In checking in on all the new and exciting places that W Hotels will go, we noticed that they were calling out the W Mumbai as "opening soon."

Oooo! That got us excited as the W there is expected to open in the futuristic Namaste Tower (above) Yet when we checked on the hotel's website, it's opening date is not listed until July 2015. Ok. Obviously W and us have very different definitions of "opening soon."

That said, W Paris Opera is still on for a January opening after a recent delay and beyond that W Milan will open next May. Ciao Bella! ]]> juliana 2011-07-29T15:00:02-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2011/4/4/231753/2258 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/namastetower_wmumbai.jpg" class="top"><p> <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/w hotels"><b>W Hotels</b></a> is playing a serious game of "Around the World" having just announced a W Hotel in <b>Mumbai</b> due to open July 2015. While Starwood Hotels kept mum on any other plans for the 350-room hotel, <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_indias-first-w-hotel-coming-up-off-mahalaxmi-racecourse_1501544">DNA India</a> has the scoop on the location: <blockquote><p> The property is part of an iconic mix-use development christened &#145;Namaste Tower&#146;. The construction site is the erstwhile Ambika Mills land parcel located a few hundred metres south of another soon-to-open luxury hotel, Shangri-La, atop the luxury retail mall Palladium at High Street Phoenix at Lower Parel.</blockquote></p><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste_Tower">The Namaste Tower</a> design is actually meant to reflect the namaste yoga gesture where two wings of the hotel are clasped juliana 2011-04-05T09:31:52-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/8/16/9821/51703 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/30451/TajMahalPalaceHotel.jpg" class="top"><p>Yesterday was India's Independence Day so it was a fitting day to welcome back the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/TAJ+MAHAL+PALACE+MUMBAI/local/3567"><b>Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai</b></a>, which reopened its Palace Wing yesterday. This part of the beloved hotel had been closed since the terrorist attacks of November 2008, which killed 166 people and also hit Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, a railway station and a cafe.<p> The Tower Wing of the hotel has been open for more than a year but now, with $37 million worth of renovations, the Palace Wing is now back in business as well. Part of the restoration project included work on the Taj's extensive art collection, which has been painstakingly restored for the reopening&#151;with over 300 important pieces now hanging MsRebecca 2010-08-16T10:18:10-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/4/27/25454/0245

Nearly 18 months after the terrorist attacks, the Oberoi Mumbai reopened on Saturday. Not even the volcano stopped proceedings (although it meant the European contingent couldn’t make it over for the do).

According to the press release:

The hotel has been transformed and will now offer a contemporary, luxurious ambience.

The new pictures do look gorgeous – especially the rooms that look out over the water. The only thing is that, for a business hotel, we’re pretty taken aback by the glass-walled bathrooms (lovely to look at the sea from the bath; not so nice to have your colleague in between). ]]> juliab 2010-04-27T09:00:28-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/4/13/3929/57285

One of the hotel's new restaurants. We’re thinking Ziya, presided over by a Michelin-starred chef

It’s been nearly 18 months since the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, but while the Taj reopened pretty quickly, the Oberoi has been closed to be completely gutted and transformed. And finally, it’s been announced, it’ll reopen April 24.

According to the press release:

The Oberoi Group’s luxury hotel on Marine Drive in South Mumbai has been completely transformed to offer fresh contemporary interiors, new facilities and the latest technology.

All guest rooms and suites have been renovated, and include spacious marble bathrooms.