5 Mumbai luxury hotels describe their finest features

Once you've seen one five-star hotel you've seen them all, right? Wrong. Even the top luxury properties within a city can differ on various points. Here we pick five Mumbai hotels that stand apart, even among their five-star peers, with facilities, services and amenities that may mean you never leave the building.

Chef Kato Toshikazu is India's only licensed chef who can prepare the poisonous blowfish Fugu (Rs 950 plus taxes) at Four Seasons Mumbai's San-Qi.

1. Four Seasons Hotel in Worli

Best room? Deluxe Room Sea View (Rs 17,500 + taxes) and the Presidential Suite (Rs 201,700 + taxes).

The best luxury item? It's a toss up between toiletries by L’Occitane or the specially made tea bags by Dilmah in Sri Lanka which contain the finest Darjeeling teas. “We select the teas from the estates, ship it to Dilmah and it is re-imported back in tea bags.”

Must eat dish? Chef Kato Toshikazu at San-Qi is the only chef in India licensed to prepare the poisonous blowfish Fugu (Rs 950 plus taxes). Says Japanese chef Toshikazu, “At Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai we promote authentic cuisine. Fugu is a delicacy rarely found outside Japan. Mumbai is slowly adapting to popular cuisines of the world. People here like to experiment, and what could be more adventurous than Fugu?”

Best perk? A fleet of 20 BMW 7-series limousines for luxury travel in and around Mumbai.

114 Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli, Mumbai; tel. +91 (0) 22 2481 8000; www.fourseasons.com

Grand Hyatt's expansive presidential suite.

2. Grand Hyatt in Santacruz

Best room? The Presidential Suite (Rs 80,000). A luxurious 166-sq meter suite with sycamore wood paneling, beautiful garden views, furnished balcony, kitchenette and marble bath with jetted spa tub, shower and steam room. Exclusive extras include personal butler and technology concierge, wine and chocolate upon arrival, a private bar, limousine airport transfers and access to the private Grand Club lounge.

Best feature of the room? The three Presidential Suites at Grand Hyatt Mumbai are created according to a specific theme: Sun, Water and Earth.

Must eat dish? Jean-Christophe Fieschi, executive chef at the hotel, says, "The wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas at Celini prepared home-style by chef Alessandro Persico (veg Rs 675 + taxes, non veg Rs 750 + taxes) is a personal favorite. The Peking duck at China House is artfully prepared by our chefs with India’s first Peking duck wood fired oven. It is an experience in itself with the chef carving the duck at your table with traditional condiments." (half duck Rs 1,150 + taxes, full duck Rs 1,690 + taxes).

Best perk? "The Grand Hyatt has commissioned works of art by upcoming and established artists in its various public spaces. Our guest relations team can takes hotel guests on a complimentary art tour."

Off Western Express Highway, Santacruz (East), Mumbai; tel. +91 (0) 22 6676 1234; mumbai.grand.hyatt.com

The ITC One room features an in room massage chair, a personal music system, DVD player and in-room exercise equipment.

3. ITC Maratha in Sahar

Best room? The ITC One which is focused on exclusivity for up-market business travelers with spacious and elegantly-furnished rooms measuring 550 sq ft. Rs 30,000 single and Rs 31,500 double occupancy.

Best feature of the room? The in-room massage chair that soothes and rejuvenates the body, personal music system, DVD player and in-room exercise equipment.

Must eat dish? The Grill at the The West View, where marinated seafood, fish, meats and vegetables await your selection. The hotel recommends signatures that can be stone grilled by you, at your table.

Best perk? Service for the single, lady traveler. From airport pick-ups to cocktail hour in your room, video door phone, caller identification and screening (on request), to special services like sari draping.

Sahar, Mumbai; tel. +91 (0) 22 2830 3030; www.itcwelcomgroup.in/itcmaratha

Rare cheeses at Taj Lands Ends' Vista Sunday Brunch.

4. Taj Land’s End in Bandra

Best room? The new Taj Club rooms situated on the 22nd to 25th floors. Designed by David Winter, with over 420 square feet of space, the rooms evoke a residential studio environment with generous spaces for relaxing and working. Rs 16,000 + 10 percent taxes.

Best feature of the room? The panoramic view of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Arabian Sea and the cityscape across the bay.

Must eat dish? The best meal would be the Vista Sunday Brunch (Rs 1,800 inclusive of taxes, excluding alcohol). Gorge on an exotic raw bar, the choicest caviar, artisinal breads, prized ham, live carving stations, succulent seafood, sumptuous desserts and rare cheeses, all with a side of ocean view. "Our Sunday brunch menus are like an artist's white canvas," says Anirudhya Roy, the executive chef. "We add colors, always changing the look, but use the freshest and finest ingredients."

Best perk? Personalized service by highly trained butlers for all Taj Club room and suite guests.

Band Stand, Bandra (West), Mumbai; tel. +91 (0) 22 6668 1234; www.tajhotels.com

Views of the Arabian Sea and Mumbai city skyline from the Trident Special Suite.

5. Trident at Nariman Point

Best room? The Trident Special Suite is a 1,495 sq ft suite with a living room equipped with Bose music system and complimented by a walk in pantry. The suite also has an exclusive 24-hour personal butler service. Rs 80,000 + 10 percent service tax.

Best feature of the room? On the edge of the Arabian Sea, the uninterrupted view of the sea and the Mumbai city skyline from the hermetically sealed double glazed glass windows in the room and the bathroom.

Must eat dish? Joy Bhattacharya, executive chef, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Mumbai picks the grilled Atlantic salmon with spinach agnilotti, rucola, pickled lemon citronella available at Frangipani (Rs 950). "The enriching salmon is uniquely blended with rucola and the piquant flavors of lemon citronella which perfectly balance the creamy texture of the salmon to lend the palate a vivid burst of flavors."

Best perk? Devendra Bharma, executive vice president, Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Mumbai says, "Our state-of-the-art business facilities at Trident Meetings or the Trident Club Lounge."

Nariman Point, Mumbai; tel. +91 (0) 22 6632 4343; www.tridenthotels.com