Taj Hotels A True Story of Indian Luxury

The epitome of royalty and splendor, Taj Hotels has come through and created a legacy of 117 years in the Indian hospitality industry. Weaving through Indian heritage and culture, Taj Hotels offers hospitality services that are world-renowned. It is no surprise that with this level of grandeur, at least five of the hotels from the Taj Hotels group have been listed in the "Top 100 Hotels and Resorts in the World". Standing upon core pillars of trust, awareness and joy, Taj hotels enjoy a consumer love which they term as the spirit of ‘Tajness’. From the biggest officials, personnels, eminent personalities,  presidents and celebrities, Taj Hotels has greeted the face of many well-known people all around the world. Its fame is no more limited to India itself, the group has over 88 luxurious Taj Hotels and many more subsidiary brand hotels such as Vivanta, The Gateway, Ginger, Expressions, TajSATS & SeleQtions all over the world.

Taj Hotels is a part of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) which is the largest hospitality-focussed enterprise in South Asia. Taj is the hallmark of Indian Hospitality and is the most premium of all its subsidiaries. With hotels ranging across iconic locations, historical palaces, exotic beaches and picturesque safaris, delivering unmatched services and guaranteeing an experience which gets  etched in your mind forever, Taj is at the center of it all.

History

There are several versions of this story. And I’m going to take you through it all!
Taj Hotels was a venture by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata who was the founder of the Tata Group. He laid the foundation of the first-ever Taj Hotel- Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, India overlooking the magnificent Arabian Sea on 16th December, 1903. While one story says that Jamsetji Tata opened this hotel because he was once denied entry at the Watson's Hotel in Mumbai due to racial discrimination, where the hotel permitted only Europeans. Hence, out of revenge, he decided to create the best hotel in Mumbai which would be looked upon by all. But it seems unlikely that a person of that stature would indulge in whims of revenge.

Another fable goes as to where one of his close friends, Mark Twain had come to Mumbai and disliked its hotels which would be manifested by rats and the chef at the hotel where he was living, knew only one French dish and would serve the same dish with different names each day. But a more plausible reason was given by Lovat Fraser, a close friend of the Jamsetji Tata and one of the directors of the IHCL group, that he wanted to make Mumbai famous and known for its glory. He wanted to give in to the city which he loved so dearly. He never wanted to become a hotelier but he wanted to start this hotel and eventually give it to a hotelier. But he couldn’t find a worthy hotelier before his death in 1904. Hence, by default it got passed on to Dorab Tata and his partners at Tata & Sons.

The Taj Mahal Palace is an architectural gem in Mumbai and is called ‘Diamond by the sea’. It was built even before the foundation for the Gateway of India was laid (on March 31, 1911). It would be the first sight for all the boats coming to Mumbai port. It got together  American fans, German elevators, Turkish baths and English butlers to give the visitors an experience like no other hotel in the country.

G.A Mattews quotes on the palace back in 1905 and said,

“The Taj Hotel is on such a scale of magnificence and luxury that at first it rather took one’s breath away. There is no other hotel in India which will bear comparison with it, as it is in a rank of its own.”

The Taj Hotel wasn’t a part of the group's focal point and often overlooked in the initial days. Soon, they realised its value as a physical asset and noticed its potential for a very important brand, and today the Taj brand is one of the strongest in the Tata group.They started expanding all over India.

In 1974, the Taj Group opened India’s first international five star beach hotel and resort, the Fort Aguada Beach Resort in Goa. It also started expanding its hotels into metropolitan cities like Chennai and built the five-star deluxe hotel, Taj Coromandel in Chennai. In 1974, the group acquired an equity interest and operating contract for the Taj President, now called Vivanta by Taj – President, a business hotel in Mumbai, in 1977 and in 1978, built the Taj Mahal Palace in Delhi.

The group also began converting major royal palaces of the country into profitable hotels. Some of the most famous ones are the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur.

With the establishment of the Taj West Ends in Bangalore, the Taj Group created its entry in Bangalore and soon, in 1989, also built a five-star deluxe hotel in Kolkata, Taj Bengal. Taj Hotels became the only hotel chain in India that has its presence in all the major metropolitan cities-  namely Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai. Spanning across four continents, 12 countries and 80 locations each Taj hotel represents the tradition of hospitality in a refreshingly modern way to create unique experiences and lifelong memories.

