Opened in 1986, The Leela Mumbai is the seminal property of India’s acclaimed The Leela chain of hotels, resorts, and palaces. The hotel was conceived as the first luxury hotel north of Mumbai proper by its founder, CP Krishnan Nair. Upon its opening, the hotel and chain it follows were named in tribute to Nair’s wife, Leela Nair. Set within 11 acres of greenery, the 391 key hotel remains one of the most lush in the area.

Booking The Leela Mumbai

For this two-night stay at The Leela, I paid a nightly rate of INR 13,300, which at the time of booking was equivalent to about USD 160 or GBP 123. This rate was inclusive of breakfast, as was the case at most hotels in the area.

Location

Located on Sahar Airport Road, the hotel lies within a close distance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Furthermore, the Airport Road Station on the Mumbai Metro is a leisurely five-minute walk around the corner from the hotel. Apart from that, I’ll note that there is not much within the direct vicinity of the hotel, although taxis and autorickshaws are prevalent outside the hotel.

Check-in

After arriving on the evening Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore, I took an airport taxi from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to the hotel. Little did I know that Mumbai taxis are composed of tiny A-segment cars without air conditioning, which require luggage to be placed on a rack on the car’s roof. That surely was a first time for me!

Facing uncertainty from a driver who spoke no English, I was soon solaced when I saw signage for The Leela in the distance. At the hotel’s entrance, we underwent a quick security check before driving down the long driveway to the porte-cochère.

Greeted by no less than three doormen, we again had to undergo security checks for our bags and ourselves as we entered the lobby. As we waited to be checked in, the doorman invited us to sit down at the concierge desk, where our check-in was then handled. Having provided our passports, the friendly reception agent processed our arrival and offered us bottles of water.

We were then escorted to our room by our check-in agent, who turned out the concierge as well. How strange, yet quaintly charming? In spite of my initial confusion about the arrangement, I still found myself in awe of the grand and beautifully designed lobby. After all these years, the place has definitely aged like fine wine!

Premier City View Room

Inside, you’ll find the furniture arranged in a style typical of a hotel. There’s a large king-sized bed with two nightstands facing the television and a desk placed opposite. On top of that, there is also a comfortable sofa chair alongside a complementing side table by the window. 

Although relatively small, the bedroom is well furnished and incorporates an elegant yet cosy Nancy Meyers-style interior design. The hues and tones are soft and subdued, much like the lighting — a wondrous sight to the weary traveller. Local Maharasthran touches were, however, limited to a few accents, from the wall decor to the carpet. As such, the room encapsulates a timeless International Style vibe, popular with five-star hotels from the 1990s to the 2000s.

Moreover, the bed and chairs were very comfortable, which paired with the extended use of textiles, makes the room really quite cosy and inviting. Thoughtful details like the daily replenished fruit plate and plentiful bottled water (a must in Mumbai!) round up the room very well.

Finally, I’ll note that the room views the Airport Road Station of the relatively new Mumbai Metro, adjacent to the hotel. Despite its proximity, soundproofing is excellent and there was hardly any noise seeping into the room. If you’re a light sleeper, however, it wouldn’t hurt to request a pool-viewing room instead.

Bathroom

Adjacent to the entryway is the small but well-appointed marble bathroom. The lavatory portion of the bathroom has a window into the bedroom, allowing sunlight to penetrate the space. However, when more privacy is needed, the sliding vanity mirror cleverly doubles as a partition.

Accounting for the limited space, the shower and bathtub are contained in a wet room area. Of that, the shower features both handheld and rain shower heads. Both the shower and bathtub had excellent water pressure and temperature.

Toiletries are in abundance on the sink top, which is always convenient. Provided are Tishya Spa amenities, which are The Leela’s house brand. Scented with lotus and neelakurinji, the fragrance took some getting used to, though I ended up liking it. Furthermore, as is common in the region, the toilets are equipped with handheld bidets.

Amenities

Fitness Centre

The fitness centre is located down the spa area, bathed in hypnotic blue lighting. The fitness centre is spread between two levels, on the first of which you’ll mostly find cardio equipment and a stack of free weights. For one, I thought the combination of the lighting and row treadmills made for a sleek if not uncomfortable sight.

On the mezzanine level, you’ll find a handful of weight machines. Like the treadmills and exercise bikes downstairs, these Technogym machines were modern and in excellent shape.

Swimming Pool

From the spa area, there is a corridor that leads to a staircase going up to the swimming pool area. The organic-shaped swimming pool itself is large, taking up a significant footprint over the lush gardens of the hotel. Pool loungers surround the perimeter of the pool, as do various large trees.

The Salon

In addition to the fitness centre and the swimming pool, The Leela also has an in-house hair salon. Given the hotel’s location, I’m not sure of the target audience of this niche facility –– but then again, who am I to say?

Breakfast

Breakfast is served daily between 07.00 and 11.00 at the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Citrus. As the hotel had been sold out during our stay, the restaurant was noticeably packed each morning. As it would seem, the venue’s relatively small footprint struggled to cope with the massive influx of guests. At the very least, I appreciated the green garden views out from the restaurant.

As you ought to expect from a hotel of this size breakfast is served in a buffet style, featuring various kinds of traditional breakfast dishes to an array of sweets. The food encompassed a variety of cuisines, including Western, East Asian, and Continental, as well as an assembly of various Indian dishes. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

The food was of very good quality and tasted great. Similar praises can be said about the service – the restaurant’s staff were nothing less than warm and approachable promptly taking à la carte orders while ensuring to clear empty plates.

Service

I had no qualms about service at The Leela. Every staff member I interacted with was nothing short of friendly and helpful. While there are local quirks about the hotel, the staff delivered polished and professional service expected from an acclaimed company like The Leela. Very nice!

Overall

With its range of well-appointed rooms, good facilities, great service, and excellent dining, The Leela Mumbai is a very comfortable hotel. While its location near the airport isn’t ideal for a first-time visitor, the hotel is a great base to explore greater Mumbai. Overall, I had a very pleasant stay at The Leela Mumbai and would be happy to stay here again.

Read more from this trip here!