With more than 20 million people crammed into Mumbai, it won’t be on many people’s list of relaxing city break destinations, but a visit to the Indian city doesn’t have to be full-on around the clock. Check in to Abode Mumbai, a luxury boutique hotel that offers a haven of tranquillity. Outside is all noise, colour and chaos, but inside you will find a sanctuary, opposite in every way; Abode Mumbai is cool, calm and clean in palette and furnishings. It is, though, completely at home, its roots planted deep in the colonial style of the city.
Sian Pascale of Young Citizens design studio plucked colonial and Art Deco hardwood and wicker furniture from the city’s second hand markets for renovation, while other pieces such as the bedside tables were bespoke creations for Abode. Another recycled element is the wooden flooring; the Burmese teak came from demolished housing. Local manufacturer Bharat Tiles made the cement tiles on the ground floor, and Mumbai firms were also used to make much of the upholstery – the WomenWeave charity made the fabric for some of the soft furnishings. Topping off this retro triumph is the lobby chandelier, which dates back to the 19th Century.
