Top 5 luxury hotels in Mumbai, India

This inventory of the most luxury hotels in Mumbai has been established following the amount of bookings these high-end accommodation choices received in the past month. 

Mumbai is definitely a city of contrast, which offers to its visitors a complete change of scene. This huge cosmopolitan metropolis, the largest in India, features an incredible choice of cultural and religious sites, as well as entertainment options, thanks to its long and colourful history.

The Oberoi Mumbai

The Oberoi, Mumbai enjoys an unrivalled position on the exclusive Marine Drive, with unparalleled views of the ocean, and the Queen's Necklace, a golden crescent of lights that adorns the shoreline after dark.

The centrepiece of the hotel is the atrium lobby, abundant with natural light that flows through our tremendous skylight and large floor-to-ceiling windows. Tiled in flawless white Thassos marble and featuring a contemporary, black granite waterbody, all rooms, restaurants and spa facilities revolve around and branch off this focal point. In the midst of it all, a stylish, red piano occupies centre-stage.

The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai

Anyone who has ever considered visiting Mumbai has likely heard about the Taj Mahal Palace, which is touted as India’s first and premier luxury hotel. This flagship hotel boasts is located in a rather impressive modern palace, and its staff is comparable to a small army whose sole purpose is to ensure all guests enjoy the finest available experience. If you want nothing short of prestige and affluence, the Taj Mahal Palace will cater to your desires.

The Westin Mumbai

Discover a winning combination of luxury and convenience at The Westin Mumbai Garden City, featuring sleek, modern accommodations amid a wealth of premium amenities. Located in Mumbai's thriving business district, our contemporary hotel offers guests a welcoming environment for work and play. Chase adventure on the vibrant streets of Mumbai or relax in the tranquility of your elegant guest room with floor-to-ceiling windows and award-winning Westin Heavenly Bed.

Whether you have arrived for business or pleasure, our hotel offers a suite of services to inspire you to be at your best, from wellness treatments at the Heavenly Spa by Westin™ to business center services for enhanced productivity. Reach a higher level of success in our hotel's dynamic event spaces, featuring modern boardrooms, elegant wedding venues and a convenient location near the International Airport. Whatever your reason for visiting, our hotel in Goregaon East wants to make your stay a memorable experience at The Westin Mumbai Garden City.

The LaLit Mumbai

Among the many 5 start hotels available in Mumbai, the LaLit might be one of the most reasonably priced and economically competitive. Boasting a unique offering of luxury apartments with full-featured hotel service, the LaLit is a great choice for families or anyone else who wants to stay in a place that feels just like home. The available residences are very tastefully decorated in a modern style, and the wonderful ambience and high standards of this place will impress even the most demanding visitors.

The St. Regis Mumbai

Located in the heart of India’s Maximum City, The St. Regis Mumbai, the country’s tallest hotel tower, is a timeless address in the city’s premier entertainment and commercial district of Lower Parel. The hotel has a befitting legacy beginning 1904, with the birth of the flagship The St. Regis New York, conjoined with the rise of the Phoenix Mill complex in the same year, where the hotel now stands. Now, 111 years later, both addresses come together to create history.

See more: Top 10 must-visit attractions in Mumbai, India

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Top things to discover in Bandra, Mumbai

Bandra is often called the “Queen of Suburbs” and with good reason. One of the most popular and coolest neighborhoods of Mumbai, this western suburb is a unique amalgam of heritage and modernity and is home to some of the most popular restaurants, pubs, and shopping districts in the city. Here is something you can see and do in Bandra so you can get the best out of this neighborhood.

Admire the Street Art

The lanes in the vicinity of Ranwar village have recently become renowned for their quirky street art created by artists from all over the world. Most of it can be found on and around Waroda Road, Chapel Road, and Saint Veronica Road up to Mount Carmel Church in Bandra West. The most prominent murals on Chapel Road are the work of the Bollywood Art Project. There are also massive murals of Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna on the corner of Bandstand and Pereira Road.

