Restaurant Interiors At The Taj Mahal Hotel, Bombay, 2 PCs 1909
Two 1909 postcards depict the interiors of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay (Mumbai). The postcards show the interiors from different periods, one is from 1907 and the other from a slightly later period. Offering a fascinating glimpse into the elegant dining spaces of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Bombay.
The restaurant appears refined and tastefully furnished, reflecting the luxurious standards the Taj was already known for. The Taj Mahal Palace demonstrated the same commitment to elegance and hospitality that continues to define the hotel today.
For ships arriving at the Port of Bombay, the Taj Mahal Palace quickly became one of the first grand landmarks visible from the harbor. Construction of the hotel began on 1 November 1898 on a 2¼-acre plot of land on the Apollo Reclamation.
The hotel officially opened its doors in 1903, facing what would later become the famous Gateway of India. At its opening, the Taj Mahal Palace was promoted as one of the most technologically advanced hotels in India. Advertisements proudly highlighted its modern amenities, including three electric lifts, electric lighting, and electric fans throughout the building. Luxuries that were rare in India at the time.
For the first four decades of its operation, the hotel’s kitchens were managed by a succession of French chefs. Who often sourced specialty ingredients from overseas to maintain authentic European culinary standards.
Before the late nineteenth century, the quality of hotels in Bombay was generally poor. The city was better known for its taverns and boarding houses, many of which offered modest accommodations and limited services.
This began to change during the 1850s, when several Parsi-owned hotels were established to cater to the growing number of Europeans arriving at the city. A major milestone came with the opening of Watson’s Esplanade Hotel in 1870. It quickly gained a reputation as Bombay’s most prestigious hotel.
For nearly four to five decades, Watson’s remained the leading hotel in the city, even as other establishments such as the Great Western Hotel appeared. However, by the late nineteenth century, its standards had begun to decline.
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Did you know – the famous guests who have resided in the Taj were King George V and Queen Mary, George Bernard Shaw, The Beatles, Mick Jagger, Alfred Hitchcock, Bill Clinton, and so on.
