The result is a rather large, ostentatious shrine that worships marble and gold; perhaps we would be more impressed if it were the metal rather than the colour. A fellow scribe felt the Imperial Palace “managed to make Sahara Star look tasteful”.

The hotel has a grand lobby that leads to a coffee shop by the name of La Rotanda, with grand Renaissance-style paintings on its walls and ceilings. While some observers felt it reminded them of the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, Dilawar Nensey, son of chairman Amir Nensey and joint managing director of Royal Palms, says, “We kept George V or Hotel de Crillon in Paris in mind.” The 422-room hotel is ready for business with 279 rooms functional currently, and was built at a cost of an impressive investment of around Rs 230 crore — which does not factor in the cost of the land it was built on.

“We are aiming at mid-level corporate visitors and are competing with other airport hotels; the Imperial Palace stands out due to its opulence, the space offered in each room, and the greenery and fresh air of the entire Royal Palms property,” justifies Nensey. The rooms, we have to admit, are spacious with the smallest being 500-square feet and at an initial price of just Rs 7,999 plus tax. The standard rooms are equipped with an iPod dock, DVD player and undeniably comfortable couches to enjoy a view of Powai Lake. The bathrooms are particularly impressive; each has a large bathtub with multiple water jets and more space than most bathrooms we’ve encountered at that level. “We offer airport transfers with all bookings currently and facilities such as the golf course which mean that our guests can enjoy the rooms as well as activities on weeknights and weekends,” explains Dilawar.

The Imperial Palace promises an unparalleled butler service, which is just as well given that the Royal Palms’ 240-acre estate feels like is a fair distance from the rest of Mumbai. This is, despite everything, clearly a project that has taken a lot of care and effort - the paintings that cover 60,000 square feet in all as well as the sculptures and fountains were specially commissioned. The hotel employs 560 employees currently and will go up to 800, a fine contribution in recession times.