TAJ
PROFILE & PHILOSOPHY
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MANAGING DIRECTOR
PUNEET CHHATWAL
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
On the 6th of November,2017, Mr. Puneet Chhatwal joined IHCLMr the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. He is a global professional with over three decades of leadership experience at highly-acclaimed hotel groups in Europe and North America.
Prior to this, Mr. Chhatwal was the Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Executive Board of Steigenberger Hotels AG – Deutsche Hospitality. He was also the Chief Development Officer of The Rezidor Hotel Group – Carlson Hotels Worldwide. Mr. Chhatwal is a graduate of both Delhi University and Institute of Hotel Management, Delhi. He has completed an MBA in Hospitality from ESSEC, Paris and an Advanced Management Program from INSEAD.
Mr. Chhatwal has won awards including the prestigious Carlson Fellowship and was rated as one of Europe’s 20 extraordinary minds in Sales, Marketing and Technology – HSMAI European Awards 2014. He was also the First Alumni included in the ESSEC-IMHI Hall of Honor 2014.
HISTORY IN TEN DATES
1903
Opened its first hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai
Early 1970s
The company takes over the management of Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur and Rambagh Palace, Jaipur. These were the firsts in a series of attempts at the preservation of former royal residences in India – helping honor and celebrate the princely lifestyle, preserve traditional arts and crafts, ensure the livelihoods of artisans and making Rajasthan a hotspot in global travel destinations
1980
Taj opens its first hotel outside India, the Taj Sheba Hotel in Sana’a, Yemen.
1982
Taj acquires a London property and opens St. James’ Court, London and 51 Buckingham Gate Luxury Suites and Apartments.
1989
The company becomes the only hotel chain with a presence in the five major metropolitan cities of India.
1990s
Consolidation of geographic and market coverage in India and Sri Lanka.
2001
Taj Exotica Spa and Resort is launched in Maldives, a first in this chain of exclusive retreats.
2005
Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces makes its first foray into New York with a management contract to operate The Pierre in New York, USA. Taj hotels also embarks on creating another signature landmark with its restoration of one of the largest private residences in the world, the historic Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur
2006
In another first, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces unveils a new offering – Taj Safaris, in Mahua Kothi, Bandhavgarh. Impeccable service, attention to individual needs and sumptuous luxury amidst the primeval settings of an Indian national park made for an experience in adventure unlike any in the country so far.
2007 onwards
Taj expands its international footprint with two acquisitions in the US cities of Boston and San Francisco; in Thimphu, Bhutan; the Maldives; Jammu & Kashmir; Cape Town, South Africa; and in destinations across India.
SERANDIPIANS HOTEL PARTNERS
INDIA
- Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur
- Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
- The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
- Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa
- Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans
- Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
- Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
- Taj Mahal, New Delhi
- Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
MALDIVES
USA
- The Pierre, New York
FUTURE OPENINGS & PROJECTS
PARENT COMPANY
The Indian Hotels Company Limited
HEAD OFFICE
TAJ
Ninth Floor, Express Tower,
Barrister Rajni Patel Marg, Nariman Point
Mumbai – 400021, Maharashtra , India
Tel. +91 22 61371637
WEBSITE
MORE ABOUT TAJ ORIENTATION
FREDDIE AWARDS
- Taj InnerCircle, the signature loyalty program from the iconic Taj Hotels has been bestowed with the special 210 Award in the hotel category for the Middle East/Asia/ Oceania region for Strongest Performing Program off the Radar of Voters.
EARTHCHECK GOLD CERTIFICATIONS
- IHCL has set a global benchmark in hospitality for environmental sustainability with 67 of its hotels being awarded Gold Certification by EarthCheck out of a total of 79 EarthCheck certified hotels. EarthCheck is an international leader in environmental benchmarking and certification.
PATWA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS 2018
Luxury Hotel Chain of the Year
- TAJ
TRIPADVISOR TRAVELLERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2018
Top 25 Hotels – World
- #3 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Top 25 Hotels – Asia
- #2 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- #20 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Top 25 Hotels – India
- #1 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- #4 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
- #14 Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
- #15 Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
- #23 Taj Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur
- #25 Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa
Top 25 Hotels – UK
- #8 Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites & Residences
Top 25 Hotels – UAE
- #12 Taj Dubai
Top 25 Hotels – Sri Lanka
- #23 Vivanta by Taj – Bentota, Sri Lanka
Top 25 Luxury Hotels – World
- #9 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Top 25 Luxury Hotels – Asia
- #4 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- #25 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Top 25 Luxury Hotels – India
- #2 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- #5 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
- #8 Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
- #16 Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
Top 25 Luxury Hotels – UK
- #9 Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites & Residences
Top 25 Luxury Hotels – UAE
- #18 Taj Dubai
Top 25 Hotels for Romance – India
- #2 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Top 25 Hotels for Service – World
- #17 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Top 25 Hotels for Service – Asia
- #5 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- #18 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Top 25 Hotels for Service – India
- #1 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- #3 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Top 25 Hotels for Service – UAE
- #18 Taj Dubai
Top 25 Hotels – South Africa
- #20 Taj Cape Town
PEOPLE CAPITAL INDEX
- IHCL featured on the list of India’s 50 Best Companies for Talent Satisfaction
CONDE NAST TRAVELER GOLD LIST
- Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
- The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
CONDE NAST TRAVELLER MIDDLE EAST
Favourite Business Hotel Middle East
- Taj Dubai
THE TELEGRAPH TRAVEL AWARDS 2017
Best Hotel Group: Runner-Up
- TAJ
BUSINESS TRAVELLER UK AWARDS
Best Business Hotel Chain in India:
- TAJ
GALLUP GREAT WORKPLACE AWARD
- TAJ received the prestigious GALLUP Great Workplace Award 2017. A six-time winner of the award – Taj is the only Indian Hospitality Company in the list – Taj has claimed a position at the top amongst some of the best organizations across industries. These organizations have set the global standard for what it means to be a great workplace.
DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATE AWARDS
- IHCL awarded ‘Best Hotel Company’ at the Dun and Bradstreet Corporate awards 2017
ALL INDIA INVESTOR RELATIONS AWARD
- IHCL received the Best All India Investor Relations Award 2017 in the category of large-cap companies
BUSINESS TODAY BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR SURVEY
- TAJ awarded Best Company to Work for in Hospitality
TRAVEL + LEISURE INDIA’S BEST AWARDS 2017
Best Luxury Resort in the World:
- Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Maldives
Best Heritage Hotel in India:
- Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
CONDE NAST TRAVELLER INDIA READERS’ TRAVEL AWARDS 2017
Favourite Safari Lodge in India:
- Banjaar Tola, Kanha National Park
Favourite Spa in the Overseas Hotel category:
- Jiva Grande Spa, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Maldives
Favourite Business Hotel in India: Runner-Up
- The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
Favourite Hotel in Europe: Runner-Up
- Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, London
TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATES OF EXCELLENCE
- 93 hotels of TAJ have been awarded TripAdvisor® Certificates of Excellence over a period of seven years for excellence in hospitality and its commitment towards delivering unmatched, signature experiences.
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER US READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
50 Best Hotels in the World include:
- Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
- Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- Taj Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi
Top 20 Hotels in India include:
- Rambagh Palace, Jaipur,
- Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
- Taj Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi
- Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
- Taj Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur
- Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
- The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
Top hotels across the UK, Africa, Asia, USA and the Middle East include:
- Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites & Residences, London
- Taj Cape Town, South Africa
- Taj Dubai
- Taj Tashi, Thimphu, Bhutan
- The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York
CONDE NAST TRAVELLER UK – READERS’ TRAVEL AWARDS
- Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad featured on the list of The World’s Top 100 Hotels
- The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai – featured on the list of Best Overseas Business Hotels
- Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad featured on the list of Best Hotels in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
TRAVEL+LEISURE WORLD’S BEST AWARDS
The Top 100 Hotels in the World:
- Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
ROBB REPORT ‘BEST OF THE BEST’ AWARDS
- Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari Lodge, Chitwan National Park, Nepal recognized as the ‘Best of the Best’ in the category for Luxury Lodges Taking Adventure to New Extremes
GREAT PLACE TO WORK
The Laureate Award
- Taj Samudra, Colombo
BOOKING.COM
Guest Review Award 2017
- Taj Wellington Mews, Mumbai
Jan 2016
Umaid Bhawan Palace named Best Hotel in the World at the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards 2016.
Dec 2015
Conde Nast Traveler US’ annual Gold List features Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad; Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur; Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai; Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur in the India list and Taj Tashi, Bhutan – the only entry in the Bhutan list.
Nov 2015
Campton Place Restaurant at Taj Campton Place awarded second Michelin star in the 2016 Michelin Guide.
Taj awarded at the Conde Nast Traveller India Readers’ Choice Awards 2015 with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar to recognise his efforts and commendable work towards the city of Udaipur. Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai won Favourite Indian Business Hotel and Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives took runner-up position in the Favourite Overseas Leisure Hotel category.
Oct 2015
Falaknuma Palace awarded Number One position in the Best Palace Hotels in the World 2015 category by Trip Advisor.
Eleven hotels by Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces were ranked among the top hotels across India, Africa and the USA in the Condé Nast Traveler US Readers’ Choice Awards 2015.
Sep 2015
Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai came second in the category of Overseas Business Hotel and Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad came 6th, 9th and 15th respectively in the category of Asia & the Indian Subcontinent in the Conde Nast Traveller UK Readers’ Travel Awards 2015.
Sep 2014
The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai was named the Best Overseas Business Hotel with a score of 91; Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad ranked 5th on the list of World’s Best Hotels in Asia & India with a score of 89.72 ; Rambagh Palace, Jaipur ranked 11th on the list of World’s Best Hotels in Asia & India with a score of 84.11 at the Conde Nast Traveller UK Readers’ Travel Awards 2014.
Mar 2014
Vivanta by Taj – Gurgaon featured on the Travel + Leisure USA 2014 « IT » List among « The Coolest New Hotels Of The Year ».
Feb 2014
The Taj Group of Hotels emerged as the frontrunner in the breakaway brand category according to Young & Rubicam’s annual brand study – Brand Asset Valuator (BAV).
Aug 2013
The Taj Group of Hotels was conferred the Conde Nast Traveler USA World Savers Award 2013 for Poverty Relief. The award recognises travel companies exhibiting excellence in social and environmental responsibility.
Aug 2013
Banjaar Tola, the Taj Safari lodge in Kanha National Park was conferred the award for Most Innovative Guest Experience at the Virtuoso Best of Best Awards 2013.
Jul 2013
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur ranked no. 11 on the list of “Top Resorts in Asia” and no. 14 on the list of “Top 50 Hotels in the World” in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2013. It received a score of 95.33.
May 2013
Vivanta By Taj – Madikeri, Coorg has made it to the Conde Nast Traveller UK Hot List 2013 – a list of the Best New Hotels of the World, 2013.
Feb 2013
Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi’s iconic restaurant Varq has been voted 30th on the S. Pellegrino’s list of 50 Best Restaurants in Asia.