DLF Phase 1
The original DLF colony from the 1980s — plotted houses, mature trees, and a handful of boutique stays.
Independent houses on tree-lined DLF Phase 1 street
Why people stay in DLF Phase 1
DLF Phase 1 is where DLF as a developer started, in the early 1980s, before Cyber City and before the tower era. It's a plotted colony west of Golf Course Road and south of MG Road, with 2- and 3-storey independent houses on generous plots, mature trees, and internal roads that actually have footpaths. It's the closest thing Gurugram has to Delhi's Vasant Vihar. Hotels are few — the Bristol was the classic, plus a scatter of serviced-apartment operators — but the ones that exist punch above their star rating.
This is a base for the traveller who's already been to Gurugram enough times to know that they don’t want to stay in Cyber City. It suits ESG-committee members who want quiet mornings and a walkable evening — the DLF Phase 1 market on the north-east corner runs a decent restaurant cluster. Downside: you’re relying on autos or hotel cabs for anything past 1 km, and the internal wayfinding for Uber drivers is genuinely bad. Give landmarks, not addresses.
Plot sizes here run from 300 to 500 square yards, which is why the streets feel so much wider and quieter than anything built after 2000 — there's none of the high-rise stack-up you get in Sushant Lok or DLF Phase 4. That also means fewer restaurants, fewer taxis idling at corners, and almost no street-level retail outside the one market block. If you need a lobby with a concierge fixing dinner reservations at 11pm, this is the wrong colony; if you want to hear birds over traffic, it's close to unbeatable in Gurugram.
By 9pm the internal roads empty out almost completely — a handful of dog-walkers, the odd security guard doing rounds, and the market block still lit and half-full. There's no nightlife to speak of inside the colony itself; anyone wanting a late bar night should factor in the 15-20 minute Rapid Metro-plus-auto run to Cyber Hub. Families, older business travellers doing repeat Gurugram trips, and anyone recovering from a heavier Cyber City stay tend to like it here most.
The strongest zone is E-block and F-block, closest to the DLF Phase 1 market and 400m from the Rapid Metro's Phase 1 station. ₹8082-₹13312 for boutique 4-star and premium serviced apartments. Avoid the Q- and R-blocks — closer to NH-48 truck noise and further from anything. Always confirm your hotel is actually in DLF Phase 1 and not DLF Phase 5, which is Golf Course Extension — different address entirely. High season (October-March, conference-heavy months) pushes the top end toward ₹13312 a night; through the June-August low season the same serviced apartments can drop to ₹6500-₹8000, and it's worth calling the property directly rather than trusting the first online rate shown. Book E-block first, F-block second; if both are full, the Bristol Hotel on the Sector 26 boundary is the reliable fallback with the most consistent service standard in the colony.
Things to do in DLF Phase 1
The block at DLF Phase 1 main market (E-block corner) has Bercos, Kebab Xpress and Pind Balluchi within 100m of each other. Solid regional Indian, ₹951-₹1712 per head, family-scene by 9pm on weekdays.
The east edge of DLF Phase 1 backs onto the golf course. Walk to the boundary at the end of E-block avenue, 6-6:30pm October-February for peacocks and a decent skyline view. Free, public road.
The Bristol on Sector 26 boundary is DLF Phase 1's original hotel. Afternoon tea in the lobby lounge, ₹1521, 4-6pm. Old-school Gurugram — the crowd is deals-being-done and diplomatic-adjacent.
The block park behind DLF Phase 1 market runs open-air yoga classes 6:15-7:15am weekdays, ₹200 drop-in. Real neighbourhood scene, all ages, English-instructable teacher on request.
Two small cafés sit opposite the restaurant block at DLF Phase 1 market, open 8am-9pm daily. A flat white and a slice of cake runs ₹280-₹350; the outdoor tables are the best spot in the colony to watch the evening walkers pass.
Head west from F-block, 15 minutes on foot, to reach Sushant Lok's market strip for a wider choice of restaurants and a pharmacy that stays open till 11pm. Free, flat walk, best done before dark since street lighting thins out near the boundary.
What to see
Hotels near DLF Phase 1
No hotels are listed in DLF Phase 1 yet. The nearest ones are on the region page.
Every hotel we cover in DLF Phase 1
- Swasno By Rivlet 3★ · 4.9/5
- Udman Hotel Gurugram 4★ · 4.8/5
- AIR by Ahuja Residences 3★ · 4.7/5
- OYO Rooms Galleria Market Extension 3★ · 4.7/5
- OYO Rooms Arjun Marg 3★ · 4.6/5
- JDM Residency 2★ · 4.3/5
- The Bristol Hotel 4★ · 4.2/5
- Acco53 3★ · 4.2/5
- FabHotel Staywell 3★ · 4.2/5
- Hotel Haris MG Road Gurugram 3★ · 4.2/5
- Hotel Spoontree Boutique BnB 3★ · 4.2/5
- Perch Arbor Golf Course 3★ · 4.2/5
- Maxfort Sikandarpur Metro 3★ · 4.1/5
- Silver Ark 3★ · 4.1/5
- The Atara Near Golf Course Road 3★ · 4.1/5
- Treebo Aambson View 3★ · 4.1/5
- Crown Stay 2★ · 4.1/5
- Hotel Aadhar 3★ · 4/5
- OYO 24624 Kaycee Residency 2★ · 4/5
- FabHotel Prime The Rivlet MG Road 3★ · 3.9/5
- Oyo 15685 The Grace Room 2★ · 3.9/5
- OYO Flagship 532 Sikanderpur Metro Station 3★ · 3.8/5
- OYO Flagship 5912 Near Sikanderpur 3★ · 3.8/5
- OYO Premium Sikandarpur Metro 2 3★ · 3.8/5
Getting around DLF Phase 1
DLF Phase 1 Rapid Metro station sits on the colony's east edge, one stop from Sikanderpur and three from Cyber City on the Rapid Metro line, fares from ₹15-₹30 depending on distance. To airport: Uber 20-25 minutes via NH-48, ₹1141, longer in evening traffic. From the airport by taxi, ask for DLF Phase 1 via Sushant Lok Chowk rather than just the phase number, since drivers on the app often default to Phase 3 or Phase 5. Inside the colony, walking is genuinely fine for anything within 800m; further afield use an auto for ₹40-₹80 or Uber. Give drivers the market as landmark; house-number navigation defeats most.
Questions about DLF Phase 1
Different addresses, different eras. Phase 1 is 1980s plotted colony next to Sushant Lok. Phase 3 has Cyber City on top of it. Phase 5 is Golf Course Extension Road territory. Always confirm which phase when booking.
A cluster of 6-8 solid mid-range places at the main market — Indian regional, one Italian, one Thai. Not a scene, but enough for four dinners. For anything more ambitious, Cyber Hub is 8 minutes on the Rapid Metro.
About 8 minutes by Rapid Metro from the Phase 1 station to Cyber City station, then a 5-minute walk to Cyber Hub itself. By road it's roughly 15-20 minutes depending on the MG Road traffic, and an Uber runs ₹150-₹250. Most residents use the metro rather than fight the evening jams.
Yes for the internal streets — they're well-lit near the market and around E-block, with security guards posted at most block entrances. It quietens down fast after 9pm, so it feels safe rather than lively. Anyone wanting activity after dinner should plan to travel out rather than expect anything happening locally.
