Over two decades before the Gateway of India was born, this notorious hotel stood proudly and was ready to claim awards which would make it known around the world. Let’s take a look at the reasons to stay at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, and activities in the surrounding area to embark on. This luxury hotel is sure to impress!

Before booking your stay at this luxury hotel of Mumbai, you'll likely want to know about your host. The Taj Majal Palace & Tower has a rich and extensive history that will make your stay even more intriguing. 

The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower consists of two striking facilities in the Colaba region of Mumbai. The Palace and Tower were built at separate times, and it first opened its doors on 16 December 1903. At this time, it was India’s first hotel to offer electricity, Turkish baths, English butlers and more. 

During the First World War, the hotel converted into a hospital with 600 beds to help the injured. The additional Tower opened in 1973 and received extensive repairs. Sadly, on 26 November 2008, the hotel was attacked. Hostages were taken and at least 167 people killed. It lasted for three days while approximately 450 people were staying in the hotel. 

Despite this troubled history, the hotel has undergone repairs to revamp its structure and image. Today, it boasts will impress luxury of the finest hotels and hosts guests from all around the world. A stay here will revitalize your energy while offering close proximity to nearby activities and monuments.

There are many reasons to visit the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. At the top of the list are its amenities and features. Specifically, the rooms and suites are sophisticated and luxurious for people from all walks of life. Depending on your choosing, there are views of the sea or city.

We love the diversity and personalized touch throughout your entire stay at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. Dine like nowhere else in the world with fine-dining speciality restaurants, including Golden Dragon, Masala Kraft, Wasabi by Morimoto and many more.

Even better, the hotel has more than 1,600 staff members, with 35 of them being butlers. This fact alone ensures that you never feel neglected. Each and every one of your needs is well attended to with attention to detail and supreme hospitality.

If that’s not enough to convince you to stay here, the hotel has won an abundance of awards. In 2014, it was voted the Best Hotel in Mumbai at the DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards. One year later, the Golden Dragon restaurant received the Best Chinese Restaurant in South Mumbai award.

Let’s take a look at our favourite aspects of the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. These are umpteen reasons to stay at this high-end accommodation. We’ve narrowed down the list to a few of our favourites and presented a variety of benefits for different lifestyles and reasons for visiting.

The Taj Mahal Palace offers an array of luxury rooms to accommodate all kinds of visits. Whether you’re vising for business or pleasure, these cozy rooms in the Palace Wing are perfect for a tranquil vibe. Designed with history and peace as their focal point, they combine a collection of history to maximise silence and relaxation.

The highlight of these luxury rooms is that they’re windowless. However, this offers complete tranquillity to help you unwind any time of the day or night. The mood lighting also helps to find your inner solace – making it an ideal location to meditate.

The Superior rooms located in the Tower offer a city view, which is ideal if you’re hoping for a more hectic vibe. With 280 square feet to yourself, these rooms are fully equipped with modern facilities, digital applications and easy access to the hotels’ gym. Designed with a mixture of Indian aesthetics and European flair, they’re definitely not worth missing out on.

The Suites at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower are the most exquisite in Mumbai. The Signature Rajput Suites in the Palace offer amazing views of the Gateway of India, as well as glorious sea views. No matter your position in the Suite, there’s an abundance of unforgettable views to explore. The peacock centrepiece adds an element of drama to the living room. But, the marble floors, arches and opulent detail throughout gives a sense of royalty.

The Apollo Suites located in the Tower are specifically facing the sea for a relaxing and peaceful experience any time of the day. Our favourite feature of these Suites is the spacious interiors and balcony area. Take some time out of your busy schedule to absorb the fresh sea air. The 50-inch flat-screen TV with satellite programmes is a nice touch to the room. However, you can’t deny the marble bathroom with bathtub, separate shower and dressing area.

The Tata Suite located in the Tower is everything you could ever want from a luxury suite in a beautiful area. With over 5,000 square feet and plenty of space to relax, dine and watch TV, there’s nothing extra you could need. The bed and bath experience is in a world of its own. Ploh duvets and pillows help you have a relaxing night’s sleep. However, you can request a softer bed or hard board on request. Not to mention, there’s also a pillow menu to personalise your sleep time.

The Italian marble bathrooms with bathtub, separate shower and dressing area is practical as well as adding to a luxurious vacation experience. We love the added touches of the BRAND bath amenities, lit makeup mirror, Cypress waffle bathrobes, and slippers to make you feel at home. The Tata Suite’s overall experience is unique and luxurious. Finished with colonial furniture in true Bombay style and marble floors with marquetry timber throughout, it’s like a dream come true.

If you're worried about what to eat while staying here, these concerns are unfounded. Between the in-house restaurants and room service the chefs will cater to every taste bud. Here are a few of our favorite aspects of the food at the hotel:

The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower enables you to order room service no matter the time of day or night. Guests receive a separate menu compared to the speciality restaurant for a different experience and to expand your taste buds. The room service menu includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, available 24 x 7 to keep you energised throughout your time in Mumbai.

The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower prides itself on making your experience with them as comfortable as possible. If you upgrade to one of the hotel’s high-end Suites, you’ll secure a complimentary 24-7 butler experience. Despite having nearly 560 rooms, every guest receives amazing room service. You can also upgrade and personalise your experience and amenities at any time during your stay. The staff will gladly accommodate dietary requirements and preferences too.

There’s an array of restaurants in the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, each one offering a unique experience and delicious flavours. This ensures that no matter what craving you have, there's always a nearby menu to accommodate you.

Wasabi by Morimoto was recognised as one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2016. Offering authentic Japanese culinary treasures, the ingredients are specially flown from Japan. Their popular signature meals include Wasabi creme brulee, black cod miso and white fish carpaccio. Although, if you visit often enough you’ll find that their menu regularly changes.

