Review of Le Royal Meridien Mumbai, by Caroline Major

One forgets how intense an arrival in India can be for a non-Indian person. The tenacity of the beggars, at your feet the instant you step outside the terminal, is formidable. And while the inside of the car is respite, it is by no means escape as they press their faces against your moving window. The mercifully short ride to the hotel is a good reason to choose Le Meridien if you want to be inside your hotel room in less than 30minutes from the terminal, leaving India to be experienced faced fresh in the morning.

At Le Meridien, the wooden floorboards and their warm tones are a treat, as is the Bombay history in maps in the cigar divan. In the 'Imperial China' restaurant, make a point to check out the Burmese fans. They are fabulous. Curiously, you can't help but notice the Winter Garden. 'Clusters of tall palms kissed by the sun exude tropical warmth here', reads their promotional brochure. It's puzzeling why they need to create this environment in the heatbox that is Bombay when most places are enticing you into their cool bellies out of the smothering heat. Perhaps it's to encourage you to swim in the pool. In the early evening, the place bustles with the throng of people from the nearby satellite commercial centre of Mumbai, unwinding with an after-work cocktail.

When staying, any room will do, as none have views, but go for the biggest category you can afford. They are not huge, and have a lot of furniture inside. If you're working, the wireless access is painless.