10 Things That Made My Staycation At St. Regis, Mumbai Unforgettable…

Perks of staying in a high rise hotel is when you’re given a room with a view to die for. My window overlooked the Mahalaxmi Racecourse and the Arabian sea, with a stunning glimpse of Haji Ali. It’s like I fell in love with my city in a whole new way thanks to this gorgeous, bird’s eye view of South Bombay. Also, the green patch was such an unexpected  and pleasant sight… tough to imagine this in our otherwise concrete jungle.

The view – Mumbai Meri Jaan!

I learnt that this one-of-a-kind ritual is performed every Friday around 6pm, immediately after the beautiful diya ritual (where they light tea lamps and set them on each table in the lobby). Varun – the head butler walks down the grand stairs with a champagne bottle and pops it in the most resplendent and theatrical manner. The champagne is then served in flutes and enjoyed by the St. Regis guests sitting in the Drawing Room.

All smiles – Varun serving us the champagne

• Unpacking and Packing
• Beverage Service: All day tea and coffee
• Garment Pressing: Daily 2 pieces
• E-Butler

Midnight chai courtesy – Alllow Me, the butler service

Originally known as the Bloody Mary – St. Regis’ Signature Cocktail, ‘Mumbai Mary’ is an exciting libation of the same, but concocted desi style. The spicy vodka and tomato juice drink was originally perfected by Fernand Petiot, who was the bartender at The St. Regis New York King Cole Bar, in 1934. Now the same ritual – but with an Indian twist, can be experienced here in Mumbai too. It’s nicely spicy yet cold enough to feel both extremes of temperatures.

Mumbai Mary

Waking up in that uber comfortable hotel bed and then heading down for breakfast is a trend I’ve been following for as long as I have been holidaying. Even though breakfast in bed is always a good idea, I’d rather savour a spread. The one at Seven Kitchens is as exceptional as I imagined it to be. Known for its global gourmet selection, this naturally lit, all day dining space at St. Regis is the perfect place to start your day with a king-size breakfast and more.

Comfortably nestled within The Great Hall, The Library is something that caught our attention in the most fascinating manner. Every wall has hand-selected books from around the world and with a couple of couches and armchairs, one can easily spend the entire day in the company of these books. The space exudes old world charm like no other and even though there’s no fireplace, it exudes the kind of warmth we all love!

Curated by Mr. Tushar Sethi, Director of the Institute of Indian Contemporary Art along with Mrs. Gayatri Ruia, who herself is an art connoisseur and ardent collector, St. Regis Mumbai houses over 100 artworks by some of the finest Indian masters like S.H. Raza and M.F. Hussain and contemporary artworks and installations by renowned Indian artists including the likes of Satish Gujral, Jogen Chaudhary and Manisha Parekh amongst the others. I was in for a pleasant surprise when Juhi took us on a personalised guided tour and shared each piece’s significance and the stories behind them. The guests have the privilege of experiencing the same every Wednesday and Friday, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. How lovely, right?

Originally a classic British ritual, the Afternoon Tea takes place every afternoon in The Drawing Room. Now a beautiful St. Regis tradition, it was initially practised by Caroline Astor. One can choose from a wide range of tea infusions (or flavoured coffee if that’s your thing) along with some fine culinary snacks – both sweet as well as savoury. The menu is a nice confluence of Indian as well as international treats, catering to all kinds of taste buds. We thoroughly enjoyed the time spent over blissful teas, some great conversations and of course, good food.

Having come across some of the finest individuals from the hospitality industry, this staycation would not have been the same if it wasn’t for the people who made the experience what it truly was! One can expect genuine warmth and effortless courtesy from the staff and rest assured you won’t be disappointed. Special thanks to Deepti, Neeraj, Chandni, Juhi, Varun, Priyanka, Sheetal and everyone else who made the experience exceptionally memorable!