3 Best Hotels in Mumbai, India

Ensconced on the first floor of Colaba's Lansdowne House is a 100-year-old home made over into a hipster-chic boutique hotel with vintage furniture, chrome fans, and old-fashioned tiled flooring. Location, of course, is excellent---it's right next to the royal Taj Mahal Towers and in the pulsing center of Colaba. The in-house dining is rather sparse, although the coffee bar is excellent; luckily, you have all of Colaba's restaurants at your feet.

The best deal in Colaba—a clean, quaint, simple tourist joint in a prime South Mumbai location—is the kind of place young expats send visiting friends to stay at if they don't have room to host them themselves. In the heart of the Colaba Causeway, its side-road setting makes it surprisingly quiet, and any lack of modern amenities is more than balanced by the charm. Rooms, with old-style wooden furniture, come in two sizes. 

The Y is about the cheapest you can go and still have a decent, clean, and safe room. Rooms are in a colorless modern block and lack anything special, though the air-conditioned rooms are more pleasant and less drab than the non-air-conditioned ones. Whichever you opt for, expect just the basics, plus a shower. Everything is at an average level of cleanliness, though the halls and stairwells could be spiffier. Ask for a street-facing room; some have balconies. Rates include morning tea and buffet breakfast and dinner in the dining hall (guests only); room service is available for a slightly higher cost. It's essential to reserve a month or two in advance. Most rooms are singles or doubles, but there are also triples and "family" rooms (the latter have four beds). There's a common room, and it's good place to meet fellow travelers.