Standing across from the Gateway of India, this architectural marvel of a hotel preceded the famous arch by over 20 years. Back then, the Palace was the first sight to woo ships entering the Bombay port. The heritage structure is a combination of Moorish domes, Florentine-Renaissance design elements, Rajput and Oriental architecture. You'll be blown away by the 250-foot central dome, ornate balustrades and priceless paintings: it should come as no surprise that the likes of Bill Clinton and William Somerset Maugham have stayed here. Check in to earn bragging rights while making the most of the landscaped pool, first-rate spa and top-notch restaurants on premise. Fun fact: The Taj was home to India’s first all-day dining restaurant and the city’s first licensed bar.
Did you know that Mumbai came about from the merger of seven distinct islands? It was in the 1780s that William Hornby, then the Governor of Mumbai, initiated the reclamation process, eventually linking the seven inlets to each other. Clearly, there’s loads of history to learn about all throughout the city and what better way to discover it than by staying at one of the best hotels in Mumbai, staffed with folks that can claim insider's knowledge?
Options abound: make the most of the coastal city by staying in a room that overlooks the endless Arabian seat or choose one in close proximity to the newest infrastructure projects that keep changing the local landscape. You may want to step back into the city’s colonial past by booking a stay at a 19th-century heritage hotel but, if your list of must-see sites can fill up a diary, you may want to bed down in a more centrally located property. Itching to party the night away? Find a hotel in the hip suburb of Bandra and make sure to consult our Mumbai nightlife lists, highlighting the best pubs and clubs around town. If you’re of the opinion that the journey is the destination, pick among properties that spoil you silly by catering to your every need: from piping hot cups of adrak chai at any time of the day to indulgent Ayurvedic spa treatments. Finally, consider choosing a smaller boutique property where everyone will know your name—no small feat, given the city is home to 18 million people.
Talk about an array of options.