FIRST LOOK AT THE PARK, MUMBAI

The Park Hotels, a chain of one of a kind boutique hotels in India is redefining the whole hotel handbook with its unique design-led hotels, which are not necessarily with grand lobbies or larger-than-life amenities but with distinctive and relatable personalities of their own. Each property is blended with art and character of the local surroundings, be it the 263 room property with overflowing iteration from Hyderabad’s tradition and breath-taking Nazim’s jewellery collection inspired façade or about giving a reminiscent library of DVDs to ensure that you catch up on an old classic movie in the city of Bollywood, Mumbai. To add to their fanatic journey and your sublime experience, The Park's Five-Star Hotels is now welcoming you to their new spot at Juhu Tara Road in Mumbai.

Photo credits: The Park Hotels

With a great share of veracity, Mumbaikars now have the privilege to enjoy a new ideal space blended in Park’s signature style – sophisticated, artsy and locally inspired –  yet again a promising hub on the suburb to create unforgettable memories of lounge and leisure.

Priya Paul: her inspiration and sensibilities

Back in 90’s when there wasn’t any doable hotel in between Magnificent Palatial mansions and downside homely B&B’s, Priya pioneered the idea of Boutique hotels which were luxurious, aesthetically pleasing and an absolute leisure haven – as they term it ‘The design hotels’, spread over India's ten most vibrant cities. A hotel-stay experience in her early days at a boutique hotel in New York has shaped her entire journey since she joined her father after completing her studies. Be it her creative bent for aesthetics or undiluted passion for her father’s legacy of The Park, the maven is bestowing upon us a slew of awe-inspiring concepts one after the other.

Photo credits: Forbes

Today, Paul’s single focus is to keep her hotel chain contemporary, refreshing, and continuously improving for which the lady has succoured on some of the uber fresh concepts like incorporating the valuables executed by edgy artists, architects; and giving a home to the creative imagination of Tarun Tahiliani, Conran and Partners, Prakash Mankar, Michael Aram, Chandrashekhar Kanetkar, Carl Ettensperger, Hemi Bawa, and Gunjan Gupta among others. Not to forget that the lady handpicks each store herself from brands to restaurants that take terrain in these glorious hotels.

The Park, Juhu Tara Road, Mumbai: By the Sea and sheen, and everything in between

In Priya’s words, “the idea of the design behind the hotel is really to simply reflect Mumbai’s natural beauty, which we sometimes forget about—the Juhu Beach location, the staggeringly beautiful sunsets—but also to bring in its glamorous and glittery side via the furnishings and fun accents. Mumbai is a bit of both!”

Photo credits: CN Traveller

In the city of rage, Priya Paul has cleverly knotted in the inadvertent serenity of the Arabian Sea, that most of the hustlers tend to overlook. This property is facing the Juhu Beach where one can witness the most blissful dawn and dusks coupled with the relaxing sounds of the seashore, swaying palm trees and the breath of some beach sand. This eight-story building stands a chic charcoal-grey façade with a poppy fuchsia and orange coloured windows (designed by architect Sanjay Puri) which drives its way into the romantically set rooms with quirky furnishings (sixty rooms, to be precise!). However, the Presidential Suit’s bathrooms are statement-making featuring the iconic Kaali-peeli taxi as a giant mural wall art over the bathtubs. Like all other properties, The Park at Juhu also has a unique personality to it, of city’s lustre and Juhu’s tranquillity.

Photo credits: CN Traveller

Other than that, the hotel comes with an admirable rooftop bar setup to enliven the evenings with cocktails beside the pool, under the open sky. Coming to food, Meishi, a pan-Asian restaurant serves three-course meals which include Indian cuisine along with a myriad sumptuous offerings on the plate (currently only to hotel residents), its seating is further attached to a private dining room sectioned with a curtain of gold chains; current favourites on the menu are avocado carpaccio with silken tofu and an edamame mezze. On ground of amenities, ‘The Saffron Room’ a banquet area of about 2,500sq ft., a gym and a whimsical spa are on the list.

Photo credits: CN Traveller

The name of its seven types of suites are as fancy as the rooms, if not more – City Side Queen, Studio City Side, Studio Partial Sea View, Studio Sea Vista, Studio Suite Partial Sea View, Studio Suite Sea Vista, and The Zen, with Tariff ranging from INR 6499 to 37000 respectively.

Photo credits: CN Traveller

In a nutshell, this new addition to Park Hotels shows Mumbai at its finest! Whether you are a patron, traveller, or on an occasional business trip; spend some time here for a refreshing urban getaway despite being in the city (of mayhem!). Live it up!