Taj Lands End: Bollywood's Davos

We can think of at least four reasons you'd want to stay at the Taj Lands End -- its convenient location, seaward views, ginormous pool and frequent star sightings.

Taj Lands End lays claim to one of the city's best pools and ranges of views. Its 368 rooms show you the old and new, the natural and fabricated, the high rises and the slums. It counts within its purview a broad sweep of Mumbai’s skyline, from the Arabian Sea and Bandra Band Stand promenade to the newly opened Bandra-Worli sealink.

Several firsts are in play here -- starting with the non-smoking floor and eco-friendly "Green Rooms," and continuing with Pure, an organic restaurant created by New York chef Michel Nischan which opened with promise, but now draws tepid reviews from Mumbai suburbans. You're better off at the 24-hour continental café Vista, Masala Bay for Indian food, or Ming Yang for Chinese, although China Gate, Royal China and China Garden are smarter choices close by.

Because of its proximity to Bollywood territory, this full-service business hotel has become the preferred choice of the film and creative industries for its various parleys. Might be a good time to dust off that old script.