Visit Castella De Aguada (Bandra Fort)

One of the fascinating aspects about Bandra is its history, which is a mix of Portuguese Catholic, British, and Indian cultures and sensibilities. The most prominent of these is Bandra’s Portuguese heritage, with Castella De Aguada or Bandra Fort being its most iconic remnant.

Constructed as early as 1534, the Bandra Fort is located at the southern edge of the neighborhood and overlooks the Mahim Bay to the south and the Arabian Sea to the west. Several conservation efforts have taken place to protect the fort since the early 2000s, and currently, the fort’s maintenance is undertaken by the Taj Land’s End Hotel, located in the vicinity. Apart from its architecture and history, the Bandra Fort is also popular for being a great vantage point to view the sunset along the Arabian sea and it also presents great views of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

Take a walk at Jogger's Park

Jogger's Park is an ideal park for early morning or evening stroll in Bandra. This is a seaside park with walking tracks. Jogger's Park is definitely a hub for locals who love to walk around in this age-old park. Visitors can find the Jogger's Park next to the Otters club across Carter Road.

Visit St. Andrew’s Church

Constructed in the year 1575, the St. Andrew’s Church in Bandra is one of the oldest churches in all of Mumbai. The Portuguese Jesuit structure has withstood a number of historical events, including a cyclone in 1618 and the Maratha invasion of 1739, during which the Church of St. Anne, an even older church, was destroyed. The church draws hundreds of devotees and visitors and was Bandra’s only major church for nearly a century after the Maratha invasion.

Go shopping

Bargain hunters definitely will not be disappointed by Bandra West. Linking Road is lined with stalls selling cheap shoes, bags, clothing, and accessories. Make sure you haggle hard to get a good price. The neighborhood also has boutiques that are worth browsing through. Go to Anokhi for gorgeous block-print textiles, Kulture Shop for groovy products by Indian graphic designers, OMO for funky Indian attire, and The Shop for boho-chic fashion and home decor.

Read more: Top 10 must-visit attractions in Mumbai, India

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Explore 4 amazing airports in Asia

Airports are often the first place you arrive at when you visit any new destination, and as we all know, first impressions count. As well as being incredibly utilitarian structures, airports are also some of the most beautiful examples of industrial design.

Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan

Over a mile from end to end, Kansai International Airport’s Terminal 1 is the longest in the world. Enclosed on all sides by glass, travellers have an unimpeded view of planes as they take off and land, while an aeroplane wing-shaped roof helps air to circulate. Even more impressive is that this sleek airport sits on an artificially created island three miles off the coast of Osaka. Being out to sea allows Kansai airport to operate a round-the-clock flight schedule. Three mountains were excavated for 21,000,000m³ (741,608,000 ft.³) of landfill, and the island is protected from the elements by an enormous sea wall and served by an elegant suspension bridge which connects it to the mainland.

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, Shenzhen, China

The elongated, curved design of Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport gives it the impression of a creature in motion. According to architect Massimiliano Fuksas the building is inspired by the manta ray, a fish often seen off the coast of China. Inside, a cavernous 79.8m (262 ft.) high ceiling gives travellers the feeling they are inside the bowels of a giant sea creature. Its intricate honeycomb design offers tantalising glimpses of the world outside. Further extensions are planned for 2025 and it will be interesting to see how this magnificent building evolves in the coming years.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, India

Mumbai has an airport to match its size as one of the most populous cities in the world. With its curved white roof, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport resembles a palace from the days of the Mogul empire. Undeniably impressive, the building is supported by dozens of pillars covered in traditional Indian patterns and textures. Architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill built windows into the coffered ceiling to allow natural light to enter, while the building’s glass frontage lends an air of modernity and reflects the city’s optimism for the future. As passengers approach, the contrast between the airport and the surrounding slums is a stark reminder of India’s wealth disparity.

