http://indoexpedition.com/shelleys-hotel-mumbai.html

Try this place in Mumbai on Colaba, close to the seafront

Cheers Feelthevibe......Ive looked "Shelleys" up and it seems OK. Have you stayed there ????
How far is Colaba from airport and how long will it take to get there (arrive at mid-night so traffic should be alot less !!! )

Friends of mine stayed there and said it was very good for the price as Mumbai hotels are usually pretty expensive and not up to much. Colaba should take about 30 mins that time of night, daytime expect 90 mins I have seen the hotel and it is very close to the Gateway and handy for the Elephanta Island trip(well worth it), very busy area with plenty going on but be prepared for the adject poverty in Mumbai, it is a real eye opener.

P.S. Go for the deluxe sea view rooms my friend says

As for restaurants, there are quite a few still open, Cactus is still open and never lets you down for very good but cheap food, it had to close for a while to get a new more waterproof roof, Capricorn is open, Fishermans cove, and others & loads of the true Goan restaurants, that we usually eat in such as Kishor and Viva Goa and Naik oh loads..all extreemly cheap of course!!. Montanas close on the 12th, and one or two that were open might close in July of course, have fun take your waterproofs for sure!!! but it is fun we enjoyed it for a while at least but you do feel like a prisoner sometimes when it is relentless and you dont want to go out in it!!! we bought fantastic waterproofs over there in Panjim and Mapusa and they were excellent and kept us bone dry , they have little peaks to stop the rain dripping in your eyes on the bike, great idea .
Chilly

We used to love the Kishor until I went to the toilet - in the middle of the kitchen - never again.

thats Goa!!!!!!
chilly

No it's not - you have to chose your eating places carefully. I ALWAYS ask to have a look at the kitchen before I eat anywhere in India - especially in Goa as they can throw the food at you if they are busy - if I don't like what I see I dont eat there.
I am a fully qualified chef - know what is what and only eat where I know it is hygenic. Kishor is not one of those.
Bernards Place on CSM road is one of the better places to eat - he conforms to UK standards of hygiene - I gave him the VHS.
Places like Sublime - near the river in Baga - and the German run restaurnant over the same bridge are brilliant places to eat.
I went into a very well know restaurant in Baga and went to the toilet and when I flushed everything came out of the toilet into a chanel at the side of me where I watched it go under a door infront of me. As I am a very nosey person I went and opened the door - Guess where it went - right over the kitchen floor - did I go back and tell my husband where it went - as he was eating his pud - not on you life as he would have kicked up **** so I just told them I was not paying the bill as it was not very hygenic place and walked out

yes there are some excellent restaurants in Goa, I agree, I know Chris, the chef at Sublime well and agree the food etc is superb, as are many other places but lets not forget, not so many years ago, before hoards of tourists descended on Goa, there werent all these 'nice' 'conforming,' 'hygenic' restaurants, the facilities in many were primitive and not always to 'our' standards but they were always full and many still are, because most are places run by and for the 'real' Goans, before they had to 'conform to UK standards of hygiene its not the UK, .... dont get me wrong Im not condoning 'bad hygene and standards' I too have organised a commercial kitchen within my business for many years and i am well aware of the requirements and also have my food hygiene qualifications, and I do agree it is unfortunate where the toilet is situated in Kishor, and not particularly nice, or hygienic, its a disgrace by Uk standards, but that is Goa in many places still, ...things happen slowly, yes its getting 'better' (is it??!!)and I would certainly not eat anything if I didnt like what I saw either. But I have eaten in Kishor as have many many people I know for a long long time and have never been ill as a result, and have always had a great meal ... not to mention the cheap prices.we have eaten in places similar and worse than this all over India over the years and frankly I rarely get ill. BUT the real point is the reason I mentioned Kishor and Viva Goa rather than some of these 'nicer'restaurants , is beacause they have all closed up and gone home now! 'tourist' season is over for them.

Mumbai is great, if you want to stay on the cheap side you could try Salvation Army's Red Sheild House in Colaba near the Gate of India, for a dorm room you can pay less than 200 Rs/- I think and for a private (double) room with private shower about 600 Rs/- It's very clean and they also throw in meals for the proper rooms. (Basic but fills you up). Many of the restuarants in Calangute/Candolim will still be open although MOST of the beach shacks will be closed by now, The ones close to Calangute steps stay open all year though as there are LOTS of Indian tourists who seem to never move from the steps (don't know why)

Hope that helps

Thanks

Rob

Hi Feelthevibe....i have just had a E-mail back from Shelleys hotel about reservations in July.....unfortunately they are closed for renovation work for 2 months.....thanks anyway...
Any more ideas for me.....

I stayed at the Causeway Hotel when I was there but it wasn`t really up to much, just found this it looks pretty good http://www.mumbainet.com/hotels/godwin/index.htm

Acouple of years or so ago we stayed at The Diplomat Hotel and it was fine,it's on the street directly behind the Taj Hotel at the Gatway To India
http://www.hoteldiplomat-bombay.com Alan