Tales of the Taj

In an exclusive interview of the CEO of IHCL,  Puneet Chhatwal with CPPLuxury.com, explains what luxury stands for and says, “Guests today equate luxury with personalisation and authentic experiences. Taj Hotels offer a true sense of place with curated experiences seeped in the character of the destination.”

The Taj brand name has a strong emotional connection for its consumers who remain loyal to the hotel no matter which part of the country they go to. All Taj hotels, whether the palace atop the hill or beside the idyllic beaches offer an experience to its guests which is filled with warm hospitality, luxury at the very roots, authentic culinary affair and the world-class level of service and accommodation. IHCL sums this feeling as the ‘Tajness’. It is this feeling that sets them apart from their competitors and makes the guests feel completely at home.

While talking about the brand's service and dedication we cannot forgo its commitment to sustainability and eco friendly projects. The Taj Exotica Resort & Spa built on the beautiful shores of the Andaman & Nicobar islands is one of a kind hotel. To ensure that the fragile ecosystem isn’t harmed the group constructed the whole hotel without felling even one tree and to date doesn’t use plastic in any way to harm the biosphere. More than a century year old, the Taj Mahal Palace has also survived the ghastly attacks of 26/11 in Mumbai and came out maimed but not lost.

Throughout the attack, stories of the courage and help shown by the staff and people at Taj have resurfaced and only shown the dedication and commitment of the staff towards its guests.

Today, the Taj hotels, in all their variety and rich heritage are recognised internationally as the true symbol of Indian luxury. The company is integral in India’s emergence into the international business and leisure and travel industry. Looking at the coming years, Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces is set to face future competitions and contribute to the Indian economy.

Notable Hotels of Taj Hotels

Taj Umaid Bhavan Palace, Jodhpur

The Umaid Bhavan Palace is a golden hued palace set atop the Chittar hill overlooking the desert city of Jodhpur. The Palace is set amidst 26 acres of lush gardens with a subterranean Zodiac Pool and a Jiva Grande Spas. The luxury five-star Taj heritage hotel offers 70 utterly breathtaking Art Deco- style rooms and suites. The Palace offers its guests a true taste of royalty and luxury, which was once only offered to the royal family of Jodhpur. This hotel is also an iconic place for a dream wedding. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’s fairy tale wedding is living proof of this.

Taj Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

A jewel in the Taj’s crown, Rambagh Palace offers 78 stunningly restored grand luxury rooms and suites which were the chambers of the former Maharaja. The Palace is extravagantly decorated with hand-carved marble ‘jalis’, sandstone, ‘chattris’ and elaborate Mughal Gardens stretching across 19 hectares. Exclusive royal butlers assist the guest in a historical tour around the palace and the palace offers the Sawai Man Mahal which is an ideal place for a royal destination wedding or business conference. The Palace has played a host to several eminent guests, such as Lord Louis Mountbatten, Prince Charles and Jacqueline Kennedy. The ‘Jewel of Jaipur’ is worth a stay.

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur

Amidst the blue waters of Lake Pichola in the wonderland of Udaipur is Taj Lake Palace.
What started as a taunt to the prince to create his own palace given by the maharaja for asking permission whether he could reside in the pleasure palace Jagmandir with his ladies, this palace formerly called Jag Niwas has a lot to offer. The ultimate destination for weddings and honeymoon couples, this property features open-air courtyards, lotus ponds and shikara rides amidst the lake. This hotel has also been featured in the Bond film ‘Octopussy’.

Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi

In the heart of India's capital city, Delhi is the iconic city hotel- Taj Mahal Hotel situated. The Taj Mahal Hotel's prominence is its old-world grace and charm, brought together effortlessly with contemporary comforts and amenities. Given the proximity of this hotel to the major government buildings like Rashtrapati Bhavan. India Gate and airport and railway station too, it is the preferred choice of guests like Heads of State, business leaders and visiting dignitaries. This Hotel also offers culinary experts through its plethora of restaurants, each an expert in its own cuisine.

Other famous and notable hotels under the Taj Group are Taj Mahal Palace (Mumbai), Taj Falaknuma Palace (Hyderabad), Taj Exotica Resort & Spas (Andamans). All of these have been listed in the ‘Top 100 Hotels in the World’.

Taj Hotels is definitely the hallmark of iconic hospitality across the globe. The brand will remain to be famous for its warm and courteous service and is the undisputed leader in Indian hospitality.