Another popular restaurant with tourists is Souk. If there’s one time you visit, make it during Sunday brunch for champagne and exotic panoramic views of Mumbai. The staff take you to a whole other world with traditionally brewed teas and coffees.

The Harbour Bar is Mumbai’s first licensed lounge bar, and somewhere you certainly shouldn’t miss. Their signature cocktails are regularly updated and some of have some of the tastiest flavours throughout the whole of Mumbai. The intimate setting, dim lighting and cosy seating makes it a romantic and chilled environment.

If you’re looking to explore further afield from Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, luckily there’s an array of nearby dining options with expert staff creating tasty flavours and spices. Wander around a bit and you'll find that Mumbai has some of the best restaurants in the world!

Bademiya has a rich heritage in making Muglai food, with many of their delicious recipes being a family secret and loved by locals and tourists. The iconic feature of Bademiya is that waiters serve you near the car so you can eat on your cat bonnet. Open until late, it’s located near the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower to offer a tasty, fun experience any time of the night.  

Pancham Puriwala is nearby to Taj Mahal Palace & Tower and offers a mouth-watering experience at a fair price. From breakfast to dinner, this restaurant serves an array of delectable purees and sauces like you’ve never experienced before. Many people who’ve visited here highly recommend their puri bhajis which have kept the same taste over the years. It’s only a great place to visit for quick and excellent service.

There are plenty of amenities at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting here for business or pleasure, because their excellent service and things to do keep you energised and motivated.

For example, try morning yoga by the pool to catch a healthy start to the day. With beautiful views of the sunrise and sounds of the rippling waters, there’s quite possibly no better thing to do in the morning. Alternatively, the large outdoor pool is an excellent resource for some chill-out time in the middle of the day.

The spa facilities are one of our favourite features of the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. The exceptional facilities include four treatment rooms, as well as shower and change options. Their wet areas feature a steam and hot and cold showers. So, if you want to refresh or relax, the options are there for you. For those days when you’ve eaten a little too much, take advantage of the inclusive fitness centre, with state-of-the-art gym equipment.

There are so many things to do near the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. One of most recommended activities to try is sailing. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an advanced sailor, as the Jboats manufacturer some of the most popular keelboats in the world. These are comfortable and easy for day-sailing and cruising and also perform well on the racecourse.

Perhaps you’d rather explore the Gateway of India. This is the city’s famous monument which is a popular focal point for people to explore. Created in 1924 to celebrate King George V and Queen Mary’s visit, its design is inspired by a Scottish architect. When the British rule came to an end in India in 1947, the last remaining British troops left through the Gateway of India. There are plenty of ways to gain insight into this inspirational building. One method is regular ferry boats which depart the Gateway of India to the caves at nearby Elephanta Island. On the other hand, you can take a yacht cruise around Mumbai Harbor – starting off from the Gateway of India.

Mumbai is pouring from stunning architecture throughout the city. For example, The Holy Name Cathedral, built in 1905, is located behind Colaba Causeway and you can see it from Colaba. Dhanraj Mahal is another example of stunning architecture which was designed and created in the 1930’s. You can enter the building, which is now occupied by residential and commercial tenants. 

The city is spilling with amazing views from every angle. Head to Colaba for open-air rooftop restaurants with expose you to the neighbourhood’s enchanting views. Koyla serves rich Indian dishes and features a seating area with a welcoming breeze. Cloud 9, looks out across the Arabian Sea and you can see the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower from a perspective you’ve never seen before.

Most people who visit the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower are foreigners visiting on business or pleasure. We scoured the Internet for reviews and customer feedback on this hotel, and found that the most popular comments referred to the beautiful architecture and design throughout the accommodation. Its ambiance is unique and unforgettable, thanks to the polite and dedicated team of staff.

Nestled in a scenic spot with city and sea views, it’s also in an excellent location if you’ve never visited Mumbai before. The close proximity and helpful recommendations from the staff ensure that you're always entertained and occupied.

If you’d like to explore other places to stay in Mumbai, the list doesn’t end at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. We've selected a few of our favorite options that you can consider.

This hotel is an excellent alternative to the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. The Diplomatic Suite offers a contemporary 926-square-feet with feature rooms. What makes this an excellent competitor to the Taj Mahal is that it’s more modern. Therefore, it’s better suited to those who prefer premium fittings with lighter furniture. This particular Suite features a spacious living area and work desk to make it more comfortable and practical for people travelling on business.

Taj Lands End is an environmentally-friendly hotel which was certified Gold Standard by the Earth Check Company in 2015. This luxurious five-star hotel boasts dramatic views of the city’s stunning skyline, as well as the peaceful Arabian Sea. The dining experiences are more extravagant and adventurous, which makes the Taj Lands End an excellent competitor to the Taj Mahal. You can hire the speciality dining rooms for a special event, or if you’re hoping for some escape from Mumbai’s crowds. Alternatively, the in-room dining service is available all day and all night to cater for your needs and satisfy your cravings whenever you need it. If you are looking for a romantic experience, we highly recommend the Chambers’ terrace. Taste food like you’ve never had it before for an out-of-this-world experience.

JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar offers an elegant experience you’ll never forget. The amenities on offer are more advanced and world-class. Their spa helps you to renew your body and spirit, so whether you’re jet-lagged or simply want to unwind, this is a suitable place for that. The JW Marriott is also an excellent space for indoor or outdoor venue hosting. The spaces are versatile and spacious enough to host an array of occasions. This can include a simple business meeting, a convention, romantic occasion and everything in-between. Our last favourite feature of this accommodation is the convenient located which is a short drive from Mumbai’s two airports.