The Mumbai serviced apartment chosen by Bollywood

Mumbai has long been famous for its lack of decent, affordable housing. Most people moving to the city dread dealing with the task of finding a home. Even pricey apartments can come with outdated bathrooms, dreary kitchens and leaking walls. Most buildings are old, and many dilapidated.  

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Ask any recent transplant lucky enough to have what would arguably be a decent budget in a city like New York or London, say US$4,000 per month, and they will tell you about the scary spaces they’ve seen. No wonder then, that, if you can afford it, the serviced apartment option is becoming a welcome alternative for new arrivals to the city. Not to mention residence of choice for Bollywood stars (Hrithik Roshan) checking in their foreign co-stars (Barbara Mori) when they come to Mumbai with their families for long work periods. 

While the Taj Wellington Mews in Colaba is the doyenne of such offerings, there’s a one-year-old competitor on the other end of the block, in Juhu.

Designed by Thailand's Woods Bagot and top Mumbai architect Hafeez Contractor, Oakwood Premier is described as an "elegant European mansion" in its brochure, yet doesn't look all that different from some of the high-end buildings dotting the Mumbai landscape. Then again Contractor has had no small part in shaping the overall look of modern Mumbai. 

CNNGo surveyed the property and its 62 residences on a recent visit, and here's what we saw:

• For the Juhu area, it's well located. The city beach is a 10-minute walk. The property abuts the area's naval complex, which is comparatively verdant. PVR cinemas are close by, as is the local mall. 
• Oakwood is located about half an hour from the international and domestic airports, a plus for business travelers. 
• Though the complex is cheery, bright and clean, the garden is tiny. If you have kids or pets (allowed up to 50 lbs) this could be a serious drawback as there isn’t much of an open play area.
• The rooftop pool is small, but adequate if you want to splash around. If you’re looking to do laps, this is not the place for you. As far as gyms go, Oakwood's is basic but functional and private. 
• There are two dining facilities -- a resident lounge which serves buffet breakfast and lunch, as well as a la carte dining all-day, and 24-hour room service. There's a new high end Indian restaurant, Azok, created under the aegis of two star Michelin chef Vineet Bhatia. However, Azok is only open for dinner and is open air, which is always a plus except in the monsoons. 
• The 62 apartments are kitted out with everything from flat screen TVs and high speed Internet to fully equipped kitchens, along with washer-dryers. They are well furnished, in a muted color palette and the look and feel is easy on the eye. 
• If you require it, the facilities, especially the high speed Internet connection, housekeeping services, room service, a fully functional kitchen, and washer/dryer provisions, make Oakwood a better and cheaper alternative to a lengthy hotel stay. Discounts are available on food and beverage as well.
• There are no beauty facilities on the property, but Oakwood has arrangements with a spa and salon within two minutes walking distance.

A temporary home functioning like a hotel

Samyak Veera, an asset manager from the United States who has been at Oakwood for a year and stayed at the Wellington Mews in Mumbai and serviced apartments in Singapore in the past, says he's had a "very positive home-away-from-home experience at Oakwood. The room layouts are great and for the money, the space provided is excellent."

While it won't blow you away as the Wellington Mews would, Oakwood is the best option for those looking at serviced apartments in the suburbs. The common areas are not as fancy as the Mews or the Grand Hyatt, but then again, neither are its prices. 

Oakwood is currently run like a hotel, so short stays (anything from one night to longer) are welcome. Depending on availability, the smallest apartment, a studio of 450 square feet, can be had for about Rs 10,000 per night, a one bedroom from Rs 12,000 to 13,000 and a two bedroom for Rs 16,000 to 17,000. If you plan to stay longer than a month, these rates can be negotiated down.

"Our average stay is about 58 days, but unlike other serviced apartments, we have no minimum stay restrictions," explains Supriya Malhotra, the general manager. "If you compare us to a hotel, we are better value for money. We have spacious, contemporary residences with privacy that a hotel can't provide. There's a community here and a lot of personalization. We provide all the trappings of a hotel in the comfort of our property."

Typical residents include Fortune 500 executives from around the world, mixed in with NRIs. When we went to visit, Oakwood Juhu was experiencing 100 percent occupancy, one year into operation.

A U.S. brand, Oakwood has 4,000 locations across the world, and is looking to expand across India. Recognizing Mumbai's potential, they plan to open two more facilities, one in Andheri and the other in Goregaon. The chain currently has four properties in the country, with a total of 525 serviced residences, and plans to add nine more across major markets in four years, including Gurgaon and Noida in Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Trivandram as well as planned resort towns like Lavasa in Maharashtra. 

Oakwood Premier, Janardhan Ramji Mhatre Marg, Juhu; tel. +91 (0) 22 66238888; www.oakwood.com

Other serviced apartments in Mumbai

Taj Wellington Mews Luxury Residences, 33 Nathalal Perekh Marg, Colaba, + 91 (0) 22 6656 9494

Grand Hyatt hotel, off Western Express Highway, Santacruz (East); tel. +91 (0) 22 6676 1234

Grand Residency, 24th Road, Bandra, Off Turner Road, Bandra (West); tel. +91 (0) 22 67106000

CHS Serviced Apartments, overlooking Powai lake, +91 9833733365

Seven Serviced Apartments, in Bandra and Worli, +91 9223297777

Red Earth Apartments, Greenwoods Complex, Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri East; tel. +91 (0) 22 229104966

Gayatri is a Columbia Journalism School graduate who has written on fashion, art and lifestyle for the International Herald Tribune, VOGUE, Conde Nast Traveller, Harper's Bazaar, HELLO!, CNNGo, The Book Review, ELLE, and The Hindu.

Read more about Gayatri R Shah