Bloga Raga

Just down the street and around the corner from the Taj Hotel in Mumbai is my favorite boutique hotel. The Gordon House Hotel has more than one thing to boast about. The location is perfect. It’s within two blocks of the Taj, four blocks from Leopolds and around the corner from touristy street shopping. There’s a coffee house and a single screen theatre (a dying breed) within a block. The staff are great.

But the best is what’s downstairs! All Stir Fry is on the street level and here you can see your food cooked in front of you. It’s so comforting! Breakfast is also served here and it’s all up to par. The paratha are especially good with scrambled eggs. GH used to serve breakfast on the roof in a small, but fun, room with a south India atmosphere. The roof is now reserved for parties.

But wait, there’s more! On the first floor is Polly Esther’s.

Hot night's at Polly Esther's (apostrophes intended)

If you aren’t exhausted from a day on the streets of Mumbai, you can party with the young crowd at Poly Esther’s and you’ll only have to stagger upstairs to bed! I admit, I haven’t done this. I always ask for a room on the 4th floor to be as far from the music as possible. It’s never been a problem and I like coming ‘home’ to the neighborhood hot spot.

This is also a part of Colaba where a morning walk rewards you with great old homes and buildings, aged by sea air and time.

Picturesque Colaba

Oh, I guess I should say something about the guest rooms at Gordon House. Not big, but big enough, comfortable bed, clean, and all the usual gadgets. It’s not the Taj, but you’ll save at least $200 a night, and with the Taj so close you’ll feel like it’s in your backyard.

One last thing, there’s great shopping in the alley next door.

The kind of thing I love about India.