2am arrival in Mumbai

kristy · Oct 10th, 2009, 13:46

Hello,

I will be arriving in Mumbai at 2am. This is my first India trip, so exciting!

I'm hoping to book a hotel in advance for this first night, any suggestions where? will the prepaid taxis go to Colaba area? is that the best/safe/central area to stay? Seems very expensive so I probably won't stay too long

Also, are there any particularly good websites for booking hotels/hostels in India? I have used hostelbooker.com for traveling in se asia before, and that was really useful.

Thanks!

gaurav1441 · Oct 10th, 2009, 13:50

Welcome to India.. By the time you will come out it will be 3am and Colaba is further an hour away from airport. Colaba would be better if you want to roam around Mumbai the next day. Avoid Central areas stick to either Colaba or closer to airport.

You have not indicated your budget. But you can still check travelguru.com , makemytrip.com, yatra.com, inasra.com etc for a mid range accomodation.

kristy · Oct 10th, 2009, 14:01

Thanks Gaurav, I'm having a look now.

my budget is low range I guess. Are you saying that Colaba is too far to go in a taxi from the airport at 3am?

gaurav1441 · Oct 10th, 2009, 14:08

Well Mumbai never sleeps so you can go anywhere at about anytime. Just be sure that either driver knows the place or you get a decent idea of the place which you book.

A taxi ride would be about Rs 300 -Rs 350. Another area worth considering is around Juhu.

kristy · Oct 10th, 2009, 14:09

Ah cool thanks.

: )

kristy · Oct 10th, 2009, 14:35

how crazy does it sound to not book accommodation, catch a taxi or bus to Colaba, arriving at approx 4am, and trying to find accommodation this way?

is this a crazily dangerous plan?

ribhu95 · Oct 10th, 2009, 14:40

Without doubt ...

ribhu

gaurav1441 · Oct 10th, 2009, 15:00

hmmm Crazy but not dangerous as long as you know which places to check for in Colaba at 4am.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristy

how crazy does it sound to not book accommodation, catch a taxi or bus to Colaba, arriving at approx 4am, and trying to find accommodation this way?

is this a crazily dangerous plan?

machadinha · Oct 10th, 2009, 16:06

Mumbai is never easy on accommodation; neither price-wise (relative to the rest of the country at least, and certainly), nor in terms of availability.

So landing there and certainly in the middle of the night, it's a very good idea to have a room pre-booked. If you don't like what you get, at least you'll have a bed & can scout on from there.

There should be prepaid taxis from the airport to anywhere at all hours I suspect yes. Rs. 350 seems to be the going daytime rate from Colaba to the airport (although I've been told by a taxi driver even it should be possible to haggle this down to Rs. 250 if you know your haggling, but let's assume you and most of us can consider this anecdotal for now); I don't know if the pre-paid taxis charge the same (could be more), and there'll likely be a nightly surcharge anyway (of 25% in Mumbai I think).

Try also this site's Hotel Listings for some hotel suggestions.

btw Colaba in the middle of the night while not necessarily dangerous as such, and with everyone mostly asleep including any hotel staff who you'll have to wake up (at not the highest end of the market anyway), I wouldn't necessarily recommend to go out to as a female (or even male) first arrrival to just knock on some doors and try your luck. And there may well be the odd shady or freakish character hanging around, sure.

Having something arranged there though and being dropped by the door, no problem. Kristy, it's the main tourist and notably backpacker (but not just those) area here; so while that brings with it its own degree of tackiness (try to look up some eateries that serve not just the tourist crowd, of which there are in fact plenty), you'll find plenty of like souls and it's well-geared to that scene, and so in that sense it's as good and safe an area to stay in as any.

kristy · Oct 10th, 2009, 19:11

Hey Thanks. That was so helpful. It's a bit hard to know what to expect at the airport with transport etc so thanks heaps : )

capt_mahajan · Oct 10th, 2009, 20:31

First trip, arriving middle of the night, female.

I suggest book a decent hotel with a airport pickup-or else wait till daylight to drive to Colaba. Maybe even a hotel near the airport for the first night.

I say this because it will be safer- and, equally importantly, will be less of a hassle for a first arrival into India. You will probably be overwhelmed anyway without these additional irritants.

