When George Harrison wanted sitar lessons, he took notes from maestro Ravi Shankar in one of the Taj Suites. When Jimmy Page and Robert Plant toured India in the 1970s, they made the hotel their Mumbai base. Playing host to cultural icons like these had already made The Taj Mahal Palace a cultural landmark before the 2008 November terrorist attacks seared the hotel into public memory.
The hotel offers a choice of 543 unique rooms and suites across the Palace and the Tower Wing. The slightly heavier price tag is absolutely worth it once you lay eyes on the stately Gateway of India aglow at night, with yachts bobbing in the distance. Aside from the views, there is round-the-clock butler service, free airport transfers, variable check in/check out times and complimentary breakfast and cocktails.