By Paul Topping

Arrival at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba , Mumbai, is quite smooth. We are whisked away to sit on the deck facing the amazing swimming pool. The impressive check-in process soon begins to take time. This is our favourite hotel in Mumbai, possibly in India. Some Rajasthani palace hotels are also on our special list. This Taj oozes style and luxury. When you get away from the crowds and walk the corridors and staircases, especially in the tower, it feels magical.

Opened in 1903 as the finest hotel in the Far East , it now faces the most iconic Gateway of India. The archway, completed in 1924, was built for the arrival of George V. Ironically, by 1947, the British departed from the very same spot after two hundred years of ruling India.

By the mid-1960s, the hotel was somewhat run down. In 1972, the existing tower was built on the site of the old Greens Hotel next to the original Taj. With that, the creation of one of the grandest hotels in Asia began.

We go for a waterfront walk. It's clean at first but becomes grubby within five minutes. This is a dirty city. We come across two metal squirrel statues, each about eight feet tall, along the waterfront. There’s no plaque. The surroundings continue to deteriorate. We decide to walk directly back to the hotel.

The day before, we visited the historical Gateway and had to go through a security check with the masses. The place was packed. We took our photos and got the hell out of there, hassled by far too many people and photographers.

We have breakfast in luxury, looking out over the sea and a plethora of boats. The service is amazing and the setting, lovely. This is one of nine restaurants and a bar. 
The average looking dark bar however is a bit of a let-down. I would have expected more from the greatest hotel in India. They could make an effort with Indian wines, gins, and some of the country’s inspiring malts. We head for the extensive pool deck area in search of Indian red wine. The choices are limited, but we share a glass and soak in the well-orchestrated atmosphere.

It’s a shame to be in one of the top hotel restaurants in the country while suffering from extreme “Delhi belly”, as my dad used to call it, despite never having been to Delhi or India. I have to say, the diarrhea started before we even arrived at the Taj.

We are in room 287, I am told there are 600 in total. It’s  modest in size but lavish in fit-out. The only drawback is the clumsy step required to get into the bath.

My swim in the large, beautiful, dark-toned swimming pool involves avoiding others who only seem to appear when you bump into them. An Indian couple play John Denver, some light country, and a few classics on the deck. They're pleasant and talented. I bump into two more ladies as I switch strokes from front crawl to breaststroke .

We can’t find any live music in town on a Thursday night. Jazz clubs are listed but not open , live music is elusive in this city.

David Headley, a Pakistani-American, played a key role in the planned attack on the Taj hotel on 26 November 2008. One hundred and sixty-seven people were killed in the terrorist attack by Pakistani extremists. Areas were set on fire, and the battle between the armed forces and the terrorists continued for three days. Meanwhile, more people were shot.

Ironically, there had perviously  been a televised CNN interview featuring Fareed Zakaria and Ratan Tata discussing potential terorist threats to the hotel. I always visit the memorial that lists those who were killed. Life and death can be quite random. The film Tenet, inspired by the attack, was released in 2020.

For those with a Tapophile curiosity, it’s said there are two bodies buried somewhere on the hotel  site, dating back to 1631. I’ve also been told that Room 22 is closed and sealed for “security and preservation”.

As we enjoy our final coffee facing the pool garden area, a delightful member of staff arrives and gives Jezzabel, my wife, a hand bouquet of red roses. We leave our favourite hotel, where the service is exceptional and the staff operate at a level beyond anything I’ve experienced elsewhere in Asia.