Located in the heart of South Mumbai or “Town,” the Ambassador Hotel (link) stands graciously, rich with history in its stature. Constructed in the 1940s, it holds one of the most prominent rooftop restaurants in the world. It’s the only revolving restaurant in Mumbai, providing a 360-degree panoramic view of the city, and takes 90 minutes to rotate on its axis.
On a recent visit, members of Team Destination Luxury was fortunate enough to stay in the hotel’s 1,500 square foot Presidential Suite. The Ambassador is the perfect symbiotic melding of old and new Mumbai, which has undergone rapid economic infrastructural changes. Real estate development and prices in Mumbai have skyrocketed to levels similar to New York City and Hong Kong.
While the hotel embraces much of modern Mumbai as its undergoing development, it still holds on to old world rustic charm, reminiscent of a private club. It’s central to tourist areas of Mumbai and relatively close to the world-renown Churchgate and across Brabourne Stadium.
The two restaurants in the Ambassador Hotel, Flavors and the Society, bring a global Indian flare to cuisine. The Society’s Executive Chef, Maniklal Chowdhury showcases his 40 years of international experience. Chowdhury specializes in Indian and Oriental fusion food, creating quite the concoction.
The Ambassador Hotel also has two locations in Pallava Chennai and Ajanta Aurangabad. Ambassador Pallava provides a family escape with all the amenities within the hotel. Ambassador Ajanta is the largest 5-star hotel in Aurangabad and conveniently located next to the airport. Both are phenomenal hotels and worth exploring.
Here is a sampling of our experience at the one and only Ambassador Hotel:
The hotel at night.
AMBASSADOR HOTEL
The lobby of the hotel.
Lobby
Every morning, an open breakfast buffet was ready for us to devour in Flavors. In the afternoon, we ordered from their wide selection of entrees in the evening.
restaurant
The Society is emblazoned with color and decor.
Our COO, Chirag Sagar, with Executive Chef Maniklal Chowdhury.
The chicken tikka is a fan favorite. It’s the most popular item on the menu. Each bite delivers a blast of flavor and spice.
The Chef recommended trying his assortment of vegetarian and meat entrees. Butter Chicken was his specialty, but the bhindi packs a punch for any vegans. We needed to be carried out of the restaurant after this meal.
Currently undergoing construction, the rooftop revolving restaurant stands as a hallmark and staple of Mumbai. It oversees the Queen’s Necklace.
For any cricket fans, the Ambassador Hotel oversees Brabourne Stadium. India played in the World Cup during our stay. Unfortunately, they lost to West Indies in the semifinals. It was a remarkable game nonetheless. You can hear the crowd roar through the Ambassador. Their screams reverberated through the windows.
suite
The Presidential suite.
suite
The bedroom.
bedroom
Waking up to this gorgeous view was our favorite aspect of the room.
bathroom
The bathrooms are large and fit to keep you comfortable. The marble flooring reminded us of the 5-star hotels of Las Vegas. The Ambassador Hotel continuously monitored our room and restored our fridge and amenities. Service in India is tough to beat, and the Ambassador staff deliver immediately when requested.
To note: the restaurant is undergoing construction and is set to re-open early October, 2016.
Ambassador Hotel Mumbai
http://www.ambassadorindia.com/
Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400 020., Maharashtra, Mumbai, India
+912222041131
Ambassador Hotel Pallava Chennai
http://www.ambassadorindia.com/
30, Montieth Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 0008., Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India
+914428554476
Ambassador Hotel Ajanta Aurangabad
http://www.ambassadorindia.com/
CIDCO, Jalna Road, AURANGABAD – 431003, Maharashtra, Aurangabad, India
+912406607200