Hotel White Pearl or Gulf Hotel Mumbai

sandrinella

Trying in the MUMBAI section now, since the lodging section had no replies...
Hope it works this time

Hello dear IndiaMikers,
I am looking for a room in Mumbai, nothing too exiting, just clean and comfortable. It would be nice to be in the Colaba area, because I have been there before and will know my way around.
Stayed at Bentleys before, but will be arriving pretty late at night and the last time I went there after a flight arriving late, I got the last dumpster room. It was terrible and in the morning I was able to change rooms. But it took quite some time, which is what I don't have this time around with only 2 days in Mumbai. The other room there was great, but I don't want to pay a lot of money and then get a room for a few hours I could have easily spend a lot less on...
Therefore I am looking for a different hotel.
I had a look at the website of the Hotel White Pearl or Gulf Hotel.
Has anybody stayed there before?
Are they different at all?
I tried phoning, but they hung up on me twice before they would tell me the rate (1550 INR). Then, when I asked how I would go about making a reservation, they said I should call again a week before my arrival... Now that is strange, no?!
The Residency is full, otherwise I might have opted going there...

September 27th, 2007, 01:57 PM #2
sandrinella
Member

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: germany
Posts: 8
Hmmm, since nobody replied anything yet, I think there is either something wrong with my post or nobody has stayed there yet...

Let's put it differently:

Is it normal procedure to make a hotel booking only 1 week ahead of arrival date?
Has someone stayed at either the White Pearl or the Gulf Hotel before?
Can you recommend another hotel in Colaba area?
Or Fort?

Thanks a million,
Sandra

skinnylatte

Did not stay at either hotel, but checked out Gulf. Like the rooftop restaurant (Koyla) but not the rooms/the hotel. Also did not like the feel of the place + the area it's in; I was a single female and it was the part of Colaba that felt far too 'male' for my comfort.

I stayed at Carlton Hotel, behind the Taj. I got a single room with shared toilet for 400, no tax. It was OK. There was a slightly larger option with a window for 450-500; there are some that have attached bathrooms, some with AC. Go for the attached bath if you can; the doors of the showers weren't working (1 mth ago).

Benazeer is also a good option in the Fort. Near good local eating places. I got a room for slightly under 1000 with AC and hot water and TV. Friendly little place with a cheap and good restaurant that the locals eat at.

http://www.benazeerhotelmumbai.com/rates.htm

1 week ahead of booking is OK unless it's super-high season. I usually call two days/a day before or show up on the spot.

aadil

I would not recommend either of the two you mentioned but the Benazeer Hotel is just next to the Residency and it is not as expensive nor does it have all the comforts of the Residency but for the price it is worth it. Their inhouse restaurant is now closed down and sold to a Bank(?)!!!

There are other good eating places nearby so nothing to worry about food in the area: Try 5 Spice opposite the Reserve Bank of India, Amar Building, for some extra large helpings of Chinese cuisine (One dish serves three people easily!!!) or Mocambo for the Beer Bar cum continental food, Lalit for some down to earth South Indian vegetarian snacks and lunch, Yokos for some great Sizzlers, Ideal Cafe for some good Parsi cuisine, Mahesh Lunch Home for the best seafood in town, Yazdani Bakery for the freshest breads and bakery products, etc.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Aadil.

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Lacha

dont know if am too late with this post...try the Godwing Hotel- its not all that bad....i was told Krishna palace is excellent..but its not in the colaba area.

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LACHA

the opoponax

I was this close to reserving something at Bentley's when I found this thread. Lacha, you might have been too late to help the original poster, but if you hadn't replied and bumped this thread I would have reserved the so-called "dumpster room" due to arriving late at night...

I think I'm going to try for the Benazeer, instead, which is about the same price range.