Mandapam from February 16 to 20. The high-profile event is expected to attract a massive influx of international delegates, policymakers, technology leaders, and AI experts from across the world.
As demand shoots up and luxury inventory remains limited, hotel pricing has responded aggressively. A luxury suite at The Imperial, New Delhi, complete with a bathtub, was listed at around Rs 11.64 lakh for one night, including taxes. Even standard heritage suites at the same property were priced well above Rs 1.7 lakh. Other premium hotels such as The Oberoi, The Leela Palace, and Taj Palace were also quoting rates ranging between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 7 lakh for select suites. Even comparatively lower-priced luxury hotels like Le Meridien were nearing Rs 90,000 per night.
The travel industry has acknowledged the spike. Ixigo CEO Aloke Bajpai publicly attributed the inflated rates to the AI summit, noting that several five-star hotels across Delhi NCR are charging over Rs 1 lakh per night during the event window.
Announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 holds special significance. It is the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South and focuses on translating artificial intelligence into real-world outcomes, anchored around the themes of People, Planet, and Progress.
While major international events have always influenced hotel pricing, the scale of this jump is unusual. For travellers, it means avoiding peak summit dates or exploring accommodation outside central Delhi. For the hospitality sector, it’s a clear example of how global tech diplomacy can quickly turn into a short-term pricing windfall.
Artificial intelligence may be shaping the future of work and innovation—but in Delhi this February, it’s also rewriting hotel bills.
