Taj Mahal Palace Hotel -The Eternal Glory Of Mumbai


When we hear the word ‘Taj’, the name itself is associated with legacy and regality. It is not only a five-star hotel but pride for every Mumbaikar! Standing tall in front of the Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel has become one of the famous historical and heritage sites for Indians. The brain behind the construction of hotel Taj Mahal Palace was the father of Indian industry Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata. Built in the year 1903, the hotel is part of the Tata Group. Constructed in the Saracenic revival style, the hotel was opened on December 16, 1903. The hotel hosted notable guests, Europeans, Maharajas, presidents, captains and showbiz personalities among others.
Its opening has many hearsay stories in history. It is believed that Jamsetji Tata decided to build the hotel because he was restricted entry into erstwhile ‘Watson Hotel’ which was restricted to ‘whites only’. However, this topic has been the issue of debate. Many believe that the hotel was constructed as it was needed for a city like Bombay. It is also believed that Jamsetji Tata had the dream to enter the hospitality industry and Tata Group entered through this flagship hotel. With around 1600 staff, the hotel has 560 rooms and 44 suites. The able hands of the hotels were original Indian architects Sitaram Vaidya and D.N. Mirza and the project was completed by English engineer W. A. Chambers.
Initially, it was smooth sailing, even though the original hotel was conceived and built when the hotel business was not even considered an industry. Although many hotels were affected in the recession through the recessions in the 90s, Taj Mahal Palace survived. It survived due to the attention paid in detailing by its founder Jamsetji Tata. During the era of the 1900s, the founder made sure that the hotel is well equipped with amenities according to its time. Although advertising was not much prominent at that time, ‘word of mouth’ played a huge role. Today, international travelers form the bulk of the market of Taj Mahal Palace and hotel enjoys a higher dollar rate of revenue from international guests. The profile of Indian customers is also changing recently. For inspirational stories, please follow Woodstock Hospitality blog.

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