Kettering Northants QC

The Samode Palace sometimes creeps into recommended lists for Rajastan - huge difference in room quality and in the majority of rooms way off a luxury experience - in fact I would say unless you get one of the top 2 or 3 rooms in the hotel this is a 3 star hotel at best and a very uncomfortable one when the temperatures run high. (seem to recall almost sleeping in the bathroom in the bath trying to cool down from mid 40s temps outside. Mind you, at the wrong time of year traveling in India is hard work - we found May in Rajasthan VERY hard work

Shangri-La

I don't put a lot of stock in tripadvisor when it comes to the upscale/luxury hotels (or dining and traveling for that matter). I just use to it to look at any pictures that may be posted and use forums like this one to get feedback.

I think a lot of regular posters tend to feel the same way.

Musken

I think you can be pretty sure that vuittons has stayed there, and that is normally a far better recommendation than any TA review given vuittons experience with luxury hotels. The same goes for many other regular posters in this forum. They give far better reviews and recommendsations than the odd TA reviewer (who often is blown away by a once in a lifetime luxury hotel experience on for example their honeymoon and do not really have a comparison).

vuittonsofstyle

I visited this hotel pre-opening and was blown away by it. Amazing attention to detail and, given the Taj commitment, I cannot wait to return there. No, of course, there are no reviews on Trip Advisor!!! This is a brand new high-end property.

Shangri-La

Vuitton,

How do you view the FS Mumbai? I know the location is a bit of a concern.

vuittonsofstyle

I did not like it. I found it lacking in soul and I hated the Worli district. The hotel is right in the midst of slums and the views of the sea are very distant indeed. However, I really liked the Asian experience restaurant, San-Qi, but this is a place to go for dinner rather than stay there.

paul2

Thank you so much Vuittonsofstlye, thats a really detailed list.I'm thinking about India next year but the decision on when to go,where to go is so huge. we will probably just take the easy route and do an amantrip.

Kagehitokiri

amanikhas definitely (banjaar tola other good safari?)
aman delhi might be good now, but necessary?
amanbagh has mixed reports, (officially) cut excursions, lost staff to banjaar. i forget new GM.

taj unique - lake palace & nadesar (10 suites)
location - oberoi amarvilas (taj mahal)
taj with royalty living there - umaid bhawan & rambagh

Jamoldo

I don't have Vuitton's expertise or experience when it comes to luxury hotels, but I have to fundamentally disagree on certain points. The FS is fantastic and the service I've had there is very good and in certain cases more friendly and helpful than in other hotels.

That being said, I don't qualify it as a luxury property. It may be a 5 star, but its very much a business/banker-ish hotel and thus isn't the most "soulful" or "Colorful" experience. It's much more corporate and you can see that the minute you step into the lobby. So if you want a special experience and are not travelling for business (and cost is not an issue - the FS had a buy 2 nights get the 3rd free special), go elsewhere.

That being said, they accomodated me in my one big request that the Taj, Trident and Oberoi could not, and that was with restaurant reccomendations. Most concierges give you a list of about 10 restaurants (Indian) in Mumbai to hit when you are there (with 1-2 being in the hotel itself or next door). I am well aware that they have probably been instructed by management to do this and to protect guests but... After putting forth my conditions (I've eaten on the road in some pretty rural places), the concierge was more than happy to point out a place the employees had eaten before the staff cafeteria was completed. As someone of South Indian descent, I was thrilled. The meal was sheap (think 1-2 USD), hot, clean enough (this is India) and about a 100m walk from the hotel. I still go to that place every time I am at the FS.

While I agree with Vuitton that the sea view is distant (relative) when compared to Taj, Oberoi and Trident, one can see dire poverty everywhere in India. It is a fact of life. Although the main road on Worli cuts right through slums, so does a lot of BOM. One can easily see shantys/slums from the Oberoi/Trident and within 2 mins of a walk from the Taj hotel on Colaba, will be hounded by begging kids (tip: buy a bunch of fruit/bananas and hand them out, the kids love it) or stepping over families sleeping on the street. Also, the FS is very close to the race course, which houses some pretty upscale restaurants, which of course is bordered by slums. In other words, unless you close your eyes every time you get in the car, you will see dire poverty. You just have to get used to it.

San Qi is not bad, though if you are in India for a short stay, I would avoid it and eat Indian food. There is so much variety it is incredible.

Location - if its business, where in town is your business/work? If its tourism, what do you want to see? Nariman Point and Colaba are way down in South bombay and getting to them from the airport can be a nightmare. FS is far closer to the Worli sealink and one can get to the airport in as little as 20 minutes with some luck (this was literally impossible pre-sealink). My work takes me all across town and so the FS is very well placed for me (not to mention the rates).

All things considered, I love the Oberoi (have not seen the new rooms), but I feel the renovations have made the lobby much more cold and corporate, theough pre attacks the hotel was looking a bit worn. The pool area is a massive upgrade over the poor excuse of a pool that they used to have. The Taj oozes luxury and culture and it would be my first choice (post renovation) if I wanted a special stay in Mumbai.

Edited to add: The JW Marriott is worth considering if you want to stay in the Juhu area. Doesn't have the grandeur of the other mentioned places, but is very nice and is right on the beach

vuittonsofstyle

San Qi HAS Indian food! It is cooked in front of you! It also has other Asian regional food, Including Japanese, but the Indian is very good.

I agree that FS is OK if you are in Worli on business, but otherwise, not.

Barnaby100

I haven't stayed in this hotel but seeing the slums is essential to me. I can't believe friends who go from airport to 5 star hotel and then claim to have experienced India.

We also stay with 'friends' met through charity a number of years ago and visit their projects taking stuff- we also fund raise etc. It's a tiny drop in the ocean of what's needed though and we never feel that we do enough. I am always overwhelmed by the mass of contradictions that is India.

I hadn't seen a dead person until I went to Delhi- it changed my life- honestly. My daughter is 16 next year and I am taking her. Yes we will stAy in some very nice hotels but we will also stay in a village project working with homeless children.

Sorry to bring the tone down but if by stAying in a certain hotel you get to see the slums I think that is great. We should All see them.

kingsroadgal

I think it would be a shame to miss the Imperial in New Delhi. Although I have seen unfavorable comments in various places, it really is a fantastic hotel. I am super picky about hotels, and I was terribly nervous about not liking it, but we had a fantastic stay. The pool area is beautiful The hallway walls are covered with fascinating engravings covering all sorts of events in Indian history. The food is great, and I would especially recommend the breakfast buffet. We also had incredible service from all the staff, in particular, we used the hotel's cars and drivers extensively (going all the way to Agra), and we were totally happy with the service. To me, I would much prefer to stay at the Imperial than one of the 60s-style bland buildings that constitute the other hotel choices in New Delhi (except for the Aman, which I could be tempted to try). Even with the construction work that was going on last year, I really enjoyed the Imperial, and would definitely return.

Musken

When we visited India, we stayed in luxury hotels, but wanted to see some of the real India during our daytime excursions. We had a private driver and guide and I remember that I really had to argue with them so that they would actually belive us when we said we wanted to walk around. "But it is so dirty" - "You will not enjoy it" etc. was what they told us all the time. It seemed as if they only wanted to show nice buildings and "Indias sunny side" to western tourists.

Barnaby100

I had the same at the Imperial. The guest relations lady told me how the city was improved because they had moved the slums and you didn't have to see them anymore. They were shocked that I was going. I had a brilliant driver from the imperial who took me all over-he had never been inside most of the places before. What shocked me was that one place wouldn't let him In as he was the driver even though I was paying.

Jamoldo

It does but I've heard its quite tempered (boooooring - note this is not a promotion to go eat street food - can be a stomach killer). There are just so many restaurants that are upscale and absolutely fantastic and worth trying, even within walking distance from the FS. I've never had the sushi/sashimi AT San Qi, but the Singaporean chef was more than happy to try to make me a kung pao chicken and though it wasn't too close to what I had in Beijing, it was an honest effort, very well presented and pretty tasty.

I would say the FS is a stellar choice if in Bombay and you need flexibility (ie Bandra/Nariman are simply too far from each other or anything but themselves). I do since we go all over town. But for luxury and an experience I agree, there are far better choices. We are probably just saying the same thing but differently.

But the fact that they reccommended restaurants besides their own stuff, Trishna, Mohti Mahal, Khyber and maybe 3-4 other restaurants (this gets tiring when you're there 7ish days 2x/year) won them major major points in my book.