Melancholy · Oct 18th, 2009, 03:24

Hey- My friend and I are in a similar boat, arriving at 3am. We decided to book a hotel room. Much easier than wondering around with luggage at stupid o'clock with jet lag and if you're by yourself it will be a lot safer to have somewhere to go. I suggest 'splashing out' and getting a room in hotel with airport pick up. First night will probably be a bit daunting so be nice to yourself

Melancholy · Oct 18th, 2009, 03:24

Hey- My friend and I are in a similar boat, arriving at 3am. We decided to book a hotel room. Much easier than wondering around with luggage at stupid o'clock with jet lag and if you're by yourself it will be a lot safer to have somewhere to go. I suggest 'splashing out' and getting a room in hotel with airport pick up. First night will probably be a bit daunting so be nice to yourself

Oct 10th, 2009, 13:46	#1
kristy Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 16	2am arrival in Mumbai Hello, I will be arriving in Mumbai at 2am. This is my first India trip, so exciting! I'm hoping to book a hotel in advance for this first night, any suggestions where? will the prepaid taxis go to Colaba area? is that the best/safe/central area to stay? Seems very expensive so I probably won't stay too long Also, are there any particularly good websites for booking hotels/hostels in India? I have used hostelbooker.com for traveling in se asia before, and that was really useful. Thanks!

Oct 10th, 2009, 16:06	#9
machadinha brother my cup is empty member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 14,373	Mumbai is never easy on accommodation; neither price-wise (relative to the rest of the country at least, and certainly), nor in terms of availability. So landing there and certainly in the middle of the night, it's a very good idea to have a room pre-booked. If you don't like what you get, at least you'll have a bed & can scout on from there. There should be prepaid taxis from the airport to anywhere at all hours I suspect yes. Rs. 350 seems to be the going daytime rate from Colaba to the airport (although I've been told by a taxi driver even it should be possible to haggle this down to Rs. 250 if you know your haggling, but let's assume you and most of us can consider this anecdotal for now); I don't know if the pre-paid taxis charge the same (could be more), and there'll likely be a nightly surcharge anyway (of 25% in Mumbai I think). Try also this site's Hotel Listings for some hotel suggestions. btw Colaba in the middle of the night while not necessarily dangerous as such, and with everyone mostly asleep including any hotel staff who you'll have to wake up (at not the highest end of the market anyway), I wouldn't necessarily recommend to go out to as a female (or even male) first arrrival to just knock on some doors and try your luck. And there may well be the odd shady or freakish character hanging around, sure. Having something arranged there though and being dropped by the door, no problem. Kristy, it's the main tourist and notably backpacker (but not just those) area here; so while that brings with it its own degree of tackiness (try to look up some eateries that serve not just the tourist crowd, of which there are in fact plenty), you'll find plenty of like souls and it's well-geared to that scene, and so in that sense it's as good and safe an area to stay in as any. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Oct 10th, 2009, 20:31	#11
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,605	First trip, arriving middle of the night, female. I suggest book a decent hotel with a airport pickup-or else wait till daylight to drive to Colaba. Maybe even a hotel near the airport for the first night. I say this because it will be safer- and, equally importantly, will be less of a hassle for a first arrival into India. You will probably be overwhelmed anyway without these additional irritants. __________________ . Outside the machine

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Oct 10th, 2009, 13:50	#2
gaurav1441 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 729	Welcome to India.. By the time you will come out it will be 3am and Colaba is further an hour away from airport. Colaba would be better if you want to roam around Mumbai the next day. Avoid Central areas stick to either Colaba or closer to airport. You have not indicated your budget. But you can still check travelguru.com , makemytrip.com, yatra.com, inasra.com etc for a mid range accomodation.

Oct 10th, 2009, 14:01	#3
kristy Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 16	Thanks Gaurav, I'm having a look now. my budget is low range I guess. Are you saying that Colaba is too far to go in a taxi from the airport at 3am?

Oct 10th, 2009, 14:08	#4
gaurav1441 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 729	Well Mumbai never sleeps so you can go anywhere at about anytime. Just be sure that either driver knows the place or you get a decent idea of the place which you book. A taxi ride would be about Rs 300 -Rs 350. Another area worth considering is around Juhu.

Oct 10th, 2009, 14:09	#5
kristy Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 16	Ah cool thanks. : )

Oct 10th, 2009, 14:35	#6
kristy Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 16	how crazy does it sound to not book accommodation, catch a taxi or bus to Colaba, arriving at approx 4am, and trying to find accommodation this way? is this a crazily dangerous plan?

Oct 10th, 2009, 14:40	#7
ribhu95 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 264	Without doubt ... ribhu

Oct 10th, 2009, 19:11	#10
kristy Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 16	Hey Thanks. That was so helpful. It's a bit hard to know what to expect at the airport with transport etc so thanks heaps : )

Oct 18th, 2009, 03:24	#12
Melancholy Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: England Posts: 8	Hey- My friend and I are in a similar boat, arriving at 3am. We decided to book a hotel room. Much easier than wondering around with luggage at stupid o'clock with jet lag and if you're by yourself it will be a lot safer to have somewhere to go. I suggest 'splashing out' and getting a room in hotel with airport pick up. First night will probably be a bit daunting so be nice to yourself