Remembering Bombay

Mumbai – known as Bombay during its golden days – is a city of extremes: upscale skyscraping apartment buildings stand side by side with sprawling slums while futuristic shopping malls tower over shabby handicraft stalls. The new Mumbai is a financial hub that is growing so rapidly old Bombay is gradually left behind. Bombay’s architectural and cultural history is quickly being forgotten as vintage British-Indian edifices hide in the shadows while cutting-edge buildings take center stage.

With the theme ‘Remembering Bombay’, ITC Grand Central Mumbai brings back the city’s charming architectural styles from yesteryears, and spruces it up with modern touches. Built to resemble edifices erected during the British colonization days, the hotel has a charming gothic flair. Set in the city’s commercial district Parel, the five-star luxury hotel is not only an iconic landmark in the city, but also one of Mumbai’s finest.

A View of Mumbai’s Skyline

My experience began as we pulled into the grand driveway flanked by luscious greenery and tropical flowers. Almost as if we were entering a palace of some sort, the hotel doors opened up to a plush lobby: high ceilings, polished marble flooring, chandelier lamps and lavish furnishing. We were given a warm welcome as friendly staff presented us with multi-colored flower garlands and whizzed our luggage up to our suite.

Up on our 28th-storey suite, the sprawling urbanscape of Mumbai urfurled upon us through the ceiling-to-floor windows. A tinge of class is reflected in the furnishing: carpeted flooring, flat-screen TV, linen upholstery and teak furniture. Our living area centered around a high-powered massage chair, adding an element of relaxation to our suite. The sleeping area is equally bright, as is the granite-floored bathroom, connected to one another by a glass window.

The hotel suite might not be a genuine historical building – it is after all just 3 years old – but it makes up for it with tasteful classic decor and first-world facilities. Zen music played in the background as we drank in the million-dollar-view before us. Rini, the hotel’s PR Manager gave us a brief introduction of the property and led us on a quick tour.

Old Bombay’s Flair

From the outside, ITC Grand Central Mumbai’s red brick and pale beige facade adopts the Indo-Saracenic style of Mumbai’s old architecture. This particular style of architecture is unique to Mumbai, created by British architects that have fused elements of Bombay and the Great Britain into today’s historical edifices.

The hotel’s main 30-storey building is specially designed to imitate the iconic Rajesh Bhai clock tower while its center fountain resembles the Flora Fountain in Mumbai’s historic quarters. The center courtyard is leafy and elegant, blending in to the old world atmosphere that the hotel exudes. A dome-shaped band stand sits on the edge of the hotel’s Eden garden – a perfect setting for summer lounging.

Back inside the hotel building, the grand lobby and corridors are decked out with paintings of Old Bombay (such as the Victoria Train Terminus) and traditional Kashmir carpets. Aside from the vintage touches, the hotel is designed to accommodate the modern business/luxury traveler. Cozy, spacious lounge chairs fill the lobby area while an even cushier bar – Frederick’s Lounge – set behind the main lift area provide for casual meetings and get-together.

Poised on the hotel’s highest floor (30th storey) is the Point of View bar, an exclusive suite-residence-only cocktail bar that offers one of the best views in town. As entrance is limited to only VIP guests, you are assured exclusivity and privacy.

In the day, guests can use the second-level library as a business center. By night, the bar puts on an air of sophistication, enticing guests with its selection of international cocktails and Mediterranean canapés. I personally found the canapés served very refreshing and innovative: smoked tuna rolled around cream cheese resembling a sushi, and savory tuna and mayonnaise topped on a crisy brochette.

An outdoor terrace allows you to drink in the night lights in the open, or even enjoy a romantic dinner for two (special arrangements can be made). This may just be Mumbai’s most atmospheric rooftop bar.

A Focus on Gastronomy

As a major hotel chain, ITC-Welcomgroup is famous for many things, among which is its well-reputed cuisine. With secret recipes, award-winning chefs and an innovative menu, the hotel’s restaurants have gained quite a reputation for themselves. At ITC Grand Central’s Kebabs & Kurries, we sampled some of the best traditional Indian cuisine topped with an extravagant array of local wine to match each dish.

The restaurant is imposing and majestic in design, with each section made to look like different parts of a fort’s dining hall. Experience dining like a warrior as generous portions of freshly-grilled, steamy red kebabs are served. My personal favorite was the various types of meat cooked in the restaurant’s tandoor – each of them outrageously savory, packing all the spices, smoke and aroma into one light-as-feather slice of meat. What’s best is that diners even get to see how their foods are made, all through the glass windows that separate the kitchen and the dining area.

The next night, we stepped foot into a starkly different world at the hotel’s fine-dining Chinese restaurant: Shanghai Club. Polished dragon carvings, valuable porcelain ware and elegant red lanterns gave the feeling of dining in a sophisticated, modern oriental abode. The food turned out to be even more impressive than the restaurant decor.

Chef Yang Jiayu shared his secrets with me, “I’ve lived in many countries, whipping up authentic Chinese royal cuisine to suit different flavors. Having been in India for 11years, he has a good grasp of what locals and foreigners like and has found a perfect concoction to cater to different diners’ needs.”

Our first dish, giant prawn fried in dried chilli and garlic, was immaculate in delivering a tangy sensation without overdoing it. My favorite dish of the night was the Xinjiang beef slices – tender, light and savory. Fresh, succulent lobster meat dipped in cheese was another outstanding platter on our dinner table that night.

Each hotel owned by the chain is unique in design, ambiance and style – the only thing that is unanimous for all of them is the food. Restaurant menu, food quality and style are a winning factor for them, so expect to find the country’s best foods at any of the ITC hotels.

Personal Services

Perhaps what puts ITC Grand Central at the forefront of the hotel industry is the quality of service it provides. Despite being a massive five-star hotel chain, the warm and friendly staff made us feel very much at ease and comfortable.

Our butler, Poornam, even made sure we didn’t miss our flight but rechecking it with the airline. We weren’t aware that our flight hours had changed and thanks to her, we managed to catch it on time. Such immaculate service is hard to find elsewhere, and I applaud the hotel for it.

Disclaimer: My stay was sponsored by the hotel, but all opinions are my own.

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