Checking In: Soho House, Mumbai
After a couple of weeks in India, it’s impossible not to really love SOHO HOUSE MUMBAI when you arrive. It’s a dose of comfort and calm in one of the world’s most chaotic and characterful cities, which is no doubt going to frustrate you at times. Whilst embracing some Indian flair, it’s very much what Soho House fans know and love: thought-out interiors, buzzy communal spaces, luxurious bedrooms, a slick rooftop and pool, and naturally, and a hip local crowd to match.
Located in north Mumbai in the Western Suburbs — the ‘trendy’ part of Mumbai, and just 10 minutes from the airport, Soho House overlooks Juhu Beach, and is a great base for a couple of days in the city…so long as you have a plan. Mumbai is long and thin, bigger than you think, and the traffic is total chaos, meaning getting anywhere takes time.
Comfort is key in the rooms: giant beds have upholstered headboards and plentiful plush pillows, and Rajasthani block-printed textiles add a local touch. Ask for a room with a sea view so you can wake up to the waves. Temperatures never drop in Mumbai, so you can make the most of your balcony morning or night. Bathrooms are big, with rainfall showers, patterned tile floors, nine(!) different shampoos and conditioners, and luxe marble sinks. Hot water bottles, complimentary chocolate chip cookies, cut-glass champagne saucers, thought-out bathroom amenities, plug adapters, and Marshall speakers are the finishing touches that will make you never, ever want to leave.
Early risers should make a beeline for the rooftop to catch the glorious sunrise, the giant sun rising up above the buildings, casting the whole city in pink. Clever types will stick around to bag a free cabana before the crowds arrive to spend the day poolside — a no brainer in a city as hot and humid as Mumbai. Gym bunnies will love the second-floor gym, which has all the slickest equipment, along with the most beautiful beach views with wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows.
I'm not gonna lie, I initially snubbed Cecconi’s. “We’re in India, we should be eating local food.” But after having curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 10 days, a good bowl of pasta and creamy burrata couldn’t have tasted any better… Service is second to none, helping with everything from finding a dinner spot, to bringing you mozzie-repellent at dinner, and helping you flag down a rickshaw. In short, Soho House Mumbai is a somewhere you can relax in a city so chaotic it’s hard to do so. It was the perfect base and I'd absolutely choose to stay there again.
SOHO HOUSE MUMBAI, rates from £90/night. Note, you don’t need to be a member to stay at a Soho House property, and when you do stay, you have free access to the rooftop, gym, restaurant and events.
READ MORE: 48 HOURS IN MUMBAI
