There are few places in Mumbai where you can watch an aircraft take off from a runway, take a dip on a rooftop, and retreat into a suite with a story of its own, all without really leaving the city. At The Orchid Mumbai in Vile Parle, the familiar soundtrack of the airport becomes less of a distraction and more of a backdrop to a stay that manages to feel surprisingly removed from the city outside.
From the moment we arrived, the welcome felt personal. Warm smiles, genuine greetings and a team that seemed genuinely invested in making us comfortable set the tone. It was the kind of hospitality that doesn’t need grand gestures; sometimes, simply making a guest feel seen is enough.
Our stay was in the Dalai Lama Suite, a space with a remarkable history. The suite is associated with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who stayed at The Orchid during his visits to Mumbai and whose presence remains an important part of the hotel’s story. The room itself is expansive, immaculate and filled with character. One window opens up to a view of the flight control tower, while another frames the runway, a constantly moving picture of aircraft arriving and taking off. Inside, the bathroom is almost theatrical in scale, reminiscent of something straight out of a grand Bollywood production.
The rooftop pool offers a different pace altogether. Sitting above the city, it is an easy place to lose track of time, with the attentive lifeguard ensuring that guests could enjoy the space while staying safe. It felt less like a hotel amenity and more like a small urban escape.
Food became another highlight of the stay. At Mostly Grills, the open-air setting overlooking the airport runway makes dinner feel almost cinematic. Watching planes descend and disappear into the Mumbai skyline while lingering over a meal is the sort of experience that makes you forget to check the time.
At Boulevard, the extensive menu caters to a broad range of preferences, making it an easy choice when everyone at the table wants something different. South of Vindhyas offered an entirely different experience. With its traditional South Indian setting and an Onam Sandhya in full swing, the restaurant was alive with the energy of celebration. The spread, the aromas and, most noticeably, the happy faces around us captured something essential about food in hospitality, it is as much about bringing people together as it is about what arrives on the plate.
We also spent time with General Manager Gaaurav Shiva, whose decade-long experience in hospitality has clearly shaped the way he approaches the property. His perspective, combined with the warmth of the team, made the hotel’s service feel considered rather than performative.
Perhaps what makes The Orchid particularly interesting is that its idea of luxury extends beyond what guests can see. From bird feeders around the property to vermicomposting and other sustainability initiatives, its eco-conscious philosophy is woven into the workings of the hotel.
And that is perhaps the most memorable part of the stay: The Orchid doesn’t ask Mumbai to slow down. It simply gives you a place from which you can watch it move, and choose, for a while, not to.
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