Taj Hotels
Encyclopedia
Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is a worldwide chain of hotels and resorts. A part of the Tata Group
, one of India
's largest business conglomerates, Taj Hotels Resort and Palaces own and operate 76 hotels, 7 palaces, serviced apartments, 6 private islands and 12 resorts and spas, spanning 52 destinations in 12 countries across 5 continents and employ over 13000 people . Besides India, Taj Hotels Resort and Palaces are located in the United States of America, England
, Africa
, the UAE
, Maldives
, Malaysia, Bhutan
, Sri Lanka
and Australia
.
Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata, founder of the Tata Group
, opened the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
, the first Taj property, on December 16, 1903. He was inspired to open the grand luxury hotel after an incident involving racial discrimination at the Watson's Hotel
in Mumbai, where he was refused entry as the hotel did not permit Indians
. Hotels which accepted only European
guests were common across British India. Jamsetji Tata traveled to London
, Paris
, Berlin
and Düsseldorf
to get the best materials and pieces of art, furniture and interior artifacts for his hotel. Due to its prime location, traditional architecture and massive size, this hotel soon gained the status of the most iconic hotel in India
.
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Trivandrum
Rest of Kerala
Tata Group
Tata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Tata Group is one of the largest companies in India by market capitalization and revenue. It has interests in communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy,...
, one of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's largest business conglomerates, Taj Hotels Resort and Palaces own and operate 76 hotels, 7 palaces, serviced apartments, 6 private islands and 12 resorts and spas, spanning 52 destinations in 12 countries across 5 continents and employ over 13000 people . Besides India, Taj Hotels Resort and Palaces are located in the United States of America, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the UAE
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, Malaysia, Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Jamshetji Nusserwanji Tata, founder of the Tata Group
Tata Group
Tata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Tata Group is one of the largest companies in India by market capitalization and revenue. It has interests in communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy,...
, opened the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower is a five-star hotel located in the Colaba region of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, next to the Gateway of India. Part of the Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, this building is considered the flagship property of the group and contains 565 rooms...
, the first Taj property, on December 16, 1903. He was inspired to open the grand luxury hotel after an incident involving racial discrimination at the Watson's Hotel
Watson's Hotel
Watson's Hotel, currently known as the Esplanade Mansion, is India's oldest surviving cast iron building. It is located in the Kala Ghoda area of Mumbai...
in Mumbai, where he was refused entry as the hotel did not permit Indians
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
. Hotels which accepted only European
Demographics of Europe
Figures for the population of Europe vary according to which definition of European boundaries is used. The population within the standard physical geographical boundaries was 731 million in 2005 according to the United Nations. In 2010 the population is 857 million, using a definition which...
guests were common across British India. Jamsetji Tata traveled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
to get the best materials and pieces of art, furniture and interior artifacts for his hotel. Due to its prime location, traditional architecture and massive size, this hotel soon gained the status of the most iconic hotel in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Cities in India
- AgraAgraAgra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
- Gateway Hotel Agra
- AhmedabadAhmedabadAhmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
- The Gateway Hotel, Ummed
- Aurangabad
- Taj Residency
- Bandhavgarh National ParkBandhavgarh National ParkBandhavgarh National Park is one of the popular national parks in India located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968 with an area of 105 km². The buffer is spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni and totals 437 km²...
- Mahua Kothi
- BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
- The Taj West End
- Vivanta by Taj MG Road
- Vivanta by Taj Whitefield
- Vivanta by Taj Yeshwantpur
- The Gateway Hotel
- Kuteeram
- Calicut
- Taj Residency
- ChandigarhChandigarhChandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
- Taj Chandigarh
- ChennaiChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
- Fisherman's CoveFisherman's CoveVivanta bt Taj Fisherman's Cove, commonly called Fisherman's Cove, is a luxury beach resort near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Categorized as a 5-star resort, it is a part of the chain of Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces.-History:...
- Taj ConnemaraTaj ConnemaraVivanta by Taj–Connemara, Chennai is a five-star hotel in Chennai, India. It is a heritage hotel built as the Imperial Hotel in 1854, renamed Albany in 1886, and re-established as The Connemara in 1890. It sported an art deco look when it was reopened in 1937...
- Taj CoromandelTaj CoromandelTaj Coromandel is a five-star hotel located in Nungambakkam, Chennai, India. Named after the Coromandel Coast, the HACCP- and ISO 14001-certified hotel was opened in 1974. It is a member of the exclusive Leading Hotels of the World....
