A homely and delightful backpacker’s hostel has opened in Bandra in Mumbai, and we got to check it out. Horn Ok Please is housed out of a 100-year old Portuguese bungalow and here’s a look.
Horn Ok Please was started off by three self-confessed backpackers – Rishab Maskara, Smit Jain and Rohan Shelke. Supported by Rishab’s wife, Adina Goerke (who also took up most of the decor duties), Horn Ok Please was started off to offer the travellers a new kind of space – a mix between a home and a budget place.
The germ of opening this up stems from the fact that all of them love travelling and have stayed in diverse hostels across Europe and Asia. Smit and Rishab confess that they fell in love with a cosy hostel they stayed at in Budapest and that was it…
…years later we see Horn Ok Please.
Hidden away in the alleys of Bandra, this hostel is housed inside the famous Almeida bungalow. Up until three years back, it was occupied by an Almeida family member. However, since they don’t live in India anymore, the property had been up for rent. So it’s fair to say this dream has been almost two years in work. The hostel has three dormitories – each with eight beds. Each bed comes with three plug points and a reading light. How cute!
They have three showers and four toilets in the hostel, along with a lovely and cosy living room/common chilling area where the reception takes a tiny, humble corner. Psst: ladies, they've got hairdryers too.
Enter the kitchen area and find a wall dedicated to maps of different countries, the ceilings dotted with the lines of the Western Railway (they have cute toy trains, autos and dogs on them) and a communal wooden table for you to plonk yourself on and enjoy food. Feel free to cook yourself a meal – they have the facilities.
The hostel is flooded with natural light, upcycled wooden furniture that belonged to the Almeidas and is extremely spacious. We love how it’s been done up in a very minimal manner, it skips the routine graffiti and murals on the walls and retains the old-world charm of the bungalow. We found cute kettle-shaped lamps hanging from the ceiling and Jas Charanjiva’s (of the Kulture Shop) artwork too.
They have a tiny corner dedicated to board games and books. All you need to do is pick one of them up and read (do forget to return it, it’s from their personal collection). They’ll soon be starting the give-one-take-one concept too.
Apart from this, the breakfast here is inclusive in the stay. For INR 699 per night, you can choose your choice of dormitory to stay in. This is inclusive of the WiFi, the breakfast, and access to the entire hostel. For bookings, you can call them on 09985544000 or book via their website.