Are you thinking of a staycation in Mumbai? Generally, when we think of a holiday we always think of being far from our home. The core idea is to get away from all the chaos and stress and seek peace of mind. Hence, choosing a short holiday so close to home might not seem like a real holiday experience. However, that is only until you’ve tried a staycation in your city.
To most Mumbaikars, the definition of a holiday is either a trip to one of the city malls, a movie date or head to the nearest hill stations like Lonavala or Mahabaleshwar.
However, if you are looking for a different experience you can choose from various staycation hotels in Mumbai for holidays. This offers a unique way to spend quality time with your partner and family while being close to home.
Before we proceed, let me help you understand what is a staycation.
Staycation is a portmanteau of stay and vacation. This is ideally used for holidays where people choose to holiday in their home city or near home location.
Why We Chose a Luxury Staycation in Mumbai?
- We were celebrating a special day
- To enjoy holidays without having to commute long distances and get tired
- Manage our budget
- Wanted to make the most out of every minute we spent together
- Enjoy fine dining and drinks
- Experience 5-star services, facilities and amenities
How Many Days Is a Staycation?
A staycation is all about enjoying holidays in your home city or town. Hence, there is no rule about how many days form a staycation. You can stay overnight, a weekend, or a week to make the most of your staycation.
How to Research for Staycation Hotels in Mumbai?
This staycation in Mumbai was a surprise birthday gift to Sarah. Hence, I had to keep her out of the research process for obvious reasons. If you are planning a staycation in Mumbai there are ample staycation hotels in Mumbai you can choose from. However, with so many options to choose from you need to be clear about what you want.
Know Your Budget
Even before I began researching hotels for staycation in Mumbai, I had clarity about how much I wanted to spend. If you are choosing a staycation in Mumbai 5-star hotels you must know how much you will end up spending. This includes room tariff, food and beverage cost, additional facilities and amenities cost and so on. My total budget for this one day staycation in Mumbai was Rs. 20,000 (US$ 250) and we stuck to that.
While you are searching for staycation hotels in Mumbai you also have to look for offers and staycation deals in Mumbai. This would allow you to find the best rooms and suites at the best price for the day.
Tip: Most 5-star hotels would generally charge a lower room tariff on a working weekday.
You can also look for various 4-star and 3-star properties for cheap staycation in Mumbai. This would allow you to plan your staycation holiday in Mumbai based on your budget.
Know the Location & View
One of the benefits of a staycation in Mumbai was how quickly we reached our destination. However, it is still crucial to choose the right location to enjoy the best views. Sea-view rooms can cost you a lot more than city-view rooms. Hence, you need to be selective about choosing Mumbai staycation hotels right next to the sea.
I chose The Westin Mumbai Garden City because it is relatively closer and offers a great view of the city. However, there are plenty of staycation spots in Mumbai that you can choose from. Hence, you must browse through a list of staycation deals in Mumbai to help you enjoy your one-day holiday.
Food Choices
One of the highlights of a weekend staycation in Mumbai is that you get to enjoy a culinary experience. Food is an essential part of the overall experience, especially for a staycation in Mumbai for family. Different couples have different food preferences. Similarly, different 5-star hotels in Mumbai have different sets of restaurants.
Some 5-star hotels will have multiple restaurants all catering for a specific cuisine. If you are heading out for a staycation in Mumbai with your partner you should pre-discuss the cuisine. If you prefer to stick to the basics you can look for 5-star hotels that have excellent North Indian cuisine. You can also look out for restaurants that serve Chinese or Italian cuisines. However, if you want to experiment you can go for Japanese, Korean, Lebanese or Mediterranean cuisines.
On the contrary, since you are enjoying a staycation in Mumbai you have the benefit of not dining at any of these fancy restaurants. Instead, you can take a cab and head to any of the popular restaurants in Mumbai, enjoy your meal and return to the hotel. This allows you to manage your expenses the right way.
Focus on Activities
When you are planning a luxurious staycation break in Mumbai you must also focus on what activities you want to cover. This is essential to how you will spend your day. For instance, I chose The Westin Mumbai Garden City because it is right next to a popular shopping mall. This means that Sarah and I can shop in the mall and just walk into the hotel within five minutes.
