Expat Life / Must Visit Places Reviews / Photography / Reviews

Mumbai Meri Jaan – Our Stay at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel…

It has been over a month since we returned from our trip to India (you can read all about it here), and there are days and moments when I miss it terribly so! I never thought I would be saying this, but I find myself yearning for the humdrum of India, the carefree holiday vibe, the delicious street food and seasonal fruits, the train and rickshaw rides and of course the quality time spent with my family.

The last four days however, it was just myself, Mr Z and Master Z. In Mumbai. Staying at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The crown of Mumbai, as it is known. And boy oh boy, what an experience it was. I couldn’t possibly cover the exuberant and majestic experience in a few lines in my previous post about India, thus the need for an entire blog post on it’s own sharing my experience at the Taj. I will let the photographs do most of the talking, as no words can do this experience justice.

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, overlooking it’s Swimming Pool. This was once the original entrance of the hotel.
Taj Mahal Palace – Palace Wing Sixth Floor

We arrived at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel a little after mid day, after having travelled by car from our home town for a couple of hours. Though hungry and tired, our energy bolted back up as we entered the doors to be welcomed in the most heartwarming Indian of ways. Our Arti was taken and a Good Luck Vermala (necklace) put around our necks. We were shown to our suite, which was on the sixth floor in the Palace Wing.

Our Suite in the Palace Wing
Our Suite in the Palace Wing
Our Suite – Bathroom
Indian Heritage Artifacts inside Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

The room was gorgeous. spacious and had all the luxuries that you lust for in a hotel room. With the Guava Welcome drinks in our hands, we overlooked the boats from our sea-view window as they entered Mumbai. After freshening up, we headed out on the streets of Mumbai for lunch, but soon returned to revel in the marvel of the hotel and catch some rays by the pool.

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Dome on top of the infamous Royal Walkway Staircase
Artefact: Air India Ticket Counter Windows opposite the Palace Lounge
Tah Mahal Palace Lounge
Tea Time at Taj Mahal Palace Lounge
Taj Mahal Palace Lounge Interior – May I take this armchair home please?

Tea Time was enjoyed in the Palace Lounge of the Hotel, a place that was so to speak…Interior Decor Goals! If baggage allowance wasn’t a real thing, that exquisite arm chair above is what I would have been sitting on right now. The Lounge had a lovely spread of sweet and savoury dishes, most importantly my all time favourite : Scones!

Breakfast at the Sea Lounge Restaurant inside Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, overlooking Gateway of India
Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Souvenir

We enjoyed Breakfast at the Shamiana Restaurant on the ground floor, on two occasions, making use of the outdoor seating and breezy winter weather. We also experienced the breakfast at the Sea Lounge Restaurant, overlooking the Gateway of India. Both did not dissapoint, but I must say, travelling with a toddler, I was much more comfortable in the Shamiana where Master Z could run free, without the fear of toppling over any precious glassware!

Studying the history of Taj Mahal Palace Hotel through the 110 Year Celebration Exhibition. In December 2016 they celebrated 140 years!
Marble Flooring in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Reception. Four of these cornerstone slabs contain precious gems such as Emeralds.
Touring the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and studying another Artefact that is a leather clad model of the hotel.
Memorial to remember the lives lost in the 2008 Terrorist Attack on Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The bronze tree that survived the shootings and fire on the fifth and sixth floor stands by the memorial today to symbolise resilience.

Touring the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel with a group of tourists was not enough, and the next morning, we took a private tour of the hotel ourselves, visiting again the Art Gallery, corridors adorned with architectural master plans of the building, and taking photos with the statue of Mr. Tata on the Royal Walkway Staircase. It was so interesting to read about the history this hotel has survived.

Overlooking the boats as they enter Mumbai Territory
Gateway of India, Mumbai
Gateway of India, Mumbai
Gateway of India, Mumbai – Lit up at night
Touring Mumbai city – CST (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) Train Station
Touring Mumbai city – Street Food : Paan
Touring Mumbai city – Street Stalls selling all sorts!
Touring Mumbai city – Aboard a Boat Tour
Touring Mumbai city – Bandra- Worli Sea Link Bridge

During our stay at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, we did plenty of touristy things too, visiting filmy locations and malls, whilst haggling on the streets of Mumbai for a Kurta, followed by a lovely cuppa and croissant in Starbucks outside the hotel itself. The boat ride was possibly the highlight, and was very much enjoyed by Master Z.

Overall, our stay at the Taj was most comfortable. The hotel staff were impeccable in their attention to detail and are doing a great job at hosting. My only qualm is that I wish the hotel was a little more child friendly by perhaps introducing a small creche or children’s swimming pool to ensure children have their own space that they can let loose in. We did however get a portable crib in our room for Master Z to sleep in, and staff were always happy to entertain and talk to Master Z, which was very lovely indeed.

We were spoilt rotten during this trip, and my husband is already looking to book our next stay at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. This may be the main reason I am looking forward to going back to Mumbai! Thank you Taj for being so hospitable and ending our trip to India on a high!

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post. All costs were paid for by us, and as always all opinions above are honest and my own. 

Comments

February 12, 2017 at 10:47 pm

Despite having lived in Mumbai, we’ve never been to the hotel. The place looks majestic, what with its interiors and artifacts. How was the experience as far as the food was concerned? Primarily Indian or did they have continental too to cater to tourists that visit from all over the world?



    March 6, 2017 at 6:29 pm

    haha funny how we don’t take advantage of the coolest places when we live there! Surprisingly, food was great and well catered for all tastes because they had predominantly European guests.



February 12, 2017 at 11:23 pm

The Taj is a stalwart in Mumbai, and I’ve never been there but would love to!



February 14, 2017 at 11:54 am

What a spectacular place to have the privilege to visit Zeyna. Thank you for sharing so we can enjoy a glimpse of this, well I want to just call it a Palace, not Hotel…😂 P.S Love that blue and cream outfit you have on in the photo standing with your Son overlooking the boats! X



    March 6, 2017 at 6:27 pm

    Absolutely, I am still baffled at the majestic side of the palace hotel! And thank you for the lovely words about my outfit! 😛 It was super comfy, so kept me happy! haha!



February 14, 2017 at 4:25 pm

what a great insight of the Taj Mahal. great post! 🙂



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *