Hotel Review- Grand Hyatt Mumbai

After seeing the pictures of the Hotel above (all taken courtesy of the Grand Hyatt Mumbai website) you may already have made up your mind that the hotel looks amazing, and you'd be right- It does. The Grand Hyatt in Mumbai is sleek and modern, with all the promise of bringing the New World charm and decor to Old world Santa Cruz, Mumbai. Unfortunately, that is where the buck stops- at the promise of it being something great. I have stayed at the Grand Hyatt before a few years back, and had absolutely no issues with the hotel or the service, but my most recent trip to Mumbai was a completely different experience.
As I mentioned in my post a few days back I'd gone to Goa for a wedding and returned to Mumbai to spend 3 nights  attending another wedding there. As I checked into the hotel, tired and sleep deprived, I decided to force myself to stay awake till the night's festivities began. I met two of my friends at the coffee shop downstairs and had to wait painfully long to be served. Apparently the evening before they had waited close to half an hour before leaving as nobody even came to take their order, so we were lucky somebody decided to show up at all. After that the evening went into night and I returned exhausted, having only slept 3 hours the night before, at around 3 AM to my room. The hotel was very well aware that I was in town for a wedding and I had chatted with them and told them how tired I was while checking in. Imagine my surprise then when I was woken up the next morning at 8 AM with the sound of drilling and construction taking place in the room above me. I called them and complained and had to repack my stuff so that they could move me after I stepped out of the hotel.
I left to run errands and returned late in the evening so I could get ready for the main pheras for the wedding. I entered my new room only to find it extremely small and cramped, in fact MUCH smaller than the room I was previously in. I called them and they insisted the room was the same size (it was not) and I asked them to move me anyway. The third room I was in (during which time I completely missed the wedding ceremony with the time they took to move me) was larger and I got dressed and ran down quickly. I entered my room late that night, feeling like I was entering an ice box. I increased the temperature of the room and changed and got ready for bed, assuming that the room would get warmer in time. I woke up in the middle of the night with my teeth chattering and went over to the AC- the temperature was 16 degrees! I tried to cover myself up and went back to bed and woke up and called housekeeping early next morning and asked them how to turn off the AC for a while as I couldn't figure it out- they said they'd send someone as it couldn't be done via the regular dial. Next thing I know I have 3 men entering my room with a large ladder coming in to turn the AC off! I called downstairs, by this time completely having lost my temper, and asked them to just have the AC fixed while I was away, as I didn't want to spend the few hours I was there in my room dealing with workers fixing things. I also told them that the digital clock by my bed was showing the wrong time so both things should be fixed while I was gone. I informed them of my leaving the room when I did, so they could take care of things, only to return to an ice box with the clock by my bed still showing the wrong time. I called and yelled some more and they sent one person up to change the temperature in the room. I told him the temperature should be around 20-21 degrees, and he fixed it (while I had to wait around for him) and then I changed and left. That night I slept fitfully as the temperature in my room climbed to 25 degrees and was way too hot for me to bear.
Now in all of this I had spoken to the duty manager who had INSISTED things would be taken care of and all my problems would be sorted while I was away from the room. NOTHING happened. In that conversation I'd even told her that other friends had been complaining about the hotel and we had established that their thought process was, "people are going to come stay with us anyway so who cares about customer service?!"- an idea she vehemently denied. At the end of the 3 nights, nothing had been done to make me more comfortable, no action had been taken, and I was so glad to be leaving the hotel, vowing never to return!
If you're looking to stay in a hotel in the suburbs of Mumbai, choose the elegant J W Marriot or one of the other hotels in that area. The Grand Hyatt has got to be one of the worst experiences I've had in a hotel EVER.. and considering I travel a lot, that's saying quite a lot. There was no consistency in the rooms either, as my first room had an ipod docking station, ironing board and iron in the room, whereas by the end of it, the room just had the bare bones basics. They obviously do not care about their guests at all, and given the efficiency and fabulous service you get at hotels like the Taj and Oberoi hotels in Town, this type of attitude is not at all the norm of other hotels in India. Why Grand Hyatt feels it can get away with it is beyond me. I just know one thing- I won't be returning there anytime soon!
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Chanel clothing on sale!

As I mentioned yesterday, I was recently at a wedding in Goa. While passing by the dinner counters, I overheard two people involved in a conversation about sales and whether Chanel ever had them. I pulled out my Blackberry as proof to show them the email I'd just received about all the fabulous Chanel items going on sale at Bergdorfs. Yes guys, I've had this information for a while and I do sincerely apologize for posting about it so late, but if you read my post from yesterday  you'll completely be able to understand why I was in no frame of mind to post.
Without further ado, here are my favourite picks for all the fabulous Chanel clothing going on sale! If you're going to skip this post because you think they will all be ridiculously priced and waaaay beyond your budget, DON'T. Yes, they are very very expensive, but if you are the type that wears designer clothes but just never made it to a Chanel, this is the perfect opportunity to splurge on that ONE statement Chanel item that will stay in your closet forever. May I suggest one of the Blizzard dresses?
Anyhow... here are my top picks and their sale prices-

                                     Chanel Classic jacket- USD 3832, and Skirt USD 800

Classic Jacket- USD 2715 and Skirt USD 960

 Blizzard Coat- USD 5965

                                      Blizzard Classic Jacket- USD 2350 and Skirt- USD 1020

                                                                      Wool and Leather coat- USD 3155

                                                                                    Sweater- USD 1920

                                                                 Sheer Bow and Tweed Dress- USD 2695

                                                             Tweed Dress with Fur Trimming- USD 1385

                                               Ivory and Multi-Coloured Dress- USD 2665

                                         Blizzard Dress (and my fave piece!) - USD 2260


Please contact Linda David from Bergdorf Goodman's at lindamdpreston@yahoo.com for prices, information or to purchase any of the items listed above

Carine Roitfeld leaving French Vogue!!

 

Carine Roitfeld announced yesterday that she will be stepping down from one of the most powerful positions in Fashion- the Editor of French Vogue. She has been with French Vogue for 10 years now, and her departure will be effective in several weeks, which means her special Roitfeld Touch will be seen through the magazine up until the March or April issues. There is no word yet on who will take over from her. Carine has been instrumental in putting the French Vogue on the publication map, as it became known for its bold and edgy fashion sense, mirrored largely by her own style. Although in French (duh!) the magazine has become one of my favourites to buy and flip through, as it always has some great pictures and fabulous fashion. A few months back the fashion bible also celebrated it's 90th Anniversary with a fab party and Lara Stone-d cover which was much talked about at publicized the world over. It is then curious, but sort of fitting, that Roitfeld would bow out gracefully doing it right- from the Top.

Where I've been!!

Hi Guys, If you've been checking back to Kiran's Corner over the past week, you've obviously noticed something had changed- NO NEW POSTS! I'm terribly sorry I've been MIA... I was off in India for a wedding, iPad and Laptop in tow, with full intentions of blogging religiously (as I always do) and leaving you guys with daily updates. It was a family friend's wedding I was attending in Goa, and so I flew to Bombay on the 8th and spent a night there, trying to catch the sights and sounds of the Mumbai Nightlife! I went to Aer at the new 4 Seasons for drinks and dinner and then onto a club called Aurus after. I really have new appreciation for the Dubai party scene after that, and I must say I was quite disappointed.
The next day I flew to Goa to kick start the fun at the wedding. Since the groom's sister is a dear friend of mine, I accompanied her one day earlier to get settled and relax before the madness began. There was little chance of that happening! Both families of the couple were ready to celebrate and we pretty much took over the bar at the property and converted it into a private party. The Hotel the wedding was held at was the Zuri White Sands Hotel and Casino, which provided the perfect relaxed backdrop for all the madness that was about to take place. Here is a picture of the hotel I took off the net-

A few days before I was leaving for Goa I realized that the resort actually belonged to a friend of mine, and I messaged him to say hi and let him know I'd be visiting his property for a wedding. I wasn't quite expecting anything, much less to be treated like a VIP guest, including having a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne chilling in my room upon arrival! Was very unexpected and extremely sweet gesture! The Groom's younger sister, who had been the main person coordinating with the hotel for the organization, had already been raving about the stuff and how helpful and courteous they were, so those thinking of planning a wedding in Goa, I'd highly recommend you taking a look at the resort, as well as their sister concern, The Retreat, which at this particular wedding had all the guests of the Bride staying there.
The Wedding was absolutely INSANE, with all of us functioning on very few hours of sleep and going to bed at 7 AM each morning, with us breaking the record and heading to bed at 9 on the last day. I had to actually wake up at Noon after that, pack and jump on a plane back to Bombay to attend another Friend's wedding there. How I managed that, is still a mystery to me.
Luckily the second wedding I was attending was a lot more tame but I was still very sleep deprived thanks to the hotel I stayed in- The Grand Hyatt. More on that later! I did get to run a few errands and see old friends and also spend some time with my best friend who had flown down for the wedding from New York.
I got in last night and thought I must explain myself, especially after being left a worried message from one of my readers on my Facebook page :) Yes I am fine... alive and well... was just caught up in having too much fun, and any attempt to post anything in that state would sound like utter gibberish.
Hope you guys are having as great a time as me, gearing up for the holiday season!
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Vera Wang Cosmetics at Kohl's

Vera Wang, the dream designer for any bride having a white wedding, has been selling her "Simple Vera" collection in Kohl's department stores in America for years now. To add to her success in clothes, Wang has now announced the launch of her new make up line in the same store. "As part of my incredible partnership with Kohl's, I will now be able to offer women all over America my own personal regimen of skin care and make up," was her official statement about the launch. While I'm sure Vera's palette of colours will be soft and wearable hues of creams and lilacs, I don't really know how "personal" the collection would be. I was watching the Ellen show last night that had Nicole Ritchie on, and Ellen was marveling at how she was so talented and even had time to write a book given her busy schedule of being a mother and a clothes designer, etc. I'm trying to figure out which idiot actually believes that people like Lauren Conrad and Nicole Ritchie write their own books, much less have Vera Wang design her own make up line. Having said that, the chances of a designer of her caliber giving her name to a shabby product is quite slim, and I'm hoping the quality will be good. So for Wang fans, the next time you're in the US and can manage to find a Kohl's, stock up on the make up and tell me what you think of it!
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The making of the Pirelli calender-

Remember the pictures from the Pirelli calender  that I posted last week? Well, a video has been released that shows the making of the calender. Despite the video being 24 minutes long, it is quite intriguing and worth a watch for anybody interested in Karl Lagerfeld, fashion, styling and photography. Also, the shoot is held in the Kaizer's Paris studio that is lined with an insane amount of books! And I thought MY few hundred collection was expansive! Anyhow, watch the video... it will be 24 minutes well spent!

Sneak peak at an exclusive jewelry event-

Looking for some sparkle to add some glamour to the holidays? My friend Gayathrie Zaveri is organizing a jewelry exhibition  on the 11th December at the Labei Ballroom at the Ritz Carlton from 3-8 PM. The collection is stylish with pieces that have been acquired from all over the world including jadao jewelry from India, exotic pieces from Belgium and New York and select items from Italy. 

I've known Gayathrie and her husband for a few years now, and despite the fact that I personally don't wear any jewelry, I can't help but gasp at some of her own pieces that she wears out on the town. Her husband Indrajit Zaveri is from the illustrious Zaveri family from India, who are THE name in all things jewelry! His background and knowledge and her passion and flair translates into some stunning pieces that you have to see to believe. Even if you do make it to only ogle at Gayathrie's own rocks, this is an exhibition you will not want to miss. Alas, I'm not in town then, so asked her to send over a few pictures of the stuff she'd have for sale... here are some of them for you to feast your eyes on- 

Julia Roberts' $1.5Million moneymaker...

Julia Roberts was paid 1.5 Million USD for the following coffee ad.. that too in Italian. No, the cash didn't quite go into lessons for her to master her Italian, as she doesn't even say a word. She just stands there and flashes that absolutely stunning smile of hers (that remains pearly white despite the coffee apparently). Wow.. I wish someone paid me that kind of money to just stand and smile!

Fashionable travel luggage

I recently got an email informing me about an event taking place at Bergdorf's in New York, where one of my favourite handbag designers, Nancy Gonzales, was going to be doing a luggage event. The designer is known for her use of luxurious exotic skins for her handbags that come in a mix of classic and trendy, and that are always wearable and very stylish. Hence I was quite intrigued to see what her travel luggage would look like and I must say I wasn't disappointed. I, like countless others, have my LV carry on trolley bag for flights, but these days it just seems so... blah. It isn't exclusive anymore, and along with the thousands of seemingly fakes I see each time I'm at the airport, I feel like my poor bag is seemingly getting the look from others as well, who are trying to figure out it's authenticity. Anyhow, I'm in the market for some new carry on luggage so I decided to do a post on it for others who are also looking for some stylish luggage, or maybe looking for Christmas gift ideas to give the fashionable traveler.
Here are pics of the Nancy Gonzales trolley bags-

SO stylish! Yet I'm not too sure about having what is probably a ridiculously expensive croc trolley to throw my last-minute crap into. For those interested (who live in NYC), the event is on the 9th and 10th of December.

For trolley bag and Hermes lovers (like me!) I would think the brand would have an ultra luxurious leather trolley that would be crazy expensive, impractical, and to die for, all at once. I was quite surprised when I saw their bag though, as it was quite hideous. They wouldn't let me take a picture of it, but luckily I found it on the net (as one does most things) and here it is-

 

Maybe somebody else might see something in this bag, but I really just don't. However Hermes DOES have some nice overnighters that are large travel bags, but probably only meant for those with private jets-

Not only are the travel Birkins ridiculously expensive, they are also ridiculously heavy even without anything in it, so I really can't imagine people walking around in airports comfortably with them. I also love this Hermes canvas and leather travel bag, but again, it's canvas and will get dirty extremely quickly at airports and security screenings, so will give this one a miss too.

I think I absolutely HATED this Chanel trolley bag when I first saw it, but I must say it has grown on me. In all honesty though, the only reason why people would buy this is because it's Chanel.. I can't really see anything else going on with this bag or the rest of the "cocoon" collection in fact. Also, I like it when the trolley bags are also like mini suitcases so you can pack them properly and open them up to find things, rather than everything in the bag being a mess and tumbled over, which is probably what would happen in this one.

I also still absolutely LOVE the large Balenciaga bags and think they are just so gorgeous to travel in. Giselle Bundchen is carrying the larger Weekender bag in black in this picture, and even after all these years, it still looks so fun to carry one. Also given that these bags actually look better after a lot of use, they will just look better with age. I need to get myself one!

Unfortunately the Goyard trolley is also too heavy and isn't roomy enough inside for me to want. So looks like I'll be sticking to what I have, but hopefully you guys might have found something you like for yourselves!

Peek into 2011 Pirelli Calender

The Pirelli Calenders are legendary for producing some of the best shots of the best models, taken by the best photographers in the world. No mean feat, for a tyre brand! This year the calender was shot by Karl Lagerfeld and included some of the most famous faces on the catwalk, including Lara Stone and Lakshmi Menon, with a surprise appearance from actress Julianne Moore. The theme for the calender was Greek Mythology, with Lagerfeld setting out to create in photographs, what Homer created on Page... with the Illiad that is, not Bart! Julianne Moore plays Hera, Brad Kroenig is Zeus, and Lara Stone pouts her way to being Aphrodite. Here are some of the images for your viewing pleasure, appropriately blacked out so Etisalat doesn't black me out to internet oblivion.