SOHO House Mumbai is a 10-storey building which boasts cosy hotel rooms, a gym, a restaurant, a cinema, a library and a rooftop with panoramic views of the city. Undoubtedly it’s one of Mumbai’s hottest hangout spots. We stayed the night to find out whether it lives up to the hype.
The house attracts everyone from Bollywood’s biggest stars and local creatives. Unlike other houses across the world, the exclusivity of Soho House Mumbai is a little more relaxed as you don’t have to be a member to stay there. It’s located in the buzzy Juhu area which is filled with boutiques, bars and restaurants, and its close proximity to the airport makes it highly desirable for world travellers like myself.
Main members’ space and bar area
Iconic Mumbai hotels such as Novotel, Ramada and the 5-star JW Marriot property are all within a mile’s radius of Soho House, but they are not competition. The hotel prides itself on being a home away from home, and if you have stayed at any of its other properties, you’d immediately recognise some of the design elements.
Soho House Mumbai has the flare of a 5-star hotel without the uppity frills. The ground floor is arguably the most exciting part of the building. It has all the action of a buzzy hotel lobby, but the attitude of fashion week. The check-in desk is a few metres from the entrance of Soho House-owned eatery, Cecconi’s, which serves up a menu of Italian favourites. There’s also a cafe by the front door, which doubles up as a workspace or a place to catch a quick espresso.
A staff member dressed in jeans and a logo t-shirt guided me through check-in before walking me to my small city balcony room. Considering this was the cheapest room at around the £100 mark (cheaper if you’re a member or friends with one), I was pleasantly surprised.
One of the 38 bedrooms at Soho House Mumbai
The use of wood, soft lighting and cosy colours gave the room a homely feel, and the tiled bathroom was accented with their signature brass fittings. With sustainability being a key focus at Soho House, I was glad to see that all of the bathroom amenities were made from wood and recycled materials, including the slippers which were made from cork.
The bed was very much the centrepiece. It featured a large headboard which was decorated in a busy red Indian fabric. Despite being a basic room, it was kitted out with a nice bar area, radio, television and Bluetooth speaker. It was far from basic.
Each floor featured unique art, most of which came from South Asian artists. The fusion of Indian touches with the modern design worked well as a theme, and everything felt authentic.
Rooftop pool
In the theme of fusion, I decided to visit the rooftop for dinner, where they serve a selection of house classics alongside local Indian dishes. From a price point, the food is no different to any good establishment in the area, but what stands out is the vast selection of wines and spirits. Guests enjoyed dinner and drinks whilst watching the sunset across the Arabian Sea. The pool area is a particular hub as it is lined with pool cabanas which feature striped sunbeds.
The staff had a relaxed approach to service, but eventually, I was able to order some simple dishes such as daal, palak tofu, naan and chill cheese toast. All of these were brilliant and offered authentic flavours. A worry of mine would be that they’d dumb down the flavours to please international crowds, but this was not the case.
By the time I’d finished my meal, the rooftop started to fill up and a DJ began spinning some tunes by the pool. Those who wanted to enjoy dinner in a quieter setting took the 8th floor, which serves the same food.
Breakfast time at the rooftop is a different story. The sound of cocktail shakers is replaced by grinding coffee beans, and people enjoy a slow start to the day whilst basking in the bright morning sun.
The library, 9th floor
There are plenty of great hideouts in the building, but a favourite of mine came to be the library on the ninth floor. Its large glass panel wall means you can overlook the member’s space below. It’s a slice of solitude if you’ve been out in the noisy city all day or fancy people-watching.
Having slowly nibbled my way through the Indian food menu, I decided to indulge in a pizza at Cecconi’s before checking out. As I took the elevator down to the ground floor, I noticed a poster advertising events at the house.
Everything from cinema screenings, arty workshops and cookery classes were taking place in the upcoming weeks. I was sad to miss them. This creative rotation of events is curated by the Soho House team, and can be accessed via membership or if you’re a paying hotel guest.
If you’re looking for a luxury stay in Mumbai, you won’t be short of options, however, Soho House offers a happy medium between casual comfort and luxury whilst offering open access to one of the most exclusive spaces in the city. The icing on the cake is there’s no hefty price tag!
by Katrina Mirpuri
image credit: Himanshu Lakhwani
For more information on reservations and pricing, visit the Soho House website here.