sea lounge - the taj mahal palace

sealoungehas been a family favourite since the 1960s. today our experience was a terrible one on all counts! shoddy service, substandard food quality and absolutely unacceptable changes to classics like the veinnoise and club sandwiches. worse thing? no one seem to care. one junior staff came and parroted regular hotel apology lines.
shape up team!!

the ambience of the sealoungein the taj mahal palace is unparalleled. the buffet spread was amazing for the hi-tea and the food was equally delicious. you might have to arrive shortly after 3.30pm to get a seat by the window to be able to enjoy the view of the sea and the gateway of india because theloungeis a popular destination for guests. our server, pritwish was extremely courteous and helpful in offering us suggestions for dinner plans within our restaurants within taj. there was live music as well as an icing on the cake. overall a must have experience for anyone visiting the taj mahal palace.

the hotel provides complimentary tea/coffee and snacks at the sealoungefor resident guests. we had the cappuccino and it was quite good. also, the cookies tasted great. it has a very good ambience with luxurious seating and a chess set to indulge yourself.

ordered jamaican blue mountain coffee. got the table near the window. its really amazing place to be. theloungeis very spacious and tables are at proper distance. the coffee was at perfect temperature, and they gave some biscuits with it. the ambience is calm and serene. there are no loud people talking, you can just relax and enjoy the coffee with an amazing view of the sea.

when one thinks of taj mahal palace, we think of it as one of the finest hotel in india. does it really live up to its name? let's find out. the sealoungeis located at a beautiful place. theloungeboasts a stunning view of the gateway of india and the arabian sea. the settings inside theloungeis itself very luxurious. the staff via their service showcase the age old indian tradition of 'atithi devo bhavaha' which means guest is god. now let's come to the coffee. i visited theloungeat tea time. i had the jamaican blue hill coffee. the coffee came in a french press and was served with milk, sugar and some tasty sesame seed cookies. on the other hand the cold coffee who someone had ordered on my table had a lot of scope for better plating. the cold coffee wasn't​ up to 5star standard. even the hot chocolate wasn't feeling right but it was play. the coffee was the one thing that really stood out as it was probably the best coffee i've ever head. it had a really lovely aroma, a beautiful dark brown shade and had an amazing slightly sweet flavour. now let's come to value for money. the coffee, absolutely, the cold coffee, no and the hot chocolate was slightly over priced for the quality. but overall i feel that taj mahal palace is one of the finest hotels in india and that visiting the sealoungewill be a cherished experience and i would love to visit again.

it's a bay viewloungein the taj mahal palace. try out different coffees from around the world.
rest everything else address says it all !!

spent the day showing a visitor places around colaba. he wanted to see the taj and i thought what the heck..despite of staying in mumbai for so long i myself haven't been inside even once! so we decided to go for an afternoon tea. 

this place speaks opulence and has colonial charm thanks to its rich history. when i visited, high tea was in progress and the ambience was exactly as you would find in any top end restaurant in london during high tea hours. i was in love with the pastel walls, rich upholstery, soothing music and the breathtaking arabian sea view. sealoungehas a huge collection of teas and coffees around the world. the service is quick and the staff is polite. the coffee and milks hakes we ordered were delicious and worth every dime we spent. i will soon visit for high tea and looking forward to adding that experience in this review! i am sure it will be worth additional half point rating :)

lunching at the taj had been one of the things in my bucket list, as is for most of mumbaikars. so, me and my friend decided to go for lunch and boy.. taj wouldn't let you down.. being the first 5star restaurant of mumbai.. it sure kept its heritage and pride alive..

we went for sealoungeas we had heard of it's food. a warm welcome at reception, escorted until we reached the lounge.. we reached around 1:30 pm and so, we had lot many options for seating.. the hostess escorted us towards the sea facing window seat.. and boy! the view is breathtaking.. the service provided was top notch.

searching thought the 22 page menu is a task.. but you realise that most of pages are for tea and other beverages.. we concentrated on food..

we went for fried promfret with chi ps tartare sauce and grilled chicken. we didn't have any idea of beverages, the attendant suggested us choco breeze and caribbean delight. taste wise, caribbean wasn't that much of a delight. however, choco breeze was yum, promfret and grilled chicken lived upto it's expectations..
being a fish gourmet.. i do recommend promfret...

i asked if the hotel would play something .. birthday wise..for my friend. the attendant came back saying they can bring a cake that would be charged.. when he saw i was ok with it.. he did go back and brought one of the yummiest chocolate cake i ever had.. they did wait for my friend to blow candles and 2-3 staff member joined me while singing happy birthday.. wow.. the bill came, and the attendant said that the cake was complimentary from the hotel... wasn't expecting that!!

overall
ambience-5*
service-5*
food-5*
beverages-4.5*
experience-5*

they don't include service charges.. so feel free to loosen your pocket with some cash, while paying your bill!

ps- either book a table if you are planning to go on weekend or holidays.. or go early to get a sea view window side table.

bon appetit!!

so finally i have been to sealoungethe taj is mahal palace is a special palace to me can't tell anything about it food is awesome state of the art, ambience i don't have words to write about it

sealoungeis my first memory of a restaurant my family loved visiting. the space, the ambience, the service, the food (i still taste the egg toastie and smell the melted cheese pizza from that era).
the piano man playing the best tunes from lara's theme to abba to everything else.
in recent times, it saddens me no end that the menu looks tattered, the serving staff jaded with age and the greenhorns inept at handling a place of this stature. sad. very sad.
i wish the management or the powers that be and decide would respect and counsel their old staff that they are the ones that make this place what it is.

however, do visit for their high tea. :)

no morning coffee served anywhere can beat the view that you get while sipping one at the sealoungeearly morning.

the aroma of freshly baked breads, pies and coffee fills the room. the staff is really helpful and they ensure you get what you like. the array of choices available makes you smile, there is something for everyone.

amazing overall. love the view, food, service and particularly the ambience.
the setting is calm with soft music and lighting that over looks the ocean and gateway of india.
love everything about sealounge👍🏻😊

sealoungegives a spectacular view of gateway. morning view plus breakfast no words.
they serve unlimited buffet. prior reservation is must. during weekends it's full.

thisloungeis in the most prominent hotel "taj mahal palace" in mumbai. this place is known for the view. watching the famous "gateway of india" and the sea while having breakfast is tranquillity. food was tasty and of good quality. this place offers a wide variety of foods. as every corner of the popular taj hotel thisloungeis situated in, thisloungeis super clean. service should improve. a good place for breakfast and afternoon tea.

everything here is magnificent. few items like omelette and paratha aren't included in the buffet. you'll have to order from the menu.

i love cold coffees too much! the one i had here- frappe was nothing but yumm! one of the best cold coffees in sobo !
also food bites at sealoungewere delicious & the desserts were lip-smacking!