Hotels

With greater supply than demand for rooms in Mumbai over the last few years, and the emergence of numerous five-star properties in the suburbs, rooms in downtown Mumbai can often be booked at good rates. Don't always go by a hotel's published tariff; ask about seasonal or daily discounts and cruise the Internet for bargains. It's not uncommon to find ridiculously cheap deals for rooms in hotels like the Taj President, available even during the popular winter season. That said, budget travelers should be prepared to spend more on lodging in Mumbai than in any other city on the subcontinent; standards at the low end can be difficult to stomach, so you're better off forking out a little more for a decent place to stay.

Marine Drive is a great option if you want a prime view of the Arabian Sea, but it's pricey. With a variety of options to suit every budget (top choice obviously being the Taj Mahal Hotel, reviewed below), Colaba-Fort is where most tourists end up. If you're on a really tight budget, a cheap, decent option worth noting is Bentley's Hotel (17 Oliver Rd., Colaba; tel. 022/2284-1474 or -1733; www.bentleyshotel.com; bentleyshotel@hotmail.com), which has old, threadbare accommodations with enough character and antique furniture to make it livable. You can get a room with wooden floors, a balcony, and an attached bathroom for Rs 1,905 ($46/£23); be warned that at least several days' advance reservation might be necessary. Just a few minutes' drive from both Colaba and Marine Drive is West End Hotel (45 New Marine Lines, next to Bombay Hospital; tel. 022/2203-9121; Rs 3,600/$88/£44 double), a good midrange option. Most rooms have renovated bathrooms, and though the furniture and general decor is old-fashioned '70s style, there's a quaint charm about the place. Rooms are large and spotlessly clean, and the staff very helpful. Gourmet, the in-house restaurant, has decent (if repetitive) breakfast and lunch buffets, and Chez Nous, the bar, is recommended for a quiet drink anytime between 11am and 11pm. If you are literally overnighting and have no desire to spend time in Mumbai, a number of options are located close to the international airport, but no bargains here. A good compromise is Juhu, which has cheaper choices and a great nighttime atmosphere, and is only a 30-minute drive from the airport.

Note: The prices listed here are sometimes given in rupees, with U.S. dollar and British pound conversions; others are stated in U.S. dollars only, which is how many hotels targeting foreign markets quote their rates.

Marine Drive -- Within walking distance of the city's commercial center, Marine Drive is a great place to base yourself, not least for the sea views and sense of space these provide -- offering a relief from the hustling, bustling streets that lie east. Expect to pay for the privilege, however. If your budget can't stretch to pay for the suggestions here, check out Sea Green Hotel (tel. 022/6633-6525 or 022/2282-2294; www.seagreenhotel.com). It's the best budget option on Marine Drive, where relatively large guest rooms with French doors (and flaking paint) open onto balconies overlooking Back Bay. It has a slightly seedy air, and furnishings are quite awful, but the attached shower-toilets are large and clean, and each room comes with TV, air-conditioning, and a minibar. You can bed down on your foam mattress for Rs 3,060 ($75/£38) double.

Colaba -- With the city's densest concentration of sights, hotels, and restaurants, Colaba is an ideal location. The Taj Mahal is here, as is the excellent-value Gordon House, a personal favorite.

Juhu & Bandra -- Mumbai's suburbs of Bandra and Juhu don't have a tourist center, but they are studded with new restaurants, bars, endless shopping, and a vibrant nightlife, sans Colaba's seedy edge. A 60- to 90-minute drive from the heavily touristed downtown area, the seaside suburb of Juhu attracts a predominantly local, moneyed crowd, and as such affords in many ways a truly genuine introduction to Mumbai. Juhu's relative proximity to the airport (it's a 30-min. drive) makes it the ideal stopover if you have no strong desire to engage with the historical side of the city, or if you need to recover from jet lag before moving on. Most of Bollywood's film stars live and hang out in this part of Mumbai, so it's definitely where you should head if you have an interest in bumping into them or simply spending time in trendy bars and restaurants. The best accommodations, the JW Marriott in Juhu and the Taj Land's End in Bandra, are reviewed below. For more midrange options, try the newly expanded Hotel Sea Princess (Juhu Tara Rd.; tel. 022/2661-1111; Rs 11,000/$268/£136 double), where you should request a sea-facing room, or the Ramada Palm Grove (tel. 022/2611-2323; Rs 12,000/$293/£148 double), right on Juhu beach; the room rate includes airport transfers and breakfast. Also recommended (and on Juhu beach) is Citizen Hotel (tel. 022/6693-2525; Rs 5,500/$135/£68 double; Rs 6,500/$159/£80 deluxe sea-facing double; ask for daily discounts), which has small rooms and closet-size bathrooms but great views from large windows overlooking the Arabian Sea, plasma TV in all rooms, and a very helpful staff.

Near the Airport -- The reasons for staying here are obvious, but it seems a pity to stay in these cocoons when The Taj Mahal and Oberoi beckon from Colaba.