SkiAdcock

Just noticed on Marriott website that Marriott has opened its first JW resort in India in the heart of the Himalayas. Category 4.

"The hotel is located in the hill station of Mussoorie, at the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges, also known as the Queen of the Hills. The hotel boasts a sophisticated elegant and chic style, amidst a surreal ambience of lush mountains and historic walnut plantations.

Mitzi Gaskins, Vice President and Global Brand Manager for JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts. “Each year, thousands of travelers pass through the picturesque hill station of Mussoorie to experience its temples, gardens, hiking trails and natural falls and we are thrilled to celebrate that rich history and culture with our guests.”

JW Marriott MussoorieThe hotel’s interior and exterior design was inspired by its natural surroundings – the stunning Himalayan Mountains. All guestrooms feature private balconies, inviting guests to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding hills and gardens and breathe the fresh mountain air from the privacy of their own room. The new 115-room luxury resort is located just 290 kilometers (approx. 280 miles) from New Delhi and 60 kilometers (approx.40 miles) from the nearest airport in Dehradun.

Guests will be invited to explore five specialty restaurants on property. All-day dining JW Cafe serves fresh local and international favorites from its lively open kitchen such as popular North Indian black lentil dish Kali Dal, lamb dish Nalli ki Nihari and the signature JW Burger and JW Club sandwich; Teppan is the contemporary, upscale restaurant serving Asian cuisine; Wisteria Deck is a cozy outdoor Italian trattoria serving wood fired pizzas, wines and sangria; Perch is a tea lounge offering some of the best single estate teas and coffees and Trout House Grill & Bar opens each evening to grill up the local catch of the day and offer a selection of exclusive cocktails including fresh fruit martini’s and frozen cocktails.

The resort also houses the Cedar Spa by L'Occitane, which features five lavish treatment rooms and an array of invigorating treatments inspired by the indigenous cedar trees of the region. Treatments include the Signature Cedarwood Body Massage, the repairing Shea Ultra Rich Softening Body Wrap and the Almond Silhouette Reshape to restore firmness. Salon by Warren Tricomi, a state-of-the-art fitness center will boast an indoor heated swimming pool to complete the well-being experience at the hotel.

The resort was specially designed with families in mind and features The Den – an entertainment center and kid’s club that spans over 12,000 square feet and includes a two-lane bowling alley, billiard and pool tables, gaming consoles, library, nap areas and a Market with fresh food and beverages."

carsnoceans

That is definitely an exciting bit! JW as a cat 4?! With a spa and indoor pool this has to be nicest property in the area.

Would love to see trip report on it.

BostonFlyer1624

Looks like a nice property. GM contact info below.

Chandrashekhar Joshi
General Manager
Email: [email protected]

BostonFlyer1624

Is anyone familiar with this area of India?

Looking for activities, sights, tours, etc.

Thanks!

nevansm

Has anybody been here? I have 3 days here in October to relax and unwind (I hope I can accomplish that, this place seems beautiful).

SkiAdcock

Please post a trip report if you don't get info before your stay. Thx!

Cheers.

shonamac

I have been to Mussorie, but not to this hotel. Mussorie was a grand "hill station" (some place where the expat Bristish could escape the heat of the Indian plains) during the colonial era, but now it has become crowded with a high density of buildings, residents and visitors. The hotel may however be well located with good grounds and views - I do not know. Main activity would be hiking through one of many trails in the area. Most Indian visitors seem to treat it as a place to relax where the only strenuous activity is to go shopping!

Looking forward to a trip report from nevansm!

carsnoceans

Some of the major attractions:

-Go for walk on Camel Back Road
-Kempty Falls
-Gun Hill was a scenic viewpoint access by a boxy, outdated (and probably unsafe) cable lift/gondola
-Library market for some mixed local/tourist crowd scene
-Company gardens (aka botanical gardens)

It's been a several years since my last visit but the ones listed have been big attractions for decades.

