9 minute read
JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar
BACKGROUND JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, which opened in 2015, has emerged as one of the most convenient accommodation options for business travellers due to its airport location.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? Highly organised: as soon as I got out of my car, my luggage was sanitised and my green status on the Aarogya Setu App was checked. This was followed by thermal screening. After complying with these safety norms, I caught sight of the spiral waterfall lobby chandelier in this familiar space that I visited frequently before the pandemic. While trying to understand the elaborate safety procedures being practiced across the hotel, I was informed that every 90 minutes, the hotel rings a bell – a signal for the cleanliness check.
WHERE IS IT? Located in on IA Project Road in Andheri East, this Marriott hotel is just a few minutes away from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and 15 minutes from the domestic airport.
ROOMS I stayed in a Deluxe Suite (76 sqm) featuring an elegant living room, an expansive bedroom and a balcony. The suite’s interiors were neatly done in white, grey and wood and there was ample natural light. The living room featured a classy kitchenette with a co ee machine, a flat-screen and comfortable couch. A spacious work desk had all the necessary items, including power sockets. The bedroom had an adjoining open bathroom with a separate walk-in shower, a modern bathtub and a luxurious Forest Essentials’ Bitter Orange and Cinnamon collection of toiletries.
FOOD AND DRINK A meal at Romano’s, the hotel’s Italian specialty restaurant, was one of the highlights of my stay. The experience started with the bar’s famous mocktail, Passion Fruit Basil Martini – a tangy apple and passion fruit concoction. The freshly prepared burrata cheese to
BEST FOR Work and event spaces
DON’T MISS Authentic Italian cuisine at Romano’s
PRICE From ₹8,614 ($117) for a week night stay in April
CONTACT +91 22 6882 8888; jwmumbai.com
The views of Victoria Harbour are breathtaking
JW Café. There were live cooking stations o ering everything from eggs to order, paratha (Indian flatbread) and dosa (rice pancake) to English breakfast dishes. I kept it light and enjoyed a JW signature wa le with maple syrup. I also popped to the JW Café for lunch where I opted for Indian delights like paneer butter masala and naan and also tried a flavoursome vegetable pad Thai. I used a QR code to check out the menu at this venue.
MEETINGS The Grand Ballroom is a stunning option if you need an impressive space to stage your next corporate or social gathering, with capacity for 1,000 guests. There are 12 event rooms in total.
follow was heavenly – soft and creamy and served alongside tomatoes and basil, with a drizzle of olive oil. I then tried the signature home dish, piadina al forno – a grilled flatbread stu ed with peperonata and greens and for my main, risotto al funghi. Hands down, this was one of the best risottos I have eaten in a while. My meal ended with a tiramisu and raspberry sorbet to cleanse my palate after the scrumptious Italian fare. The next morning I ate breakfast at the all-day dining venue LEISURE If you have some spare time and like to work out, the hotel’s fitness centre is impressive. It allows five people at a time, so I suggest pre-booking a slot when you check in. More sedate options include a dip in the outdoor pool, followed by a snooze on the cabanas, or a trip to the spa.
VERDICT A convenient airport hotel with fantastic food, plenty of work space and more than ample leisure facilities. Nisha Shro
ITC, Maratha, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Mumbai
BEST FOR Fine dining, high-end business events and ‘green luxury’
BACKGROUND ITC Maratha is a five-star business hotel inspired by the Maratha dynasty, located in Mumbai’s financial district. With sustainability at its core, ITC Maratha has been recognised as a LEED Platinum Certified hotel by the US Green Building Council in the existing building category.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? As I approached the hotel by car, I spotted the domed roof, the main identity of the hotel, which is inspired by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. The hotel champions Indian and British history and pays tribute to the great Marathas. I noticed several Maharashtrian elements in the lobby including Shivaji Maharaj’s portrait. Another striking feature is the glass sheet etched with the ‘Tree of Life’ motif and a poem in the ancient Modi script. My check-in was relatively quick and easy, with friendly sta (clad in neat Paithani sarees). I was asked to complete an online health and travel declaration form sent to me via email. ITC also has adopted a series of safety and hygiene measures including temperature checks, social distancing and mandatory face masks, to curb the risk of the virus spread.
WHERE IS IT? Sahar Airport Road, about 15 minutes from Mumbai International Airport.
ROOMS There are 380 guestrooms and suites. I stayed in the ITC One Room on the 15th floor, overlooking the swimming pool. A ‘WeAssure’ label had been attached to my door handle, indicating my room had been serviced according to ITC Hotels’ health and hygiene programme. The room featured a king-size bed, a small sofa, a smart work desk, a tea and co ee table, an in-room refrigerator, a flat-screen TV, international plugs by the bed, and a small box (for a good night’s sleep) featuring products such as pillow mist, eye masks, earplugs, and stress relief mist by Forest Essentials. The bathroom was modern and functional and featured luxurious Essenza Di Wills toiletries. The room resonated with the brand’s ideology of ‘Responsible Luxury’ extensively.
