Have day and a half in Mumbai. What's a good hotel? How is Taj President - good location? Want to do sightseeing with guide and car, who knows a good agency to arrange it?
Helen

Taj President is located in Colaba, which is in south Bombay. It is a good location and the hotel is run by the Taj Group. However, if you have the budget I recommend you stay at either the Oberoi, The Intercontinental- Marine Drive, or the Taj Mahal hotel. All these are in the same general area and are a few notches above the Taj President.

What is your hotel budget? What time do you get in and out of Mumbai?

Arriving 11:30/am Nov. 5 and leaving Nov. 7 at 9:30 for Delhi. Got a reply from company, Red Lantern, that seemed reasonable. Anybody heard of it? For Taj President. Do have reservation at Taj Lands End but felt it was too far out. Would rather be in city. How is Marriott? Like to stay at Marriotts (for points) but felt it too far out.
Possible to go to Elephanta in half day and do sightseeing (jewish sites also) in a full day? want to spend around $200 or so for room incl. breakfast and taxes. Is this reasonaable?

Why don't u book direct? Re distance. The airport is close to the suburbs i.e. the Taj Lands End (which is nice) and the Marriott (again confy). The sites are near the President or the Oberoi or Taj in the city. So you will be doing the commute the same number of times. You could land, check into a suburban hotel, then go into town the next day and be near the hotel for departure. Or you could commute from the airport to your hotel and back to the airport. If you do want to stay in town check the Taj at Apollo Bunder or the Obeoi - both a tad better located IMO.

My favorite hotel in Bombay/Mumbai is the Taj Mahal Intercontinental, in a area of Bombay known as Colaba. I would suggest to stay in the old heritage wing, with gorgeous sweeping views out to the sea and the Gateway of India. The hotel is located in a wonderful location for sightseeing, getting around downtown bombay, resturants, shopping and taking an excursion out to Elephanta Island caves. There are a couple other excellent high-end properties on Marine Drive and Nariman Point as the others have mentioned, well, the lavish formerly Oberoi properties, which have now become the Hilton properties, there are two-actually. Stunning location, great service, top-class hotel. And a few other nice places a bit less expensive down on Marine Drive with sea views would be the Intercontinental or Marine Plaza. But i love the energy and feel of the Taj Mahal, always buzzing with the hip and happening of the city! About the Taj Lands End, it is lovely and superb location on Lands-end, but as the name states, it is quite isolated, and will kind of leave you out of the loop of the city-hub! Of course this suburb of Bombay where Lands End is located(Bhandra) is one of the best and most elite of the city and there is plenty of shopping bars, clubs and restuants. Bhandra is a very desirable plalce to live! Also, out at Bhandra you are not so far from Juhu bEACH and there is a wonderful JWMarriot property out at JUHU and visitng the bombay wealthy-suburbs can be intersting too. But for a visit to Bombay i would suggest to stay downtown in the thick of things and see the city come alive, and probably grow on you! BombaY/Mumbai is a fascinating city and u can easily spend a few days there soaking up the atmosphere and visitng the various markets, museums, galleries, and a few intersting temples. Also you have Chowpatty Beach(alot of fun at sunset!), Gateway of India and just wandering around Colaba neighborhood is a experince in itself! The streets of Colaba are very colorful and filled with shops, street stalls, cafes, and bustling energy. And if you are in the neighborhood of Coloba, do have a meal or a drink at the famous LEOPOLODS on Colaba Causeway and watch the world go by! And in general, u can eat very well in Bombay, as there is such a great variety of wonderful resturants, Indian and International! happy travels! enjoy~

Bonita,
Only one Oberoi property - formerly the Oberoi Towers - has been sold to the Hilton and is now called Hilton Towers. The other property - The Oberoi - is very much an Oberoi property, and considered by some to be the finest business hotel in India.

Sorry, YEs, your right, it is the Hilton Towers and the Oberoi, two separate properties-and the Oberoi is very luxurious, at a beautiufl location with impeccable service-world class! But I am still partial to the Taj Mahal and it's history. I beleive there is another Hilton comming to North Bombay under the Trident line of Hotels. Hiltons took over so many hotels in India with their alliance with Oberoi, mostly in the Trident line, such as the ones in Jaipur, Agra, Udaipur, i think even Cochi, etc. namaste!

I would recommend staying at Taj Land's End or even better JW Marriott- this is a great hotel, I had lunch at the hotel during my last trip and was very impressed with the hotel. Great food, decor, location. It is a very happening hotel. Ask each of these hotels to see if they have a free shuttle to south mumbai, if they do, then take the shuttle to town, do your sightseeing and you can take the shuttle back to the hotel. The evening traffic from south mumbai to the airpor is a killer. The President hotel is in cuff parade(south mumbai) a mostly high end residential area near Colaba. It is a very good hotel. If price is not a problem and you do want to stay in south bombay, stay at the Taj Mahal Intercontinental. Great Hotel. I love the oberoi properties in Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur and Agra. But the hotel in umbai is not at the same level as the Taj. The hotel caters to business travelers. The Taj Mahal hotel has recently renovated all their rooms, so even if you get a room in the towers, it is a good deal, but the heritage wing is fabulous.