Traveling always existed even way back in time like the biblical times. In those days, traveling was done due to religious reasons, health reasons or immigration. In the past, hotels were just normal houses offered for guests/travelers and were situated near ports for sailors to spend their nights during their short breaks in the country. The first American Inn existed way back in 1607. The first advertised hotel was advertised in 1792 and was called the ‘City Hotel’ situated in New York and the next popular hotel ‘Tremont Hotel in Boston. Eventually, from then on, more were built and this gave birth to the hotel’s industry which also led to the classification of the hotels with the star system. The star system was assessed by the price, the hotel’s standard of service, and the hotel’s facilities offered.
India is a very famous holiday destination in the world and provides ample facilities as far as lodging is concerned. It has state of the art hotels to cater to its ever-booming travel and tourism industry. Many hotels and resorts have popped up in India over the last few years to cater the accommodation needs of everybody. India is dotted with hotels that fit in every budget. There are hotels ranging from Premiere Luxury Hotels to Economy Hotels. And with Conde Nast Traveler ranking India as the fourth most preferred travel destination and Lonely Planet selecting the country among the top five destinations from 167 countries, India has finally made its mark on the world travel map.
OBEROI HOTELS & RESORTS
Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is synonymous the world over with providing the right blend of service, luxury and quiet efficiency. The Oberoi Group has presence in six countries under the luxury ‘Oberoi’ and five-star ‘Trident’ brand. Founded in 1934, it operates 30 hotels, a Nile Cruiser and a Motor Vessel in the backwaters of Kerala. Internationally acclaimed for all-round excellence and unparalleled levels of service. Oberoi hotels and resorts have received innumerable awards and accolades. It remains one of the most decorated hotel chains in the world with many of its group hotels bagging various awards and accolades from Travel & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes and Galileo.
The Oberoi Vanya Vilas, Ranthambore has been ranked the world’s best hotel by Travel and Leisure Readers Poll for 2010. In addition to this, The Oberoi Amar Vilas, Agra has been ranked the 5th best in the world, The Oberoi Raj Vilas, Jaipur is ranked the 13th best in the world and The Oberoi Udai Vilas, Udaipur has been ranked the 15th best hotel in the world. The same poll ranks them as the top 4 hotels in Asia. Oberoi Hotels and Resorts has been ranked as the Best Hotel Chain outside United States of America in 2007 and the Best Hotel Chain outside the United Kingdom in 2008.
TRIDENT HOTELS
Trident Hotels falls under the aegis of The Oberoi Group. Trident hotels are five-star hotels that have established a reputation for excellence and are acknowledged for offering quality and value. These hotels combine ideal locations with state of the art facilities and dependable service in a caring environment, making them the ideal choice for business and leisure travellers. At present there are ten Trident hotels in India. These are located in Mumbai at Bandra Kurla and Nariman Point, Gurgaon (Delhi NCR), Hyderabad, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Cochin, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur. The Oberoi Group also operates a Trident hotel in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. The Group’s commitment to excellence, attention to detail and personalised service by highly motivated and well trained staff has ensured a loyal list of guests and accolades in the worldwide hospitality industry.
TAJ HOTELS, RESORTS & PALACES
An international hospitality group with strong roots in India for over 100 years, is recognized as one of Asia’s largest and finest hotel company who have built their reputation on legendary properties, unparalleled facilities and impeccable service. Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Mr. Jamsetji N. Tata, the company opened its first property, The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Bombay in 1903. TAJ Hotels Resorts and Palaces comprises 93 hotels in 55 locations across India with an additional 16 international hotels in the Maldives, Malaysia, Australia, UK, USA, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East. Spanning the length and breadth of the country, gracing important industrial towns and cities, beaches, hill stations, historical and pilgrim centers and wildlife destinations, each TAJ hotel offers the luxury of service, the apogee of Indian hospitality, vantage locations, modern amenities and business facilities. TAJ group operate in the luxury, premium, mid-market and value segments of the market through our following brands:
Taj Premier Luxury full-service Hotels, Resorts & Palaces is our flagship brand for the world’s most discerning travelers seeking authentic experiences given that luxury is a way of life to which they are accustomed. Among the well-known are Lake Palace in Udaipur, Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad & Nadesar Palace in Varanasi.