FOOD AND DRINK I was eager to dine at the hotel given it boasts some of the best-rated restaurants in India and lunch at Peshawri, a north-eastern frontier restaurant, was one of the highlights of my stay. I really enjoyed the homely ambiance here. I started my meal with a home dish – dal bukhara, a blend of black lentil, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic. I was told it has been slow-cooked on a charcoal fire for 24 hours and trust me, every heavenly spoonful was rich, creamy and subtly smoky in flavour. It was served with pudhina paratha and tandoori naan (bread) and a side of tandoori aloo. I had my evening meal at Dum Pukht, which specialises in Awadhi cuisine. I indulged in the à la carte menu, opting for shorba timater to start – a comforting tomato soup with cumin, green coriander and crackling wheat crisps. For mains I ordered aloo bukhara, mande (paper-thin wholewheat bread), and dum pukht biryani served with raita (curd dish). The fragrance from the biryani was magical, and every morsel burst with flavours. For “meetha” (dessert), a mouth-watering malai kulfi (Indian icecream) cleansed the palate.
MEETINGS There are 10 luxurious event spaces, the largest of which can accommodate 700 people, plus a 24-hour business centre.
LEISURE There’s a 24-hour fitness centre, an outdoor swimming pool and the Kaya Kalp Spa. DON’T MISS Landmark dining destination Peshawri
PRICE Upwards of ₹3,750 (US$51)
CONTACT +91 22 2830 3030; marriott.com
Mid-pandemic ying made easy
Ranjit Samal, Wellness Ambassador, Etihad Airways, provides top tips for air travellers
International travel in a post-pandemic world is a whole new experience. The situation remains highly dynamic as travel guidelines and restrictions, as well as quarantine measures, vary from country to country and are constantly being updated as new scenarios unfold. When planning a trip overseas, there are many factors to consider, from predeparture and arrival PCR testing requirements and the health and safety measures implemented by various airlines, to booking and cancellation flexibility.
Etihad Airways is one Gulf airline at the forefront of rolling out travel measures designed to give passengers peace of mind. As part of the Etihad Wellness Programme, dedicated and specially trained team members known as Etihad
Wellness Ambassadors are on hand to help answer your questions and queries.
They are available 24/7 via e-mail, on site at Abu Dhabi International airport and in flight. Here, one Wellness Ambassador, Ranjit Samal, provides some basic tips to follow when travelling overseas.
KEEP A PULSE ON REAL-TIME DEVELOPMENTS
Countries have issued specific rules and regulations to limit the spread of COVID-19 and these are subject to change as the situation remains dynamic. You can get easy access to this information using Etihad’s interactive travel map. Available at etihad.com and launched with Sitata, a Canadian travel risk management company, this map gives travellers information on the latest travel restrictions, guidelines and a COVID-19 risk rating for destinations around the world.
MANAGE YOUR BOOKING DIGITALLY
You can digitise your journey from the start by checking in for your flight online. Etihad gives guests the option to choose their seat and download their boarding pass to limit touchpoints at the airport.
You can also use the Etihad Guest app to manage your details and book flights using voice search. We have also partnered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to launch the IATA Travel Pass. It’s a mobile app that helps passengers easily manage travel in line with government requirements for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. It is initially being o ered to Etihad’s guests on selected flights from Abu Dhabi in the first quarter of 2021.
STAY PROTECTED
Any guest diagnosed with COVID-19 during their trip won’t have to worry about medical expenses or quarantine costs when they fly with Etihad. To provide maximum support to guests, the airline has introduced a wellness insurance cover that is issued with every ticket for travel. ARRANGE YOUR COVID-19 PCR TEST BEFORE YOU FLY
When you travel with Etihad, PCR testing is mandatory before every flight. This gives travellers added assurance that every guest flying with the airline has tested negative prior to departure. We are supporting this by including the cost of PCR tests in all air tickets booked by customers in the UAE for flights departing from Abu Dhabi.
BOOK A UAE GETAWAY
The UAE is open to international travellers. Check our website before you travel for the latest arrival information. Abu Dhabi regularly updates its ‘green list’ of destinations – passengers travelling from those destinations are exempt from mandatory quarantine upon arrival in the UAE capital. Furthermore, the airline has made it easy to travel to Dubai when you fly to Abu Dhabi, with complimentary transfer services included.
