50 Years of Hotel Sun – n – Sand , Mumbai

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           NOVEMBER 28 , 2012           00.16 A.M.

Iconic Sun – n – Sand , Mumbai completes 50 years of its existence and is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year .

The first Sun-n-Sand was built at Mumbai in 1962 by Mr. Gul Advani and his friend Mr. John Voyantzis, giving Mumbai its first 5 star hotel and India, its first beachfront 5 star hotel. There is now a Sun-n-Sand at Pune, Shirdi and Nagpur as well. The Sun-n-Sand Group of Hotels also runs a fine-dining restaurant, Jewel of India, and the Jade Garden banquet halls at Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai.

Sun-n-Sand Group of hotels – Mumbai (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have vivid memories of Sun – n – Sand hotel . I first came to know about it during my Allahabad days . I had detailed knowledge of the hotel through the film magazines . All the big film land parties , film muhurats and jubilee functions were invariably held and celebrated here during those days . Since it was in Juhu , it was very convenient for the film land bigwigs .

I also got to know through magazines that legendary Dev Anand had booked a permanent suite on the first floor of this hotel and he kept it for 15 long years . That particular suite became almost his second home .

My curiosity for this hotel grew with the passage of time . When I landed in Mumbai in 1989 [ it was known as Bombay then ] , I went to see Sun – n – Sand . In the beginning of my struggling days it was my cherished dream to attend at least one party in the hotel . Luckily I got the opportunity soon . I don’t remember the occasion but I do remember the moment when I entered into the hotel for the first time .

I have attended several functions and parties since then . My last party was for the muhurat of ” Bheema “ , a film which I wrote few years back .

I have gone there several times since my first visit . But every time I am as excited as I was for the first time . Apart from Taj Mahal , Sun – n – Sand was the only hotel of Mumbai which caught my attention during my formative years . So the attraction remains undiminished even after so many decades .

I , on behalf of myself and my acting school , Vidur’s Kreating Charakters , congratulate everyone associated with the hotel and wish them many more such jubilees .

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

www.vidur.co.in

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