If you are looking for an experience of supreme French chic in the financial capital of India, look no further than Sofitel Mumbai BKC. Located in the heart of the city and the buzzing business district of Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), this establishment of modern French and Indian nuances, is convenient to reach for commuters located in the respective North and South extremes of Mumbai.
I had the pleasure of visiting this luxurious hotel during my travels to Mumbai, and while I did not get a chance for an overnighter, I was impressed by the grandeur of the property during my brief visit. The staff was extremely courteous and welcoming, and on enquiring about the hotel’s facilities and services, they were kind enough to give me the grand tour of the property.
A mélange of French elegance and Indian hospitality is spread across the hotel and this unique combination resonates in the establishment’s design elements. Possibly the most striking feature was the contrast between the carved stupa like structures in the lobby and the custom-made crystal and glass chandeliers, inspired by the beaded dresses of Parisian women who danced the Charleston in the 1920s, mounting and adorning the atrium ceiling. There are many other facets of the Indo-French blend all along the 14-storey building.
Sofitel Mumbai BKC houses 302 rooms, including 31 suites, with plush furniture, sleek finishing, paintings, wallpaper and textures to add to the visual appeal, cutting-edge modern technological instalments, and a view of the Mumbai skyline.
The grandest of the suites – the Imperial Suite, is a destination in its own right, emulating a modern and chic two-bedroom Parisian apartment in the heart of Mumbai. The theme of the blend of the two cultures carries forth into all the rooms with Indian motifs outlining curtains, windows and lining the ceiling. The artwork in the rooms is a unique collection of prints under the banner of “A Tale of Two Cities”. Each of the 10 different custom created paintings in the rooms, show historical monuments from India merging with landmarks from France.
The hotel also has several wellness options with a pool, a 24-hour gymnasium and a 24-hour spa. SoSPA by L’Occitane features unique treatments customised to fit every guest’s need. It sprawls over 6,000 sq.ft. on a dedicated floor and is a serene space in the buzzing district of BKC, especially with its immaculate features called the “Golden Drops of Luxury” which are meant to exude exotic gold rain.
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The options for dining at Sofitel Mumbai BKC are also plenty and promising. The All-day Dining is named after the French colony – Pondichéry Café, and offers a spread of over 120 local and international dishes at its’ lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch buffets.
Attached to the all-day dining is the hotel’s bar, known as Le Bar Diamantaire, an ode to the diamond traders at the largest diamond bourse that neighbours the hotel. The most impressive feature of the bar is the wine tower that hosts approximately 120 varieties of local and international wines and over 800 bottles at a time.
At the other end of the lobby, is the hotel’s French Bistro, all-day breakfast and jazz lounge – Artisan. A true nod to French rustic dining, the menu offers authentic French classics such as Coq-au-Vin, French Onion Soup, Croque Monsieur, among other bistro regulars such as sandwiches, pizzas and refreshing salads, and some Indian café favourites. It also displays the hotel’s patissiers’ finest works with macarons, divine pastries and cakes and artisanal breads. I had the opportunity to grab a bite at Artisan and the Akuri on toast, a dish famous of the Parsi cuisine in India was a pleasure in every bite.
The restaurant ‘Tuskers’ on the first floor is a complete vegetarian restaurant, featuring delicacies native to the Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India. In fact, the name was inspired by the colonial name of elephants, the most humble and largest vegetarian mammal.
Finally, the Jyran – Tandoor & Fine Dining restaurant on the fourth floor of the hotel, offers the cuisine of the Northwest Frontier of India and is an ode to the poets and warriors of the region. The décor of the space is also simply stunning, featuring a wooden bridge over a shallow water body leading to the entrance and a two-tonne elephant made from scraps of metal. The restaurant’s most recent feature, however, is a gin bar featuring the best from across the world.
While I did have the opportunity to discover all these wonderful aspects during my short visit to the hotel, I missed out on the chance to experience pure luxury. But I’m now quite confident about where my next stay is going to be during my next visit to Mumbai. What about you?
