Seldom does a quaint boutique hotel crop up in a bustling metropolis like Mumbai. So when one opens in the heart of the city, you sit up and take notice, especially when it happens to be a design-forward one. In a leafy lane in Dadar, a fluted glass facade conceals what lies inside this three-storey building. As you step on the marble entrance platform and walk through the doors, a light-filled passage welcomes you to The Kin with a mild floral aroma in the air. Look to your right and you spot colourful, fresh blooms delicately arranged in bouquets, picked up from the famed Dadar flower market nearby. On your left, an eclectic melange of curios ranging from scented candles and coffee table books to vases and tote bags line up all the way till the end of the walkway. This is the concept store at the hotel with skylights and mirrors on the ceiling and marble flooring leading patrons to the reception desk ahead. As you ‘ChecKin’, the nuanced detailing put in every nook of the boutique hotel begins to unfold.
The building, that belongs to the Sethi family, was earlier run as a two-star hotel by the current owners’ grandfather before he let them take over and convert it into this new, improved version. “It took some convincing and proving myself by redoing one room before he agreed to let us change the whole space. But once we decided to infuse new elements into this, we realised it was life coming full circle. We were taking something that had been in our family for years and added our own flavour to it. Despite the complete overhaul and a new name, we have tried to retain the ethos of how our late grandfather would run it— like a home, with love,” says Imrun Singh Sethi, co-founder of The Kin, which he runs with his sister Guneet Singh.
The sibling duo have poured their heart and soul into this passion project that saw the light of day after four years of renovations. The name aptly represents their kinship while the interiors reflect their design sensibilities which have been skilfully executed by Samir Raut, principal architect at Atelier Nowhere. From products curated and designed by Singh for the store and rooms, to whimsical nooks such as the vinyl listening station under the stairs, The Kin serves a buffet of design ideas on a modern platter. The best part? Almost all things at the hotel can be bought—think light fixtures, artworks, decor pieces, sKIN toiletries, and even some of the furniture. “Except the bed linen, the bed, and curtains, guests can either buy or pre-order pretty much everything they see in the hotel,” reveals Singh.
Each of the 15 rooms spread across the three floors showcases a distinct design, layout and size, ranging from 215-square-feet to 320-square-feet, along with a connecting family room that’s almost 550-square-feet. “The project was imagined as a boutique hotel that gave people multiple designed ‘experiences of stay’ in a city like Mumbai. For the flooring, we played around with hand-laid terrazzo in different hues along with a mix of Indian marbles. While the colour scheme, orientation and larger interior details vary from room to room, we have tied them up together by introducing subtle cohesive elements. From circular and slanted windows, open wardrobes, retro-style analog phones, and KIN cushions and stationery, a common thread runs across all rooms,” shares Raut.
An equipment-based gym on the terrace, the adjacent Terttulia restaurant (also run by Sethi) serving in-room and seated dining, and a concept store complete this boutique hotel that packs in ample substance and style in a minimal square footage.
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