You can probably do tours but unnecessary, IMO. It's a not a big place and it would be a impossible to get lost in Mussorie itself. There is only one major street that goes from one end of the city to another and can be easily covered by walking.

nevansm

Intro
As part of celebrating my 30th birthday I really wanted to go to India to both experience the country and experience some relaxation. I haven’t taken a real, work-disconnected vacation in about 2 years so this was welcomed. The portion of my trip highlighted in this post is the 4 days I spent at the JW Marriott in Mussoorie, India.
Several weeks before, I contacted the hotel to inform them of my arrival times and to arrange transportation as well as any tours and to inform them that I was visiting as part of my birthday celebration. I received quick and helpful replies from the concierge/front desk staff. Additionally, I wanted to spend an entire day at the on-premises spa for which they assisted in reserving and choosing the services.


Arrival/Transportation
I had arranged for the property’s car service to pick me up at the Dehradun Airport (DED) the closest commercial airport to the property. There were 3 options: A Skoda (6000+14% INR), Innova (5500+14% INR), and Fortuner (7000+14% INR). The ride was described to take 2.5 hours, so the extra comfort and cost of the Fortuner (Toyota 4-Runner as we call in the states) was acceptable to me.
My flight from DEL arrived right on time, bags delivered within a few minutes and I tried to make my way to the curb. However, there was a large crowd of people, photographers, reporters, and locals. In addition, there was a group performing traditional Indian dance and music. After literally pushing my way through people to get to where I saw my driver, I asked what was going on. Apparently the Governor of the Uttarakhand state was on my flight (and I was seated right next to him) – didn’t even know! (This isn’t the first time I’ve been on a flight with a governor and was greeted by locals performing dancing and music – also happened in Nome, Alaska last winter).

The driver offered bottled water, music to listen to (with an Aux Input in the car) and let me know that we’d be driving about 2 hours today and that if I wanted to stop to take pictures, videos, grab a bite, etc. he would let me know the best places. Throughout the drive, we encountered tiny villages, some animals, beautiful scenery and a tight situation with a few busses. I listened to some podcasts during the trip and we made it in just over 2 hours.
Upon arrival to the property, we drove up the driveway and to the front entrance. The front of the hotel is actually against the mountain so the pictures on their website are a bit deceiving but there’s no difference. It’s the view in the back you want. I was welcomed by about 15 different team members. All orchestrated with everything going to plan. A silk scarf and was given a Bindi (or a Tilaka) – not sure which… as well as a glass of tea. Within 30 seconds, the GM of the property had introduced himself and I was handed off to the head experience manager.

Check-in was done in my room, with the formalities such as passport and visa scanning being done with a handheld scanner (quite nifty really). I was offered a welcome gift card for selection. Being as resort properties often have better local gifts I selected those. I chose a double of Glenfiddich with mixers and a cheese plate (a great welcome gift in my opinion). In addition, the card also asked if I’d like coffee/tea service in the morning and what types of pillows I’d like on my bed. With the check-in just about complete, the fire alarm sounded. My escort made a few phone calls and whisked me away to the safe area outside on the lawn.

He informed me that there had just been an earthquake in Afghanistan and that we were evacuating as a precautionary measure. We spent about 20 minutes outside on the beautiful grounds, chatting and soon enough the building was cleared back for entry. He personally escorted me back to my room and asked one last question about my arrival: “When would you like your birthday cake sir?”. A cake was delivered later that night and was delicious. It also came with an additional glass of Glenfiddich, some white chocolates and a fruit plate with MORE chocolate. (I’m starting to love this place!)

Room
During my initial emails to the property I asked how platinum upgrades were handled. I was told that about a week out my room would be upgraded to a Mountain-view Studio Suite based upon availability. Sure enough, it was! Like executive/studio/junior suites most other places, this was basically a normal room + larger bathroom. Absolutely perfect for me given I was traveling alone.
I was assigned room 422 (on the same floor as check-in, and also the ‘top’ floor) that contains rooms. The first thing you notice when you walk in are the views. They’re simply stunning. I couldn’t stop just looking at the mountains. The room had a desk, king bed, TV and sitting area in one space; and a toilet, dual vanity, large closet and shower/tub “room” overlooking the mountains in the other space. The balcony has a small table with two comfortable chairs and overlooks the courtyard, Trout House Grill & Bar and of course the mountains. The room featured a seemingly endless supply of complimentary bottled water and a small refreshment center (though there was no alcohol). The only complaint I have about the room is the lack of a rolling chair at the desk. Everything else was perfect.

