Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai Reopens on India Independence Day

Yesterday marked not just the celebration of India’s Independence Day, but also the reopening of the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, newly renamed The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. The event celebrates the completion of repairs and renovations to the historic 1903 structure (and home to royalty, jetsetters, and head of state) that was damaged during the Mumbai terrorist attack nearly two years ago.

"Today, we have fulfilled our promise of rebuilding The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai to its former glory. The palace wing has been lovingly and painstakingly restored, and we will now offer our guests an even more customized experience,” said Raymond Bickson, CEO of Taj Hotels. “It is a fitting tribute to the spirit and resilience that is our company's flagship, and the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the hotel. As India celebrates its 64th year of independence, we warmly welcome our guests, old and new, to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.”

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai now features 285 newly restored luxury guestrooms and suites, including 161 grand rooms, 82 Taj club rooms, and 42 luxury suites, along with newly restored restaurants and bars, ballrooms, and public spaces. Combined with the Tower wing, the hotel now offers a total of 560 rooms.

The luxury hotel company decided to take advantage of the palace wing being closed to make significant upgrades to the hotel, which is why the repairs and renovation took nearly two years, said one of the hotel’s public relations managers.

New Palace Wing Services

In addition to the new luxurious interior design and high-end goods, new services and amenities available to Palace wing guests include:

• Daily access to a new ground floor Palace Lounge adjacent to the grand staircase with complimentary beverage and food services for all guests, and cocktails and wine for Taj Club and Suite guests, as well as Internet work stations and dedicated concierge service
• 24-hour butler service
• Complimentary use of fitness center, steam room, and Jacuzzi
• Complimentary breakfast and high tea in the Sea Lounge, and one-way airport transfers for Taj Club and Suite guests
• Concierge printing of boarding passes prior to hotel departure
• At-airport butler assistance
  

Additional Upgrades

Incentive visited the hotel this past April and got a sneak-peak at a portion of the restoration. The hotel is located across the street from the famous Gateway to India monument and overlooks the Arabia Sea, with seductive sunrise views over the water for those with sea-facing rooms.

The grand staircase, crystal chandeliers, and artwork collection were beautifully restored, as were some of the public spaces between the historic palace wing and the modern tower wing—including the pool and adjacent relaxing Aquarius lounge, complete Colonial-style wicker chairs and overhead fans and an intricately carved Indian-style swing.

The elegant main ballroom, with gilded gold columns, reopened the week before our visit. In addition to new soft goods, the room features new and upgraded lighting and audio-visual capabilities, wireless Internet access, and drop-down screens. Overall, there are 11 meeting and event spaces for up to 200 guests for dinner, 500 auditorium style, or 2,000 for receptions.

The legendary Harbour Bar, Mumbai's first licensed bar, and India's first contemporary Japanese restaurant, Wasabi by Morimoto, were redesigned by Madrid-based Rockwell Group Europe. Both overlook the sea and monument. The entrance to Wasabi, located inside the Harbour Bar, is via a rich red-hanging staircase, giving the impression of an Escher paining, and there’s a secluded table for groups of 10 designed like a sphere cut in half with its top elevated that also offers wonderful views of the harbor.

For more information about the Taj Palace Hotel, Mumbai and its restoration, visit www.tajhotels.com.