Taj Safaris are wildlife lodges that allow travelers to experience the unparalleled beauty of the Indian jungle amidst luxurious surroundings. They offer India’s first and only wildlife luxury lodge circuit. Taj Safaris provide guests with the ultimate, interpretive, wild life experience based on a proven sustainable ecotourism model.
Vivanta by Taj Hotels & Resorts span options for the work-hard-play-hard traveler across metropolitan cities, other commercially important centers as well as some of the best-loved vacation spots. Stylish & sophisticated, Vivanta by TAJ delivers premium hotel experiences with imagination, energy & efficiency. It’s the flavor of contemporary luxury, laced with cool informality and the charming TAJ hospitality. Created for the cosmopolitan global traveler and bon vivant, Vivanta by Taj Hotels & Resorts create experiences that will amuse, invigorate & inspire you. Vivanta revels in a spirit that presents the normal with an unexpected twist. Experiences which make you pause & appreciate the hidden beauty in life! It challenges your expectations of a hotel and unfolds multiple layers of delight. Innovative cuisine concepts, the smart use of technology & the challenge to constantly engage, energize and relax you all add up to make Vivanta by Taj the new signature in hospitality.
The Gateway Hotel is a pan-India network of hotels and resorts that offers business and leisure travelers a hotel designed, keeping the modern nomad in mind.
Ginger is TAJ revolutionary concept in hospitality for the value segment. Intelligently designed facilities, consistency and affordability are hallmarks of this brand targeted at travelers who value simplicity and self-service.
ITC WELCOME GROUP HOTELS
ITC Welcome group hotels is India’s second largest hotel chain with over 100 hotels. Based out of Hotels Division Headquarters at the ITC Green Centre in Gurgaon in Delhi NCR, ITC Hotels is also the exclusive franchisee of The Luxury Collection brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in India. ITC Hotels is regularly voted amongst the best employers in Asia in the hospitality sector. ITC-Welcome group has one of the most extensive art collections in India. A museum of their collection is being planned in Kolkata. ITC Limited entered the hotel business on October 18, 1975, with the opening of a hotel in Chennai, which was rechristened Hotel Chola. ITC hotels currently owns and operates 100 hotels in 75 destinations. ITC Hotels have a reputation of playing host to visiting royalty and world leaders time and again.
Its restaurants Bukhara (restaurant), Peshawari, Dakshin, Dum-Pukht and Kebabs & Curries are among the best known cuisine brands in the world today.
PALACES, CASTLES & COUNTRY HOMES – Boutique & Heritage Hotels :
For centuries, the Rajput fortress, the defensive castles, the composite Havelis was the abode of nobility – where hospitality was a way of life. Visitors, strangers were welcomed in a tradition that was part of the life-style. The chivalry and gallantry of the warrior clans was reflected in the architecture of the feudal homes. A grand entrance was reserved for the state guest and separate viewing galleries for women and the ladies of the ‘Zenana’ to attend the durbars. Post independence democratic India witnessed the merger of the Princely States, with the withdrawal of these special privileges and privy purse from the royal families a few decades later consequently the noble families lost their traditional means of livelihood and even the wealthy merchants left their homes for more lucrative pastures.
Their large castles and mansions lay almost abandoned or unattended till a few enterprising pioneers realized that perhaps the only way to maintain these historic homes was their appropriate reuse.
The large Palaces of the Maharajas set the trend by becoming five star hotels and the ancestral homes too find sustenance in this new lease of life – as Heritage Hotels, in different parts of India. While history is always at hand, there have been changes to modernize these Heritage Hotels to meet the need of today’s international traveler, with adjoining bathrooms, running hot n cold water, modern plumbing, even perhaps a swimming pool. All this help to enhance the experience, making your visit & stay in India’s Heritage Hotel a memorable one. The best way to explore this gem of a place is to avail our ‘Golden Rajasthan Heritage’ tour which is impeccably laced with wondrous beauty and all the vibrancy. This tour encompasses Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Mandawa, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Narlai & Udaipur and the real charm of this lavish place lies in its golden deserts, camel caravans, remote villages, bustling bazaars and entertaining puppet shows. It is an exotic luxury tour worth availing.