The Retreat Hotel & Convention Centre

The food quality is average, and getting a cab or rikshaw can be difficult because this old but good property is a bit away from the main area. It has direct beach access. If you plan to stay here, travelling in your own vehicle is recommended. I stayed during an office outting.

I come to Mumbai often for shoots as a filmmaker, and The Retreat has usually been my preferred hotel. Even with the distance from the city, the vibe and peaceful surroundings keep bringing us back. This stay left me genuinely disappointed. The breakfast menu was shockingly limited for a hotel claiming to be 5-star. Plenty of 3-star hotels have a wider, better spread. At this category and price point, so few choices are unacceptable. I hope management takes this seriously and improves both the quality and variety. Loyal guests deserve better.

The pool was beautiful, clean, and well maintained, and the resort itself was in good shape. I loved the service, and there was enough drinking water in the room. Staff were well trained, smiling, and polite, especially the restaurant staff and bell boy. The breakfast was disappointing, with very limited options and not much taste. My key stopped working when I came back to the room around 10:15am. They said the key stops working once checkout time starts, but made a new one and gave us an hour to pack and check out. After 7pm there were no lights or vibes. Good lighting and mild music by the pool and garden would make it enjoyable to walk around until 11pm. In the morning, opening the curtains left the whole room wet, as if it had started sweating. I don’t know if the insulation system is the issue, but the floor became slippery.

Direct beach access and a beautiful view make this a fantastic place to relax and enjoy the scenery. The main drawback is the smell of dry Bombay ducks around the area. At times it’s hard to stand and takes away a lot from the otherwise perfect ambiance. There’s also a strict food policy. If you haven’t booked lunch or dinner and order food from outside, the hotel won’t provide basic things like plates or cutlery. That can be inconvenient, so plan around it. Great location, but these are a couple of things to know before booking.