I have never been anywhere like Mumbai. It’s loud. Colourful. Sometimes grubby. Crowded. Alive. There’s so much life everywhere. On the drive from the airport I see a man who has set up a barber’s chair on the pavement next to the park – he’s doing a good trade in beard trims. But Mumbai is also the financial and technological capital of a country that’s growing exponentially. It all makes for an electric vibe.

It’s only a 20-minute drive from the airport to Juhu, one of Mumbai’s buzziest and wealthiest neighbourhoods and home to some of Bollywood’s biggest stars. Juhu Beach lies on the shore of the Arabian Sea, where groups of children play games of cricket, people deep in conversation stroll in pairs and, in among the palm trees, you’ll find Soho House’s newest outpost.

Like other Soho House properties, it is low-key luxury chic as standard. But here it appears alongside swathes of sumptuous Indian furnishings; lampshades made from vintage saris, teak drinks cabinets that house crystal tumblers and sisal carpets. It’s a feast for the eyes.

The 11-storey building feels particularly intimate – my favourite floor is the top one, home to a relaxed restaurant bedecked with cane furniture and a rooftop pool framed by daybeds, gorgeous patterned tiles and verdant foliage. I suppose I should also point out that the gym, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beach, is very impressive, but the outdoor Yoga Under The Stars class is far more my holiday vibe.

Travel inspiration: relax and refuel at a chic oasis in India’s liveliest city