Daocheng Yading Airport, Tibet

Perched among the mountains of Tibet, Daocheng Yading is the world’s highest civilian airport and anyone landing there should be prepared. At 4,411m (14,472 ft.) above sea level, the airport is so high that altitude sickness is a real threat for visitors, but worth it for the incredible views of the rugged landscape beyond. Architects GUD Group were inspired by Tibetan culture and Daocheng Yading’s discus-shaped terminal resembles the knot of a khata scarf, popular among the province’s Buddhists. The airport will lose its place as the world’s highest airport in 2020, when China opens its Nagqu Dagring Airport, 4,436m (14,554 ft.) above sea level.

Read more: 9 reasons why Changi Airport is the best airport in the world

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Morning Coffee: the best coffee shops in Mumbai, India

The best coffee shops in Mumbai are among the most serene and classy atmospheres. You can simply unwind here by yourself with a book in hand, or hang around with your best buds and catch up on good times. From timeless ambiance to adorned mugs, here is looking at the very best coffee shops in Mumbai that you simply cannot miss.

Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters

Among India’s new wave of successful coffee companies, Blue Tokai provides freshly ground coffee varieties from estates across the country. Their café in Mahalaxmi lets you enjoy a range of fresh brews along with delectable baked goodies and other treats. The minimalist chic décor, calming aura, and friendly service at this café will add to your coffee experience.

Kala Ghoda Café

This quaint cafe is easily one of the most frequented joints for people in the Fort area. Kala Ghoda café is packed with people through the day.

Visit this exquisite café for some delicious roasted chicken, carrot cake, waffles, chocolate cake, hot chocolate or cappuccino. This cosy café is a great place to hang out with friends. Even though the service is quick, the place is small, ever so often one has to wait to get a table.

BAD Cafe, Bandra

A meditation area, yoga studio and good coffee, this concept cafe sounds like it is straight out of a millennials’ dreams. The soft interior reflects the streams of natural light flowing into the three story facility, which can be considered one of the better places to lunch in Bandra. Their ambience is paralleled by coffee options like ristrettos (the technique behind this espresso shot is considered by many to be the perfect way to extract coffee from grounds), a variety of Turkish blends, and flat whites (these are Australian and New zealand style lattes, which literally and figuratively pale in comparison to the other coffee options).

However, the one kind of coffee you get at BAD Cafe that really stands out is the Cafe Bonbon, which is always served in a clear glass cup so the drinker can appreciate the coffee rainbow created by condensed milk that settles on the bottom. The cafe Bonbon is the perfect follow up to BAD Cafe’s tapas options.

Birdsong Café

A cosy café with beautiful, rustic interiors, Birdsong Café is a lovely joint with a peaceful ambience. Apart from pasta, lasagne, coffees, milkshakes, kheema pav, they also serve gluten-free pizza with vegan cheese on request or risotto made with millet, quinoa or amaranth.

Known for their organic food, the café offers a lot of healthy options for vegans and the health conscious.

Prithvi Café

As the on-site café of the legendary Prithvi Theatre, this café has great expectations to match which it does effortlessly with its calming décor, delicious coffee and snacks, and vibrant crowds. The café’s outdoor seating area is enveloped by lush greenery and vividly colorful furniture. Along with coffee and freshly baked snacks, they also serve a range of items from buttery paranthas to biryani.

Grandmama’s Café

Combining wholesome food with delicious coffee, Grandmama’s Café is the place to go to when you are missing a home-cooked meal. From awesome ravioli to shepherd’s pie, Kheema pav and Rajma Chawal, Grandmama’s Café has something for everyone.

This all-day cafe boasts of vibrant interiors, very courteous staff and some excellent food like barbeque chicken, pizzas, mocktails and risottos. The café opens at 8 am with an excellent all-day breakfast menu of eggs, cereals, freshly baked bread, waffles and cold press juices.

Read more: Top amazing cities you should visit in India

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