The Ibis Mumbai Airport - Mumbai, India - November 27,2014

Ibis Mumbai Airport is termed a "budget" property.
I discovered it during my second stay in India during
my retirement years.  To be truthful, prior to that, 
during my nursing employment when I often traveled
with three or four of my esteemed forensic friends and
colleagues, we would never consider anything with
the term "budget" attached to it.  Our Royal Caribbean
friends on board the Monarch of the Seas gave us the
title of "Queens" and that name stuck.  We would 
usually pick a posh property, book a suite which we
could afford if we shared, and travel like queens.  

Well, reality hit when retirement came and I suddenly
had to live on a pension and social security.  As a 
traveler all my life, I would either have to make adjustments
or stop seeing the world.  I immediately downsized,
giving up the rented four bedroom house I had occupied
for over twenty years and got rid of most of my belongings. 
I put the things with which I couldn't part in a 10' by
20' storage unit and started coming to India.

Occasionally, I found I needed a hotel for the night in
Mumbai where hotel properties border on the expensive.
After a most horrific experience at one hotel, I decided I
needed to do some research.  After all, I had been an
outside sales travel agent for years, I was fairly proficient
with the computer, and I was a long term Trip Adviser
member.  I got to work and my research led me to the
Ibis Mumbai Airport.  Good, it was near the domestic
airport and I wanted a place that was in that locale for
my trips here and there about India.  Price-wise, it was 
perfect and I liked everything else I read.

The Ibis Mumbai Airport is located 2 minutes from the
domestic airport in Mumbai and 1 km from the international
airport.  It has 159 rooms, either consisting of one
double bed or two single beds, with an attached bathroom, 
WiFi, and an excellent restaurant, Spice It, that offers
individual dining selections as well as sumptiuous buffets.

The Ibis Mumbai Airport is a member of the Accor Hotels
group.

Weekdays, it seems filled with business travelers, while
weekends, usually at a lower rate, attract families.

I have found hotel staff to be friendly and helpful and the 
rooms are spotlessly clean.  The beds, with incredible 
mattresses, are some of the most comfortable I have
experienced.  The rooms and baths are not very large but,
as this is a budget property, mainly used by business 
travelers, I did not expect a suite!  They are quite adequate
for my purposes.

For much more extensive information about the property,
refer to the Ibis Mumbai Airport website at:
http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-6367-ibis-mumbai-airport/index.shtml

Two of the wonderful Ibis Spice It staff.  24-hour room 

service is available from the restaurant and buffets are 

offered at breakfast and dinner.  The special Thursday night

buffets, which feature various regions of India, are not to be

missed.

There are always multiple veg and non veg choices at every

meal and, of course, one can always order off the menu.  If

I look at the buffet, though, I can never resist it.

The Kerala evening buffet was especially wonderful.  I wish

I could remember the names of everything I ate because many of the selections I had never tried before.

I usually indulge in a vodka martini but there are assorted other cocktails ( nice cosmopolitan ), alcoholic, beverages, beer, wine and mocktails as well.  Of course, water, soft drinks, coffee and chai are always available.

The main problem I have is that my eyes are bigger than my stomach.  I've learned to take tiny tastes, planning to go back for more later.  Trouble is, once I've finished all the "tastes," 

I am too full even for dessert.

I am also including a few other pictures from the Ibis Mumbai 

Airport.

The wonderful bed!

Desk work area in room

The lobby bar area

The wonderful front desk staff

Community lobby computer station

I have stayed at four other properties in the domestic airport

area.  I can recommend Ibis Mumbai Airport if you are in the

market for a reasonably priced budget hotel, with an excellent restaurant, and don't require luxury accommodations at a luxury price.

CONTACT

PLOT NO F 77 VILE PARLE EAST
JUNCTION OF NEHRU ROAD
WESTERN EXPRESS HIGHWAY400099 - MUMBAIINDIA

• TEL :
  (+91)22/67087777
• FAX :
  (+91)22/67087778

GENERAL INFORMATIONS:

H6367-RE@ACCOR.COM

HOW TO REACH THE HOTEL

GPS: N 19° 5' 47.51'' E 72° 51' 11.9

Touchdown, India!!! - July 27 ( in India ), 2014

Much to my relief, while fighting the miseries of the worst cold ever for almost a week
prior to leaving, I finally managed to board the Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle, and
continued on Emirates Airlines to Dubai - where I overnighted- and on to Mumbai
the next day.

Is it that baby germs are super virile?  Harper shared her sniffles and cough
with Nana and, while she continued to function pretty normally, I managed baby 
sitting, fixing an occasional meal but little else.  I'd put a few things in a suitcase and
have to lie down for an hour, slept fitfully, minimally at night, and the night before 
takeoff, was woefully unready to go.  After planning to nap for only a half hour
about 3AM, I woke at 5AM, in a panic.  Throwing things helter skelter into a third
suitcase ( I was already taking a box of gifts, etc ), in addition to Emirate's very
generous complimentary two checked bag allowance, I rushed out the door, 
leaving my room looking like the aftermath of an earthquake, tornado, and Filene's
bargain basement sale ( is there still a Filene's in Boston ), all rolled into one.

Alex, my son, had kindly requested the day off from work and, along with sweet
Harper, drove me to the airport ( he really is a kind fellow ) and, since I could not
find my suitcase keys, my bags departed unlocked.  The Sacramento Alaska 
agent told me that I could NOT check my bags all the way to Mumbai though I
had spoken to Emirates staff who assured me I would not have to pick them up
for my overnight in Dubai and that they could be check all the way to India.
After parting with $350 for the extra bags and being told by Alaska Airlines that 
I might, indeed, might have to pay it again in Dubai, I headed, mournfully, to my
gate.

For some reason, I was upgraded to first class and a bloody mary and decent 
breakfast helped a bit to ease my miseries.  With four hours connecting time in
Seattle, I arrived quite early at the Emirates gate, excited to fly on this highly
acclaimed airline for the first time.  

The young woman, who took my ticket, looked askance, and asked why my bags
had not been checked on to Mumbai.  "Good questions," I responded, going 
through the saga of the baggage experience.  She quickly went about trying to 
change that, calling her supervisor, having my bags pulled  in all of that luggage
( good thing I was there early ) - complimenting me on attaching tags with my
photograph on them - taking my picture which was required and submitting a
wire and a request to Alaska Airlines.  It was after I had already boarded the
Dubai flight that my name was called and a flight attendant brought me my new
luggage tags, indicated Mumbai as the final destination for my suitcases!

Surprisingly, the flight to Dubai was only half full and my seat had been changed
to a bulkhead nearer the front.  Normally, I am not a bulkhead fan as the two out
seats have immovable arm rests and your carry on can't be stored underneath.
However, the lovely flight attendant told me the whole row was empty and that
armrest went up so I could stretch out on two seats and, if I was a bit flexible, I
could put my legs over a third seat and "catch a snooze."  Snooze I did, in between
cocktails and two very delicious meals.  

Emirates crew were just wonderful and it has surpassed my former favorite, Singapore
Airlines, and second ranking, Cathay Pacific, in my estimation in terms of service 
and friendliness.  Their crew are definitely multinational, with charming Italian ( Florence ),
Pietro, asking me if I had a dead body in my carry on when he hoisted it overhead.  
He was such fun the whole flight - until he came by and brought me a four page 
evaluation to fill out about the airline - which I did quite willingly.  It is exceptional and
I especially liked the ladies in their uniforms with the red pillbox hats, white veils and 
their bright red lipstick.

Photo, courtesty Bing images, domain free

On arrival in Dubai ( our flight had an overnight stopover, with our Mumbai 

departure at 1PM the following day ), I was amazed at how quickly we went through

immigration in their amazingly glistening, clean airport.  Even more surprising was

that I did not fill out any kind of immigration form, either on the airline or prior to

departing the airport.  I stopped at a hotel desk and they arranged a room for me

for the night and, despite my wanting to go out and see the bright lights of Dubai,

for my first time visit, I opted for bed.  I hope I fly back to San Francisco on Emirates

because I was told that holders of a U. S. passport may have a 30 day temporary

visa for stays in Dubai and I would really like a chance to see it ( maybe not in the

sweltering heat of summer ).

The following day, with equally great ease, I was back on my flight to India.  Every

seat, however, was full ( Dubai is a place of employment for a great number of

India citizens ).  

We were about halfway to Mumbai, having just been served lunch, when the flight
attendants scurried about the aisles, removing the barely touched trays.  An
announcement came over the intercom, "Sorry to disturb lunch service but we are
having to return to Dubai for security reasons."  On the video screen, the plane's
route showed a U-turn and going in the opposite direction.  Within minutes, the
plane reversed direction and, again, was headed for Mumbai. My seat mate had
asked the flight attendant for a double Jim Beam which I had quickly dittoed but
lunch did not return to our tray toubles.  We never did know the nature of the 
"security issue" and landed about thirty minutes late in Mumbai.  

I checked into the Ibis Mumbai Airport Hotel with a warm welcome from staff and
even a nest of towel  cygnets and mama swan on my bed ( Sudhir, my "cabin 
steward" had once worked with P and O cruise line! ).

Saturday, I went to Vodafone to replace my non functioning sim card and feasted
on baingan bharta which Chef Yatin of the Ibis Spice It Restaurant made me a 
fan.  

Home again in India and life feels superb in between a few remaining sniffles and
sneezes!

Skywatch Friday, Season 7, Episode 8 - Mumbai Skies - August 23, 2013

I was overnight at the Ibis Mumbai Airport, visiting a friend passing through Mumbai.
These pictures were shot while I was sitting at my computer this morning.

I am participating in 

Skywatch Friday.

Show us your skies and join in the fun!