After my luxurious one-night stay at ITC Narmada Ahmedabad, which was my first experience with ITC Hotels, I was eager to explore more of their properties. The next destination on my list was Mumbai, a city that boasts two ITC hotels — ITC Maratha Mumbai (near Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport) and ITC Grand Central in Parel. For my weekend getaway, I decided to try both properties, starting with ITC Maratha.
I booked an ITC One Room at ITC Maratha Mumbai using ITC Green Points, which also included exclusive access to the Upper Crust Lounge. While I had high expectations from this iconic 5-star hotel, my stay turned out to be one of the most disappointing luxury experiences I’ve ever had.
Location and First Impressions
One of the biggest advantages of ITC Maratha is its prime location right next to Mumbai Airport Terminal 2 (T2), making it a convenient choice for both business and leisure travelers.
I reached the hotel an hour before the standard check-in time. Unfortunately, my first impression was far from smooth. At the same time, a bus full of foreign tourists arrived, leading to long queues at both the baggage scanning for security checks and the front desk check-in. The entire process was painfully slow, which set the tone for the rest of my stay.
Room Experience
The ITC One Room was spacious, well-maintained, and comfortable, reflecting ITC’s standard of luxury. The interiors were classic with warm tones, and the room had all the expected modern amenities. From a room perspective, I had no complaints — it was a cozy retreat after a tiring day.
The Upper Crust Lounge – A Nightmare Experience
As part of my booking, I had access to the Upper Crust Lounge, which overlooks the stylish lobby of ITC Maratha. At first glance, the lounge interiors looked elegant, with neatly arranged seating and a serene atmosphere during the afternoon hours.
However, once the cocktail hours began, the flaws became painfully obvious.
Children Not Allowed:
We were informed that kids were not permitted inside the lounge. I requested alternate seating arrangements in the lobby for my family, but nothing was arranged despite repeated follow-ups. Eventually, my family had to leave after waiting for a long time.
Severely Understaffed:
The lounge was crowded with over 30 guests, but only 2–3 staff members were present, and they seemed to give preferential treatment to select guests while ignoring others.
Poor Service:
No one attended to our table for a long time, and the overall atmosphere felt chaotic and mismanaged.
This was one of the worst lounge experiences I have ever had at a 5-star hotel. To make matters worse, a wedding was also taking place at the property on the same evening, which seemed to have stretched the staff beyond capacity.
Frustrated, we decided to skip the lounge offerings entirely and went out for dinner instead.
Breakfast Chaos
The next morning, I hoped breakfast would redeem the stay, but once again, ITC Maratha fell short.
There was an unusually long waiting time to get a table.The staff seemed unprepared for the rush and made last-minute arrangements instead of planning proactively.After waiting, we were finally given a table outside the main restaurant area.
The only saving grace was the food quality, which was tasty and lived up to ITC’s culinary standards. Unfortunately, the service experience again ruined what could have been a pleasant breakfast.
Lack of Customer Care
After my stay, I shared my feedback in a Google Review, highlighting my disappointment and poor service experience. To this day, no one from ITC Maratha has bothered to acknowledge or respond. This reflects poorly on their commitment to customer satisfaction and guest relations.
Final Verdict: Not Worth It
While the location and room quality at ITC Maratha Mumbai were commendable, the overall service quality, mismanagement, and lack of accountability made my stay one of the most disappointing luxury hotel experiences I’ve had.
I would strongly advise against staying at ITC Maratha if you’re looking for a seamless and truly luxurious stay in Mumbai. Instead, you might want to explore ITC Grand Central or other luxury hotels in the city that value guest experience and service.
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