A new contract gives the Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces
managership over one of the greatest royal estates in the world,
Umaid Bhawan Palace of Jodhpur.
“North India is a key tourist destination and the Taj continues
to consolidate its presence in this region,” said Raymond Bickson,
managing director of The Indian Hotels Company Limited. “One of the
key differentiators has been our authentic palace experience
offering, especially in Rajasthan. Umaid Bhawan Palace expands this
unique luxury experience into the city of Jodhpur. Indeed, with
this new partnership Umaid Bhawan Palace will enhance Taj Hotels’
current offering in the grand palaces circuit of Rajasthan, which
include the breathtaking Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur and the Rambagh
Palace in Jaipur.”
“We are pleased to partner with the Indian Hotels Company
Limited for the Umaid Bhawan Palace,” said Shivraj Singh, the
Yuvraj of Jodhpur. “The association of Umaid Bhawan Palace with Taj
Hotels, Resorts and Palaces augments the Grand Palace circuit in
Rajasthan. I remain committed towards promoting Jodhpur as a unique
destination and am confident that this partnership with the Taj
will enhance my efforts in marketing the vibrant culture of this
wonderful city.”
Converted into a hotel in 1977, the Umaid Bhawan Palace sits
above the capitol of Jodhpur and currently houses the Maharaja and
royal family of Jodhpur in Zenana, the private wing for women of
the royal house. While the hotel currently operates with 30 rooms
and 15 suites, Taj Hotels plans expansion to include a spa and 25
additional rooms and suites in the future.
Built on 26 acres of land, Umaid Bhawan Palace is an
architectural combination where East meets West. Completed in 1943
nearly 15 years after its construction began, Umaid Bhawan Palace
is a vast structure built of golden yellow sandstone and designed
by noted Edwardian architect Henry Vaughan Lanchester. Art
deco-styled interior rooms were complimented by Polish artist
Julius Stephan Norblin’s murals. This facility remains in well
preserved condition and is an excellent example of art deco style
with many public area and both the Regal and Vice Regal suites
relatively untouched for nearly 60 years.
Other design elements include the “cupola” of the central
rotunda which rises to 105 feet, and the oval staircase hall, which
is flanked by the ballroom and banquet hall on either side. This
unique palace has its own post office, a library and a private
museum featuring authentic Ramayana murals. The palace also hosts
recreational facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, a
billiards room, four tennis courts, two unusual marble-floored
squash courts and 15 acres of gardens.
As one of South Asia’s premier hotel groups, Taj Hotels, Resorts
and Palaces manages 58 hotels in 38 locations throughout India. The
Taj hotel group also operates accommodations in 14 worldwide
locations including the Middle East, Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles,
U.K., Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The chain features
international landmarks, beachfront resorts, business
accommodations and genuine palace stays. Taj Hotels, Resorts and
Palaces is a division of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest
business houses, established in 1903.
www.tajhotels.com