- Taj Club House
- Fisherman's Cove
- CoimbatoreCoimbatoreCoimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
- Taj Surya
- Taj Coromandel
- Chikmagalur
- Taj Garden Retreat
- Cochin
- Taj Malabar
- The Gateway Hotel
- CoonoorCoonoorCoonoor is a town and a municipality in the Nilgiris district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for its production of Nilgiri tea....
- The Gateway Hotel
- GoaGoaGoa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
- Fort Aguada Beach Resort
- Taj Exotica
- Taj Holiday Village
- Vivanta by Taj, Panjim
- Guwahati
- Vivanta by Taj (under Construction)
- Gwalior
- Usha Kiran Palace
- Hyderabad
- Falaknuma PalaceFalaknuma PalaceFalaknuma Palace is one of the finest palaces in Hyderabad, India belonging to the Paigah State but later owned by the Nizams. It is located on a 32 acre, 19400 square meters area. It is located in Falaknuma, 5 km. from Charminar was built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra, the then Prime Minister of...
- Taj Krishna
- Taj Banjara
- Taj Deccan
- Taj Residency
- Falaknuma Palace
- JaipurJaipurJaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
- Jai Mahal Palace
- Rambagh PalaceRambagh PalaceThe Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan is the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur and now a luxury Taj Palace Hotel, located outside of the walls of the city of Jaipur on Bhawani Singh Road...
- Ramgarh Lodge
- SMS Hotel
- JaisalmerJaisalmerJaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
- Rawal-kot
- JodhpurJodhpurJodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
- Taj Hari Mahal
- Umaid Bhawan Palace
- KhajurahoKhajurahoThe Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Khajuraho , a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about southeast of New Delhi, are one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for...
- Hotel Chandela
- KolkataKolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
- Taj Bengal
- KumarakomKumarakomKumarakom is a popular tourism destination located near the city of Kottayam , in Kerala, India, famous for its backwater tourism. It is set in the backdrop of the Vembanad Lake which is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Kerala.-Environment:...
- Taj Garden Retreat
- LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
- Taj Residency
- MaduraiMaduraiMadurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
- Taj Garden Retreat
- MangaloreMangaloreMangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
- Manjarun Hotel
- MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
- Taj Lands End
- Taj President
- Taj Wellington Mews Luxury Residences
- Taj Mahal Palace & TowerTaj Mahal Palace & TowerThe Taj Mahal Palace & Tower is a five-star hotel located in the Colaba region of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, next to the Gateway of India. Part of the Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, this building is considered the flagship property of the group and contains 565 rooms...
- Nashik
- Taj Residency
- New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
- Taj Palace Hotel
- The Ambassador Hotel
- The Taj Mahal Hotel
- Ooty
- Savoy Hotel
- Pench National ParkPench National ParkFor Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh, see Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh.Pench National Park, nestling in the lower southern reaches of the satpuda hills is named after Pench river, meandering through the park from north to south...
- Baghvan
- PunePunePune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
- Taj Blue Diamond
- Sasan Gir
- The Gir Lodge
- Sawai MadhopurSawai MadhopurSawai Madhopur is a city and a municipality in Sawai Madhopur District in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the administrative headquarters of Sawai Madhopur District....
- The Sawai Madhopur Lodge
- SuratSuratSurat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
- Gateway Hotel
- ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
- Taj Residency
- Taj Green Cove Resort
- Taj Vivanta
- Taj Gateway Hotel, Varkala
- UdaipurUdaipurUdaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
- Taj Lake PalaceLake PalaceLake Palace is a luxury hotel, of 83 rooms and suites featuring white marble walls, located on a natural foundation of rock on the Jag Niwas island in Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India....
- Taj Lake Palace
- VadodaraVadodaraVadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
- Taj Residency
- VaranasiVaranasi-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
- Taj Ganges
- VijayawadaVijayawadaVijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
- The Gateway Hotel,.
- VisakhapatnamVisakhapatnamVisakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
- The Gateway Hotel
Sri Lanka
- BentotaBentotaBentota is a Sri Lankan coastal city located on the southern tip of the Galle District of the Southern Province, about south of Beruwala on the A2 highway. Its population is estimated to be between 25,000-50,000...