Experiences/Platinum treatment
I spent most of the afternoon reading and enjoying the views. I also took a mini tour of the property myself to get comfortable with the navigation. It’s a little confusing but you quickly get the hang. From 530p-730p light appetizers are served at the Trout House Grill & Bar for those with the VIP moniker. I know this at least includes Platinum elites, but not sure who it is beyond that. As far as I could tell I was the only one who was given that service during all 3 nights. In addition to the light appetizers (ordered from a menu, not just ‘on offer’) and made to order; there is a complimentary bar menu available from 530p-930p. This includes basic spirits like Beefeaters, Johnny Walker and Chivas, red, white and sparkling wines and beer. Between the appetizers and the drinks, I didn’t spend any money the first night. Though I did eat at the other eateries throughout my stay. To me, the offerings to mimic a concierge lounge are fantastic and very appreciated.
The experience each night at Trout Club during the “lounge time” as I’ll call it was fun for sure. The bartenders insisted that I experiment with some of the on-menu drinks with the complimentary spirits. I happily obliged. While there were a few cocktails that were a little on the meh side, most of them were good enough, especially when they’re on the house! More importantly, the spirit with which the staff interacted during this evening receptions was amazing. Bordering on over-bearing, they knew when to step away and let me be.

Spa/pool/gym
I had scheduled a full day of spa treatments prior to my arrival including the signature treatments. The spa at the resort is part of a chain though they do seem very upscale. I arrived at my treatment about 25 minutes early thinking they would have a locker room to shower, steam, relax – which was not the case. Upon check-in and formalities, I was guided to the relaxation area and sat with some tea for a few minutes. I was led to the treatment room which featured a toilet and shower (with steam function). I was able to clean up and get ready for my treatment in a few minutes. Each of the treatments I had were very well done, though I do have a few complaints. I had originally asked via email what services could be put together to form a full day. Well it turns out 2 of the services were basically duplicates of one of the services, which was a bit frustrating and wasn’t evident from the descriptions. In any case, they realized this and didn’t charge for one of the treatments and insisted I come back some-time during my stay for another 30-minute message, which I thought was a great remedy. The pool and gym are located on the 2nd floor. The pool is of good size and it kept pretty warm. The gym has all the regular equipment and seemed empty the whole time I was there. In addition, there’s a steam room in the men’s locker room for use as well.

Restaurants
It was not pointed out to me (and I’m not sure if it’s an official benefit at the property) but I was not charged for breakfast any of the days during my stay. I guess your YMMV. I also received 20% off all food and beverage (again, not explained at check-in, so YMMV). The breakfast buffet was served from 630-11am each day and featured both western and Indian items. The staff was very helpful in explaining the Indian items to me and picked out a few for me to try each morning. I also ordered a bloody mary each morning which was delicious. I sampled the other restaurants throughout my stay and would consider the food up-to-par with Marriott standards but nothing more. I’m not a great judge of Asian or Indian cuisine so take that with a grain of salt. Nothing tasted bad and the service was good. I will say (as mentioned above) the constant checking-in, over the shoulder looking, etc gets a bit annoying. I understand it’s a culture thing, but it could be dialed back a bit.

Closing
In closing, this property is a great place to escape the big-city while in India or the region. The journey to and from can be a bit frustrating, but the calmness and serenity of the resort, coupled with the luxury of the JW are a great combination.

Sharon - You may put in the sticky that buffet breakfast appears to be free for Platinums but beyond that not sure.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the detailed trip report. Much appreciated. I'll update the exec lounge sticky. And Happy Birthday!

Cheers.

HMPS

SkiAdcock thanks for the info. Will be thereabouts in Jan Feb, will be cold !

Nevansm thanks for the TR. I will love the Indian Veg appetizers and BFast items.

piyush

Any recent stays here? I'm planning a trip to this hotel later this month. Wondering if they'll offer breakfast and "lounge" access to golds.

Thanks!

AJLondon

Don't know about Golds, but Plats definitely get access to the (very extensive) buffet breakfast in the restaurant.

There is no lounge as such, but in the evenings, for a couple of hours, Plats get a specific menu in one of the bars which lists a selections of complimentary drinks as well as hot / cold food items that can be ordered for table service.

Overall, a great property. Really enjoyed my time here a few months ago. If flying into Dehradun, I would highly recommend using the hotel's car service. Much better, way more reliable and convenient for the mountain drive to Mussorie.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

piyush

Thanks! I'll post an update after my stay.