Mumbai hotels - Juhu/Bandra/Santa Cruz
 

I have the following options for hotels: Taj Lands End, Grand Hyatt, Sun N Sand, Meridien, Leela, Sheraton thanks to negotiated rates...I will be in Bombay for 10 days on business which will be mainly in the Juhu/Bandra/Andheri side..with perhaps a few trips into Nariman Point. I am inclined to go with The Grand Hyatt but am not sure where exactly it is. I was in India a couple of years ago and they were building a hotel right at the bridge in bandra..is that the Grand Hyatt? Taj lands end seems pretty central too but havent ever been in there..any advice on which hotel to select?

Here are my impressions and recommendations:

Of the hotels you have listed, Taj Lands End has the best location, with a view of the sea. However, rooms and service can be uneven there.

Grand Hyatt is located in Vakola, about 15 mins from the domestic airport and 25 mins from the international airport. The approach to Grand Hyatt is not very good, but the physical structure of the hotel itself is imposing. It is a modern, contemporary design, very spacious inside. However, when we stayed there in Dec 2004, the service was amateurish and sloppy, unbecoming of the standards expected from Grand Hyatt. Maybe they were just settling in (it opened in the middle of 2004). The rooms are good, the breakfast buffet was excellent.

Sun N Sand is not in the same league as the others. Cross it out.

The next 3 hotels are neighbours, a stone's throw from the international airport, a factor you might want to consider for your flight out of India in the middle of the night/early morning. But the locations in and of themselves have not much to recommend them.

Le Meridien is within walking distance of the international airport. It is quite charming inside, and has a smaller boutique feel.

The Leela is also within walking distance to the international airport. We stayed there last month and were most pleased with our choice. The rooms have been renovated and they are simply topnotch - flat panel plasma TV, attractive bathrooms with separate shower areas, luxurious appointments etc. The breakfast buffet was of outstanding quality, especially the south Indian items (idli, sambar, dosa, chutneys etc).

Sheraton - there are now two in Mumbai, the Grand Maratha Sheraton near the international airport and the Grand Central Sheraton in Lower Parel. I suspect you mean the former. It is a luxurious hotel, but its cavernous design makes it boring, in my opinion.

My recommendation: the renovated Leela is a winner.

Thanks for the excellent insight! I know where the Leela is and I guess my concern would be the traffic in that area...but then again, all over Mumbai would be the same issue..Is there any other hotel (besides the JW which I know about but cannot stay at) in the area you would recommend?

I was going to recommend the JW (lovely lobby albeit smallish rooms, great hotel overall) but saw that it was not on your list. Other than that Taj Lands End is your only choice.

Trafficwise there isn't much to distinguish any of your hotels (or anything else in that area for that matter). You could stay at the Leela and saunter over to the JW or the Taj Lands End for an evening out.

For a ten day trip I would go with the Taj Lands End. On that long a trip you will definitely want to go to South Mumbai a few times and the Taj Lands End is just significantly closer than the Leela. On a shorter trip when you would not have as much time the Leela would be a great choice. I also feel the Bandra area in and around the Lands end will be more fun to wander through - even by foot or 3 wheeler if not by car - than the airport location of the Leela.

Thanks everyone...Taj Lands End it is! I'm kind of wary of the traffic in th East side of Andheri/Santa Cruz/Juhu. Got a great rate of $99 US per night, so can splurge on other items!

How did you get such a great rate at Lands End?Was thinking of staying there but felt it might be a bit far out.
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