- Vivanta by Taj, Bentota
- ColomboColomboColombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
- Taj Samudra
- KatunayakeKatunayakeKatunayake , is a town situated on the west coast of the island of Sri Lanka near Negombo and close to the commercial capital of Colombo. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport, the primary international air gateway to Sri Lanka...
- The Gateway Hotel
United States
- BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
- Taj Boston
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
- The Pierre
- San Francisco
- Campton Place
Zambia
- LusakaLusakaLusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
- Taj Pamodzi
List of Taj Hotels in the Indian Ocean
- MaldivesMaldivesThe Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
- Taj Coral Reef Resort
- Taj Exotica Resort & Spa
- Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
- Taj Exotica, Bentota
- Airport Garden Hotel, Colombo
- Taj Samudra, Colombo
List of Taj Hotels in Kerala
- The Gateway Hotel, Varkala
- Taj Green Cove Resort, Kovalam
- Taj Vivanta, Vazhuthycaud
Rest of Kerala
- Taj Garden Retreat, Kumarakom
- Taj Malabar, Willington Island, Cochin
- The Gateway Hotel, Beach Road Calicut
- The Gateway Hotel, Marine Drive, Ernakulam
List of Taj Hotels in Rajasthan
- Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur
- Rambagh PalaceRambagh PalaceThe Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan is the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur and now a luxury Taj Palace Hotel, located outside of the walls of the city of Jaipur on Bhawani Singh Road...
, Jaipur - Ramgarh Lodge, Jaipur
- Rawal-kot, Jaisalmer
- SMS Hotel, Jaipur
- Taj Hari Mahal, Jodhpur
- Taj Lake PalaceLake PalaceLake Palace is a luxury hotel, of 83 rooms and suites featuring white marble walls, located on a natural foundation of rock on the Jag Niwas island in Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India....
, Udaipur - The Sawai Madhopur Lodge, Sawai Madhopur
- Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Awards and recognition
- 2009 Ranked 11 in the top 100 World's most reputable companies by Forbes Magazine
- 2007 Corporate Hotelier of the World (HOTELS magazine) – Raymond N. Bickson, MD and CEO, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces
- Leading Hotels of the World Ltd. (LHW) Chairman’s Award 2007 & 2006 for Best Advertising Campaign
- SENSES Visions Award 2007 at the SENSES Wellness Awards 2007 – Taj Spa
- Superbrand 2007 across 1699 brands in 58 countries
- Platinum Award – Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards 2007 and 2005
- Dun & Bradstreet – American Express Corporate Awards 2007 – India's Top 500 Companies 2007 - in the "Hotels" category - The Indian Hotels Company Ltd.
- Inaugural 'Genius of the Web 2007' award by CNBC-Web 18 in association with Frost & Sullivan for the Best Hotel Website in India.
- Avaya GlobalConnect Customer Responsiveness Award 2007 & 2005 (Travel and Tourism - Hospitality)
- Indian Hotels Company Ltd in Standard & Poor's Global Challengers Class of 2007
- Today's Traveller Leadership award for India's Most Recognised Hotel Brand – Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces
- CNBC TV18 International Trade Award - Outstanding Exporter of the Year 2006-07 in the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality category
- Frost & Sullivan Indian CEO Choice Award for The Most Preferred Group of Hotels
- Dun & Bradstreet - American Express Corporate Award 2006 – Highest performer in the Hospitality sector
- India’s Most Trusted Hotel Brand – Economic Times Brand Equity Most Trusted Brands Survey 2005
- Travel + Leisure 2005 Global Vision Award – Corporate Initiative
- Best Travel Online Campaign worldwide in the Web Marketing Association’s 2005 Internet Advertising Competition
- World Travel Market 2004 – 25th Anniversary Silver Award – sponsored by Trav Talk
- 10th World Travel Awards, New York – Posthumous Award – Mr. J. R. D. Tata – voted by travel agents worldwide
- PATA Gold Awards 2003 (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Corporate Environmental Programme – ECOTAJ Environmental Initiatives
- ‘Selling Long Haul’ Travel Awards 2002 – Best Hotel Group in India
- Hermes 2002 International Hospitality Award – Best Innovation in Human Resources for its employee loyalty programme S.T.A.R.S. “Special Thanks And Recognition System”
- Pacific Asia Travel Writers Association (PATWA) – ITB, Berlin 2002 – Lifetime contribution for promoting the Hospitality Industry