Facts about Hotel Taj Mahal, Mumbai

The Taj Mahal Palace is one of the iconic landmarks of the financial capital of India, Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). This prestigious hotel has completed 105 years and is considered as a heritage and flagship property of the Taj group of Hotels, Resorts and Palaces. Taj Mahal Palace is located in Colaba and is adjacent to the Gateway of India (a historical monument built between 1911 and 1924). This Taj hotel is known as "Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel".

Some of the international cuisines such as Thai, Italian, Sichuan, Californian and Mexican were first introduced to India by the Taj Mahal Palace. In the early 1970s, Taj Mahal Palace opened a 24-hour coffee shop; it was the first of its kind in India.

This hotel was one of the ten places attacked by a group of terrorists on 26 November 2008. Many foreign and Indian guests, and employees were killed and injured. The furniture and many artifacts have been destroyed. To restore the beauty and the magnificence of this century old architecture it would take a long time. Take a look at the historical and interesting facts about the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel.

Historical Facts about Hotel Taj Mahal Palace

This magnificent and heritage hotel of the Taj Group was the brainchild of Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata, a prominent industrialist and businessman. This hotel was built in the early 20th century. Being a businessman himself he felt the need of having a luxury hotel in the finance capital of India.

J.N. Tata decided to build this luxurious hotel after he was denied entry into one of the luxury hotels of those days, Watson’s Hotel (Watson’s Hotel is one of the oldest surviving cast iron building in India. It is now known as the Esplanade Mansion). The entry to the Watson’s Hotel was restricted only to the "Whites".

The Indian architects who originally designed this massive and magnificent structure were Sitaram Khandero Vaidya and D.N. Mirza. Later, an English engineer W.A. Chambers completed the project of this hotel.

The architecture of this prominent hotel was influenced by the designs of Moorish, Oriental and Byzantine styles.

The cost of building the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in the year 1903 was £250000, which is equivalent to £127 million today.

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was converted into a six hundred-bed hospital during the World War I.

In 1973, Taj purchased adjacent Green’s Hotel. It was later demolished to construct the Tower. An American architect, Melton Bekker, designed the Tower. Then onwards this hotel has been called as the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel.

Interesting Facts about Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel

You get a striking panoramic view of the Arabian Sea from most of the rooms of this hotel. The rear side of this hotel faces the harbor while the front side of the hotel opens to the west. Initially, it was designed in this way for the easy access to the guests who came in horse carriages. However, forty years ago, the old front entrance was closed and new entrance was opened facing the harbor.

The splendid interior decoration is awe-inspiring. From the alabaster ceilings of Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hangs the beautiful Belgian and crystal chandeliers. Onyx columns and archways give a graceful look to this marvelous piece of architecture. Hotel has incorporated a wide variety of artistic styles and has a magnificent collection of artifacts, hand-woven carpets and contemporary furniture. The domes and decorative arches give this building a grand and magnificent appearance.

This century-old hotel has eleven restaurants, including the famous Japanese restaurant, Wasabi and the Golden Dragon restaurant. The Golden Dragon restaurant introduced Sichuan cuisine in this hotel thirty years ago (late 1970s). Wasabi was the first Japanese restaurant in India and the senior chef of this restaurant is Masaharu Morimoto, known to many as the Iron Chef. The other famous restaurants are the "Souk" (East Mediterranean cuisine) and Zodiac Grill (European Cuisines)

For the past four years, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel has been listed by the "Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List" as one of the best hotels for the following categories - best food, best service and best location. Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List is a traveler guide to the best hotels of the world.

In 2008, Taj Mahal Palace hotel was awarded the "Best for Food" Category for the second time by the Condé Nast Traveller.

The Taj Mahal Palace & Taj Mahal Tower Hotel has a total of twenty floors and five hundred and sixty-five rooms including forty-six suites. There are two kinds of rooms in the Taj Mahal Tower - "Superior Rooms" and "Deluxe Rooms". The Taj Mahal Palace have "Luxury Grande Rooms" and "Taj Club Rooms". The rooms of Taj Mahal Palace are differentiated as "Executive Suites", "Luxury Suites", "Grand Luxury Suites" and "Presidential Suites". Each and every room is unique. The walls of the each room are adorned with original paintings. The rooms are furnished with a mix of contemporary and old-world furniture and silk carpets that exude the charm of royal splendor and modernity. Though the interiors display the beauty of old world, this hotel has all the modern and contemporary facilities. The housekeeping standards are at par with the international standards. Some of the facilities available in all the rooms are Wi-Fi, satellite Television, voice mail, mini-bar, telephone in the bathroom and by the bedside and many more.

Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel has been a second home to many Indians and foreign guests. This hotel has been a perfect host to maharajahs, princes, kings, CEOs and foreign dignitaries. Some of the dignitaries and guests who have enjoyed their stay in Taj Mahal Palace are the Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke and Duchess of Kent, King and Queen of Norway, Mick Jaggar, Jacques Rene Chirac, The Beatles, Bill Clinton, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Elvis Presley.

In spite of the terror attacks, this magnificent heritage building stands proudly amidst the debris of the devastation on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It would forever remain as an iconic landmark of India.