Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai — Hotel in Mumbai

Four Seasons (4S) should offer a masterclass on how things should be done in the luxury hospitality industry. Right from the beginning a nice interaction with a hotel member on WhatsApp sending a warm invite while my plane was landing was a nice touch. ||In person Mr. Aashrit Mahiesh being the perfect Manager with his team mate Ms. Gauri made the check-in process a breeze. We decided to upgrade to the suite and elect for a couples massage. The suite was fantastic. Spacious, convenient, modern, bright and just right. Though we didn’t soak in the tub, we were happy to see bath salts being provided which was a nice touch. That goes to say every little thing you wanted after a long flight, was thought of by 4S and provided for.||The breakfast at SanQi with Mr. Alankar was the highlight of our morning every single day. First time have I enjoyed authentic South Indian food and wasn’t surprised to meet Mr. Prasad, a soft-spoken gentle chef from Madurai who served the best filter coffee and South Indian dishes in town. Food was 10/10 and that baked yogurt! (chef’s kiss!)||The massage was perfect and the jacuzzi area was great. The relaxation rooms were very nice and spacious.||We were encouraged by Mr. Aashrit to check out the rooftop lounge Aer and what a mind-blowing experience that was! That music along with the whole restaurant opening up was a sight to behold. ShivShakti made sure our evening was perfect. There is also a conference room at the top with fantastic views.||The next day I made a request if a small bouquet could be kept at our room because it was our Anniversary. But when we got back, the room was so BEAUTIFULLY decorated that my wife walked in and was in stunned silence seeing all our pictures from years past with beautiful flowers and a magnificent bouquet! The cake and the bottle of wine added to the whole ambiance. When I messaged Mr. Aashrit later to express my thanks, he was so kind to give the credit to Ms. Gauri for putting this amazing experience together. What an amazing leader to put his team first. ||In my life, I have not written a review this elaborate and there is a reason for that. We typically stay at other finer establishments, but Four Seasons takes the whole luxury hospitality experience to a whole different level thanks to an amazing team of doers who go over and beyond. Mr. Gandhi, the GM not only read the internal review but sent a message passing on all the well deserved praise to his team. This is a very special place, with very special people. For us, the Four Seasons is at the absolute pinnacle and then every other 5 Star hotel. They...

Dearest Readers, Yours truly recently found oneself venturing into the hallowed halls of the Four Seasons Worli, a veritable palace of Mumbai society. One hears whispers of its grandeur, its impeccable service, and its… well, let's just say its exclusivity. This correspondent, ever eager to uncover the truth behind the gilded façade, decided to investigate firsthand. Imagine my surprise, dear readers, when upon entering this esteemed establishment, I was met not with the frosty hauteur one might expect, but with genuine, dare I say, warmth! The staff, bless their attentive hearts, were politeness personified, efficiently guiding me, an unassuming Australian visitor, towards the ground-level coffee lounge. I sought only a simple cuppa whilst awaiting a friend, a resident of this opulent abode. And then, oh, the scandal! Just as I settled in, anticipating a moment of quiet contemplation, the lounge manager himself appeared, uttering words that sent a shiver down my spine: a takeaway cup. A takeaway cup, in the hallowed halls of the Four Seasons? One might as well serve champagne in a chipped mug! The sheer audacity! One could almost hear the collective gasp of the ton. Had the Four Seasons, that bastion of refined elegance, succumbed to the vulgarity of disposable drinkware? One stood aghast, a picture of bewildered disappointment. However, fear not, dear readers, for this tale has a twist. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of a lukewarm takeaway, the manager, clearly realizing the monumental faux pas he had committed, swiftly rectified the situation. He ushered me, your humble correspondent, up, up, up to the dizzying heights of the 33rd-floor lounge. One might almost forgive the initial transgression for such a dramatic elevation! The tea, when it finally arrived, was… adequate. Not quite the nectar of the gods, but a perfectly acceptable beverage to accompany a breathtaking view. One wouldn't necessarily pen odes to its delicate flavour, but it served its purpose. Thus, dear readers, the Four Seasons Worli presents a curious conundrum. A delightful welcome followed by a near-disastrous detour, ultimately salvaged by a swift and commendable recovery. Is it a testament to their adaptability or a cautionary tale of near-miss social blunders? Perhaps, like so many things in society, it is a little bit of both. One thing is certain: this author will be watching closely to see if they can maintain their elevated standards. After all, darling readers, first impressions, though easily tarnished, can be just as...

Speaking of the following as a pet parent who stayed at the Four Seasons. I’m highly disappointed considering their international reputation.

It’s a routine 5-star hotel which does the barest minimum to justify their pricing. Staff is super courteous and the rooms are well maintained, but no one goes above and beyond here to ensure we are comfortable, even when it’s their fault, leading to a super blurred experience. No thoughtful touches and almost robotic in the delivery. Kudos 👏

Pet Experience:

I received a bed and bowl for my cat with a packet of Whiskas kitten dry food (my cat is 7 and this was mentioned at the time of booking) at 7pm, a good five hours after we completed check-in. He loved the hotel room, but the lack of thought in their approach makes this a pet-friendly hotel just for namesake.

Reservation Desk:

One thing I’d like to point out is the phone reservation desk and their negligence. Despite booking a room and getting assurances of an earlier check-in, we received 0 phone calls on the day. When we called to reconfirm that the room was ready, I got excuses saying ‘check-in time is subject to availability and we don’t make such promises on the phone. After being put through three reservation personnel, no one took time to understand our situation and instead, chose to look out for the hotel’s interests. Finally, I was offered a solution but not without some rudimentary beating around the bush. Poor and unnecessarily stress inducing.

Breakfast:

We had to check-out of the hotel before 6am, and thus requested for a takeaway breakfast for our upcoming 24-hour train journey. They definitely fulfilled it (bare minimum yet again) and the food was decent, but not worth it despite having breakfast included in the rate. Obviously, minimum support from Four Seasons here to help us out. Sensing a pattern/recurring theme here, eh?

Overall: 1/5

Despite getting off to a rocky start, the service at the hotel was decent. Unfortunately, nothing was done to make up for Four Seasons’ mess up earlier in the day (the check-in issue) and no one spoke to us about the issue later to analyse. Guess that empathy is reserved for the VIP guests, no?

Considering the room rate for a night, you’ll find better value elsewhere. I’d suggest staying at any of the other pet-friendly hotels in the city; Grand Hyatt is a great shout based on a previous experience we had.

Thanks for having us Four Seasons. We will probably never stay here again, nor recommend this to any of our family...