When you are thinking of a 5-star staycation in Mumbai you will get the facilities to enjoy their swimming pool, gym facilities, and spa treatments (for additional cost). However, it is up to you to decide how you want to spend your day and use these facilities. You can pamper yourself and your partner with a nice spa therapy and treatment.
Some hotels might have bigger swimming pools; some may have bigger landscaped gardens and so on. Hence, you have to be clear about activities for staycation in Mumbai. The whole point of choosing a luxury staycation in Mumbai is to enjoy a unique experience.
Is a Staycation in Mumbai Worth the Time and Money?
Personally, we both agree. While it may not seem like a valuable experience, it is.
It can be argued that for Rs. 20,000 (US$ 250) I can go to places like Lonavala or Mahabaleshwar for a weekend holiday.
True.
However, the idea here is to do something different. A weekend staycation in Mumbai allows you to be within the city limits. Hence, you can cut down on travel time and effort to a lot of extent. If you do not have a personal vehicle, you do not have to bother about booking train tickets as well.
The overall experience of a staycation felt unique to us for various reasons mentioned below.
Firstly, once we were within the hotel premises we were in a different space altogether. This was right from the moment we entered the luxurious and large lobby and reception area.
Once we were in the room, the vibe was even better. Now, we were watching the familiar city streets from a plush room up above. While it may be chaotic down there we both were enjoying the view in complete silence and privacy.
It was a great time for us both to forget about our worries and focus on each other. Staycation in Mumbai for couples can be a great experience to get some ‘we’ time.
The friendly and prompt service only made our staycation better.
The most unique and memorable part of our luxury staycation in Mumbai experience was being in the hotel after dinner. We were in no hurry to rush to our home. All we had to do was enjoy dinner, take an elevator and go into our room.
Similarly, the next morning all we had to do was take a bath and come down for a free buffet breakfast. The buffet breakfast at The Westin Mumbai Garden City was expansive. We had so many choices that it took us a while to decide what to eat.
After breakfast, we went down for a nice stroll in the garden, sat in the lobby area and soaked in the luxurious vibe.
We did visit the spa area and the swimming pool area but we skipped taking pictures and videos there. Also, we never used those facilities.
We also made a YouTube vlog of our staycation experience which includes a lot more details.
Conclusion
While this post specifically focuses on a 5-star staycation in Mumbai you can tweak it the way you prefer. No matter what city or town you live in, you can always find luxurious hotels and resorts that allow you to enjoy your holidays. Focus on what you prefer and how you can optimize the limited time you have to help you enjoy unforgettable moments right in your city. If you have questions related to staycation in Mumbai do feel free to write them in the comment section.
4 comments
You both look like you’re having a wonderful, relaxed time. I love the views from the restaurant.
I think staycations are great — even better when one lives in a large city. I agree that staying in a hotel is the right choice for it. Otherwise, the “daily grind” seeps in and diminishes the relaxation.
Really though, a vacation can be anything you want, if you’re willing to be flexible. Once (when I was driving a car that I had bought new — but NINE years before), I decided to rent a convertible for a 3-day weekend. I didn’t get a hotel, not enough funds for both. But I drove up to a “Bavarian” town in the nearby mountains and took in all the touristy stuff. Back in town the next day, I drove the opposite direction and spent the day at a Rennaissance fair. A wealthy friend (whose husband paid cash for her Lexus car) was annoyed with me, to my surprise. “Why didn’t you take the money for the car you rented and stay in a nice bed & breakfast?” Who knows why she was so bent out of shape about it… My point is, that a vacation can be whatever gets your head out of day-to-day existence. It doesn’t have to be what everyone else does.
Hugs.
Exactly. That was the point. I think people sometimes feel envious of what we do because they cannot do the same, or are not in a position, or never thought to celebrate that way. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Hugs.
It looks like you and Sarah had a great time. It’s a great idea to get away without going far. You’re kind to share this idea in so much detail with others.
We certainly did, Dan. While it was a surprise for Sarah, we both got to experience 5-star accommodation for the first time. Thank you for visiting.