BACKGROUND

This is the first luxury hotel of The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, launched in 1987. The group owns and manages eight award-winning properties in New Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai, Goa, Udaipur and Kovalam. New properties in the pipeline are planned for Bangalore again, Jaipur, Agra, Lucknow and Kathmandu. The group has a marketing alliance with Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance. 

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

The Leela Mumbai is built on 11 acres of lush landscaped gardens that are punctuated with water fountains. As you enter the reception area, a grand stairway leads you to what once used to be a shopping arcade. It has only recently shut down for renovation. However, in the evenings, at the bottom of these stairs, a duo of classical Indian musicians fill the air with tunes from their tablas and sitars. The interiors resemble a luxurious Indian home in shades of pearl, off-white and beige. Traditional carvings are consistent throughout the property. Amongst the many corporate travellers, it is common to see large families visit the hotel. This only adds to the homely feel on arrival.

WHERE IS IT?

It is a short five minutes drive to Mumbai’s Terminal 2 and 15 minutes to the domestic airport in Andheri.

ROOM FACILITIES

Designed by Jeffrey A. Wilkes of Designwilkes, the 391 guest rooms are grouped into 303 Premier rooms – 25 sqm, 45 Royal Club rooms – 26 sqm, 13 Royal Club Parlours – 53 sqm, 20 Executive Suites – 41 sqm, six Deluxe suites – 73 sqm, three Junior Presidential suites – 53 sqm to 82 sqm, and one Maharaja suite – 138 sqm. Guests of all rooms, except the Premier rooms are entitled to complimentary usage of the hotel’s meeting rooms for two hours per stay and complimentary half an hour internet access per day at a fully serviced Business Centre. They also enjoy free airport transfers in the BMW 5 series, a dedicated check-in and check-out counter, round the clock butler service, 24-hour access to the Royal Club Lounge that offers a selection of international food and beverages for breakfast, midday meal, high tea, happy hours and nightcaps. The Club Lounge also makes for a convenient impromptu and casual meeting place. All rooms have flatscreen TVs, two dual line phones, Posturepedic mattress, tea and coffee maker, good-sized work desks, bathrobes, room slippers, large windows, fully-stocked minibar, and both walk-in showers and bathtubs. Wifi is not free, and is charged as per the room and plan selected.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS

Six Degrees serves some mean martinis. If you like them strong, this is where you should be. Citrus, the 24-hour cafe, is where the breakfast buffet is laid out. The range is modest with live counters. At the Indian fine-dining Jamavar, the grilled selection and black dal are unmissable. Their Chinese restaurant, The Great Wall has been around since inception. The highlight of The Leela, is of course, Le Cirque Signature, and the truffle risotto simply steals the show.

BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES 

The seven meeting rooms are designed with drop-down screens and in-built projectors, equipment for conference calls, high speed broadband and wifi connectivity. They have a capacity for six to 16 people. The Grand Ballroom can hold up to 1,000 people and can be divided as per requirement.

LEISURE FACILITIES

The outdoor swimming pool is surrounded by tall plants, deck chairs and a poolside bar. The pathways from the pool are so green that they can be mistaken for nature trails, only, they aren’t. The gym has cardio machines,

free weights and strength building machines. It is open from 5am to 11pm. Their spa, which operates from 7am to 10pm also offers special treatments for men — ESPA for Men — amongst its other services.

VERDICT

Corner rooms offer the best views. Being one to enjoy a cold room, The Leela Mumbai catered to this need very well. The beds, pillows and duvet were soft and cosy. Double glazed windows ensured noise from airplanes is cut off. Plug points could be more conveniently located — I had to charge mine near the foot of the bed. The hospitality is less formal and more friendly, which makes you feel right at home. All drivers hired for their pick-up and drop services are trained to speak fluent English, which makes it easy to understand each other.

PRICE: Internet rates for a midweek stay for a base category room in September started from₹6,700. 

CONTACT: The Leela Mumbai, Mathuradas Vasanji Rd, Greater Indra Nagar, Andheri East; tel +91 22 6691 1234; theleela.com

Neha Gupta