In a world abundant with luxury hotels, there are a handful of establishments which stand head and shoulders above all the rest.

The crown jewels of the hospitality trade, they include London's Ritz, Bangkok's Oriental, and La Mamounia in Marrakech. Icons in their own right, they are landmarks that represent history, tradition, and a certain perfection that's only achieved after decades of exalted service. Nowhere is a city so twinned to an iconic hotel as Mumbai and its fabled Taj Mahal Palace.

Poised behind the great Gateway of India, overlooking the Arabian Sea, "The Taj", as it's known by all, is an almost quixotic blend of architectural style. Sometimes referred to as "Indo-Saracenic" or "Moorish-Byzantine", it's a wild and wonderful rumpus of a building. The gray basalt façade is inspired by the Palace of the Winds in Jaipur, the onion domes reminiscent of its namesake, the Taj Mahal at Agra, and the great rotunda, a glorified copy of the Basilica di Santa Maria in Florence.



Constructed by the Parsee tycoon J.N. Tata, in 1903, in what was then Bombay, the Taj was a trendsetter from the start. The first hotel in the subcontinent to boast electricity, as well as steam-powered elevators, it was designed as a monumental feat of engineering where Indians and colonials could rub shoulders at ease. The cost was £250,000 (£127 million today), the rotunda supported by the very same steel that went to build the Eiffel Tower. The façade that faces the sea is actually the rear, with the genuine front facing inland to the west.

For more than a century, the Taj has stood proud, welcoming visitors from across India and far beyond. The guest list includes a Who's Who of twentieth century celebrity – rock stars and maharajahs, world leaders, royalty, and movie stars, writers, artists and Nobel laureates. The Queen of England, the Beatles, and Jackie O, Bill Clinton, Roger Moore, Ravi Shankar, and the Rolling Stones – the list is unending.

As with any iconic hotel, there's a mass of folklore associated with it – some true, some fiction. One story goes how the hotel's original plans were sent ahead from London, and that the contractor given the job to build it made the construction back to front (false). Another tale says how the mother of the leading Indian artist Jehangir Sabavala once rode a horse up the staircase of the great rotunda (true); and that girls being introduced for a prospective arranged marriage have always been shown off at afternoon tea in the Sea Lounge (true).



In its time the hotel's interior has been remodeled numerous times, but the essence has remained the same. There's an ever present sense old world and that, however famous the guest, it is the hotel itself that's the star attraction. In the two decades I have been visiting, I've watched the Taj play host to the chic in-crowd as well as droves of nameless businessmen and tourists. They come and go, each of them leaving a little different from when they arrived.

Some people are lured to stay because of the reputation, or so that they can drop the name to their friends. Others are attracted by the luxury. For them, it's the heritage suites which are the epitome of opulence. They are decorated in sumptuous textiles and antiques, mahogany furniture, and with original black and white prints. There's a butler service, too, the chance to customize dinner menus, (working with grand chef Hermant Oberoi), and a focus that always leans on ultimate refinement.



What I love about the Taj is that once you're inside you can switch off and be touched by the magic. And, rather than standing still, the magical hospitality changes all the time. The ability to remain at the forefront of the industry is a real achievement, especially now that Mumbai is chock-full of five star hotels. In many ways there's the Taj Mahal Palace and then there's everything else.

This summer, after a full restoration, President Barack Obama made a point of staying at the hotel, a mile post in his stand against global terror. In many ways it was the old lady's finest hour to date, world attention lavished on a much-loved friend for all the right reasons.



Hotel Profile: The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai

About the Author: Tahir Shah