Personal Space

Casablanca,Souk,Hotel Taj Mahal Palace and Towers,Apollo Bunder
It would be hard to describe the Casablanca room as a room,per se. It is a small,cosy glorified closet-size space that could fit no more than two; therein lays the charm—it feels like a secret getaway with a spectacular view of the Gateway of India. To get to the room,one has to walk through the doors of the restaurant leading to the kitchen,and access it through a charming stained-glass door. “This is our paramount feature; it is a sweet surprise for women as they are initially confused once they enter the kitchen,” says Anup Sheth,restaurant manager. Open since 2003,guests are given the option to customise the seven-course meal in advance,and wine labels and menus can be custom-made on request. The food offered is linked to the restaurant’s menu; most guests prefer the surprise menu which takes into consideration preferences and allergies. Souk takes pride in its offering of Christofle cutlery and Versace tableware; this could be its Achilles heel for those who think the latter is ostentatious.

Price: Rs 22,500 including two glasses of champagne and tax. Call 6665 3366

Poolside,Four Seasons,Worli
In a promotional experiment,the hotel offers guests the option of dining exclusively at the poolside until the end of this month. “If we feel there is adequate demand,we can extend it till around March,” says Jasjit Singh Assi,restaurants and bar manager. Customers can expect a bottle of Moët et Chandon and a four-course set menu which can be Indian,Japanese,Cantonese or Italian. The pool is above their restaurant San Qi and thus adjoining the main hotel. “There is no external view,as such,” says Reshma Sheth,who has dined there. The hotel provides some decoration,flowers,and an option of an iPod dock. Don’t expect the entire poolside to be decorated,but the hotel can allow guests to arrange for a special decoration,within reason,says Assi. Sheth warns that it is best to go through the menu beforehand.

Price: Rs 20,000 including a bottle of champagne and tax. Call 2481 8000

Poolside,Grand Hyatt,Santacruz (East)
The Hyatt offers private dining rooms at its chic China House but these are large and unsuitable for romance,unless your idea of romance involves multiple partners. The alternative,which mostly foreign guests have used,is the poolside; the hotel neither encourages booking the poolside nor shies away from talking about it. Unlike the other venues,the Hyatt offers a completely customisable experience which has to be booked at least two days in advance. Treated like a catering event,an individual chef is assigned to your event and you can request for any dish you want using any ingredient,as long as there is sufficient time for procurement. The poolsidewill have basic decorations,but this is customisable too.

Price: Minimum Rs 20,000 for food,excluding alcohol. Exact price determined by menu selected. Call 6676 1234

Dome,Hotel Intercontinental,Marine Drive
Dome,the stunningly white bar on the roof of the Intercontinental,offers gorgeous views of most peoples’ favourite part of Mumbai: Marine Drive. The upper deck has the additional elegance of a pool,with white couches that are comfortable enough to resemble beds. Although reserving the entire poolside is possible—this is available for parties and costs Rs 1 lakh upwards—the lounge will arrange for a table to be placed in the corner and the adjacent tables will be cleared out,thus giving you about half the poolside. Dome has,though,always been more popular for drinks than food,evidenced by the fact that it formally introduced food from Kebab Korner,the hotel’s commended Indian restaurant,on its menu. The décor doesn’t need much work: “We can float lotuses on the pool on request or make minor changes; anything more will kill the natural charm of the place,” says Sidhesh Shetty,F&B manager.

Price: Rs 20,000,including a bottle of champagne and tax. Call 3987 9999