The Wow Factor

The Wow Factor: I checked into a hotel on the Juhu beach in Mumbai. I saw it being renovated a few months ago and made a mental note to check it out on my next visit to Mumbai. So here I am, waiting to be impressed, just aching for a reason to tell you something good about this place where so many businesses are rocking. l like trying new hotels when I travel. I observe what to do (and mostly what not to do) when It comes to customer service, study cool design and check out whether the hotel understands that in this “experience economy” we now live in, the customers must be taken on a journey from start to finish that makes them go “wow.”  This place is amazing. Big smile when I entered, from the doorman, and a warm greeting. Ultra cool design inside. Lots of green and fresh colors. Sexy music and vibe. Super nice front desk staff—the smile thing again with a wonderful offer of Evian water with a slice of lime while I was checking in. And since the MTV Video Music Awards are shooting a video down by the pool, the pretty girl at the front desk asked me whether I wanted a room that would allow me to watch all the action. Sure, I don’t need much sleep anyway. The bellman showed me the workout facility and then the spa. Best hotel gym I've seen since long. The room is awesome—art deco, impeccably clean and stylishly put together. Stunning and very impressive. This hotel under-promised and then over-delivered. It had a chance to win me over, and through well-trained staff, unique and superbly kept facilities and excellent amenities, it did. Now I’m going back downstairs to try its food (everyone raves about its restaurant, where the chef has a spice rack of 1000 spices that he uses in his cooking). I bet I'll be wowed.