We recently disembarked from a cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn in Mumbai, India.
While we departed from cruise around 9 a.m., our flight out of Mumbai did not leave until 3:30 am the next morning. It’s very common, it seems, for flights to Europe or the U.S. to depart from Mumbai in the wee morning hours between 11 pm and 3 am.
Since we needed a place to rest for the day, we booked a room at the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai, located on Juhu beach overlooking the Arabian Sea.
Mr. Jones had stayed at this hotel a few years before on business, and knew that it was a luxurious property favored by business people and Bollywood celebrities, as well as being relatively close to the Mumbai International airport.
This hotel is not close to the cruise port. In morning traffic, the drive from the port to the hotel took about 1.5 hours.
Security is tight at the hotel, with each car being inspected and sniffed by the dog before being allowed to enter the compound.
The hotel features a grand lobby that looks out over a lotus pond, the pool grounds and the beach. Seating for the Lotus Cafe fills this inside space.
There are multiple pools. This one features a large slide.
This is the main pool, very close to JuHu Beach on the Arabian Sea. While quiet on a Thursday, these venues are packed with locals on the weekend.
Checking in around 10:30 am, we were given a nice upgrade to a suite – room 244.
The suite features a large living room with an oceanfront view, and large amounts of seating.
The suite also has a dining table, a desk, television and half bath.
In the bedroom, there is nice lighting and plenty of plugs on each side of the king bed. This is a very spacious bedroom.
The bedroom also looks out over the beach and ocean. For a completely clear view, you would want to book a room one floor higher in the hotel.
We appreciated the motorized shades that allowed the room to be completely darkened during the daytime.
The built in closets and vanity area is near the main bathroom.
The marble bath has a glass window looking out to the bedroom, which can be closed with a motorized shade at the push of a button. There’s also a separate shower adjacent to the tub.
The toilet is separated from the rest of the bathroom, but no door.
Fresh flowers in the suite were a nice touch.
Guests with Marriott Platinum status or suite guests get access to the Club JW Executive Lounge. It’s on the top floor of the hotel.
Beer, wine and cocktails are offered after 5:30 pm. It was an opportunity to try an Indian wine. This one was delicious.
Drinking a glass of wine with appetizers in the Club JW is an ideal location to watch the sun set over the Arabian Sea.
As a result of the late night/early morning flight departures, the front desk is super-busy with guests checking out of the hotel around midnight.
Our Bottom Line on the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai:
- This hotel is an oasis from the intensity of Mumbai; it’s cool, calm, peaceful and luxurious.
- Its location is a long drive from the cruise port and main tourist sites, but is only a 20-30 minute drive to the airport.
- The Juhu Beach location is nice for sunning, shopping and being near Bollywood. Outside of the hotel, there is a Starbucks nearby.
- The hotel staff is hospitable and gracious; however, they are not always efficient by Western standards.
- Suite 244 is huge and spectacular.
- The pool complex is spacious with multiple pools.
- You never have to leave the hotel during a short stay. The hotel features five different restaurants, a bar/nightclub, a deli and a book/gift shop as well as other shopping opportunities.
- We ate at the huge Lotus Cafe in the lobby area that overlooks the lotus pond. The buffet stations were featuring the tastes of Punjab, India, and we enjoyed a tasting our way through diverse Indian foods that were made to order at each station.
What’s your favorite hotel in Mumbai, India? Do you stay for business or for fun?
For a look inside more hotel rooms, check out these posts: