Exclusive first look inside Hotel ibis Mumbai Vikhroli

Accor’s ibis brand will launch its third hotel in Mumbai in October 2021. The Ibis Mumbai Vikhroli is the 20th ibis hotel in India and the 55th Accor to open its gates in India. The French hospitality group Accor, which operates luxury hotel brands such as Sofitel and Raffles, has been expanding both in India’s premium and economy segments with brands such as Novotel and ibis.

a building with lights on

Hotel exterior: Photo courtesy all.accor.com

In 2019, Accor announced changes in its ibis brand with the idea of making this economy brand of hotels more warm, welcoming & vibrant for travellers. The Ibis Vikhroli is the first hotel in India to be built in the new ibis style. The hotel was designed by Isabelle Miaja, Singapore based international design and architecture firm that has also designed the Sofitel in Mumbai. Ibis invited us to check out the hotel before its official opening later this week.

The location of the hotel is excellent. Having lived and worked in the vicinity for many years, it is finally good to see an international hotel chain operate close by. The hotel is located right on LBS road opposite 247 Corporate Park and is close to Powai, Ghatkopar and Vikhroli. The distance from the airport is about 30 minutes.

a wall with many letters

As I entered the hotel lobby, the first thing that caught my attention was Coldplay streaming throughout the channel music. With a key focus on music, ibis partners with Spotify, and you can stream the Ibis playlist even at your home. The hotel lobby felt like a casual living room with seating space that could also double up as a workspace or catch up with people over the conversation.

a room with a table and chairs

The hotel lobby area

a chair and desk in a room

The hotel lobby area has a computer for your short use

Ibis has done away with the classic, oversized hotel reception desks. Instead, there was an informal greeting area around the corner where the ibis team checked me in using an iPad.

a reception desk in a room

The ibis Mumbai Vikhroli guest reception corner

This is a 250-key hotel with all rooms of the same size, a standard 17 square metres. Guests can choose between king-size beds and twin beds. My room was well lit with a lot of natural light that made it feel cosy and comfortable.

A few things I liked about the room amenities is that the televisions have access to OTT content. You do need to use your credentials to log in, however. However, keeping up with the millennials, they have done away with a proper work desk in the room. There was a daybed by the window, which also doubles up as the work desk when needed. The daybed also accommodates a third person in the room.

a room with a bed and a tv

Standard room at the ibis Mumbai Vikhroli

a couch with a table and a trash can next to it

The rooms have a daybed by the window and a movable side table

Apart from this, there was an unstocked minibar, an electric kettle with an essential selection of tea & coffee and a safety box. As a new-generation hotel, there were enough plug points on both sides of the bed to plug in multiple devices along with USB ports as well.

a wooden cabinet with a black object on it

There are mini-fridges and safety lockers in each room

a tray with cups and a teapot on it

In-room amenities include tea and coffee

a white switches on a wood surface

Charging ports in the room are on both sides of the bed

As first guests staying at the hotel, we got a chance to look at other rooms. The room decor in all the rooms is locally inspired. Different rooms get different headboards, and I particularly liked the dabbawala theme.

a bed with pillows and a couch in a room

Other locally inspired room decors at the ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai

two beds in a room

Other locally inspired room decors at the ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai

The bathroom is designed in a capsule format, with big bottles of toiletries shared amongst guests. I liked the bath amenities; shampoo and body wash are chemical-free and 100% vegan.

a door and a mirror in a room

Entrance to the room bathroom

a bathroom with a sink and mirror

Inside the room bathroom

a group of white packages on a white surface

Bathroom amenities

a hair dryer and a tube

Bathroom amenities

a group of shampoo bottles on a tile wall

Bath amenities are chemical-free and 100% vegan

The hotel has one restaurant on the second floor named SpiceIt. Along with an indoor dining space, the restaurant offers alfresco dining as well.

a sign in a restaurant

The restaurant area at the ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai

a kitchen with food on carts

The restaurant  buffet area at the ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai

a patio with chairs and umbrellas

The outdoor alfresco dining area at the ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai

ibis also has the most extended breakfast hours that start at 06:30 am up to noon, although you will only get a cold breakfast in some parts of it.

We had the opportunity to try a few things from the menu during our stay. While Ajay liked the club sandwiches and the Indian spread, I was partial towards their Asian fare. The menu also offers a variety of local delicacies such as Keema Pav & crab meat vada pao.

a plate of food on a table

A glimpse of hotel items on the menu

a plate of sandwiches on a table
a plate of food on a table

There is also the library bar, which shares the restaurant space. The library is well stocked with 250+ books, and the bar at the hotel will have taps serving local beer. The hotel is currently awaiting its liquor license.

a table and chairs in a room with a ladder

The library area at the hotel

a room with tables and chairs

The library and the bar area at the hotel

a room with a piano keyboard and chairs

The entertainment and the bar area in the hotel

While ibis hotels worldwide do not offer pools & gyms, the ibis Vikhroli has a well-equipped gym on the topmost 15th floor. Keeping in mind the overall wellness, there is also a yoga deck for guests.

a room with treadmills and a bench

The fitness centre at the ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai

a exercise bikes in a room

The fitness centre at the ibis Vikhroli, Mumbai

Ibis hotels are pet friendly, and this one is no different. During my conversation with the general manager, Anant Leekha, I learnt that the hotel provides pet pads and essential amenities for guests staying with their pets.

A room night at the ibis Mumbai Vikhroli is currently priced at approximately INR 3,999 + GST. However, the hotel is presently offering a unique offer, where you can ‘Pay What You Want‘ for the stay from October 15 – 25, 2021. The idea is to welcome the locals to experience all that this hotel has to offer. You can book it here! Just remember, you have to sign up and log into your ALL account to access the promotional price.

(LiveFromALounge.com was invited to preview the hotel by ibis Hotels. The Views and Opinions are as usual, our own)

Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing the review. I’m (pleasantly) surprised at the size of the room. I always think of Ibis as offering very small rooms, but these seem quite acceptable size.

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