Mumbai Welcomes Taj Bandstand as IHCL’s Fifth Luxury Destination

The famous Sea Rock Hotel in Mumbai will reappear as the Taj Bandstand. In the second half of 2025, the Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL) plans to start building on the Bandra site that faces the sea.

“We are awaiting approval from the Airport Authority of India as well as the commencement certificate (from the BMC).” All other requirements have been met. We anticipate that building will begin in the second half of 2025 once we have them’, stated Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of IHCL.

After IHCL’s flagship Taj Mahal Palace, Taj Lands End (next to the Sea Rock site), Taj Santacruz, and Taj The Trees, Taj Bandstand will be the company’s fifth upscale property in the city.

There are currently four Taj hotels in Mumbai, with 1,550 rooms. The Ginger, SeleQtions, and Vivanta brands are among the 12 hotels it operates in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area.

There are currently 15,524 rooms spread among 75 branded hotels in Mumbai. Nearly 71% of Mumbai’s current room inventory is found in upscale and luxury hotels.

The first five-star hotel in suburban Mumbai, Sea Rock was a favourite hangout for the city’s celebs. The Luthria family constructed it in 1978. After entering into a licensing arrangement with its owners, ITC assumed control of its operations in 1986. When a suitcase bomb detonated in one of the hotel’s rooms in 1993, it was one of the twelve targets of a terror assault. After a disagreement between its owners and the ITC group, it did not reopen.

The Claridges Hotel’s Suresh Nanda paid ₹300 crore for the building in 2005. After four years, IHCL arrived and purchased an 85% share from the Nanda family. IHCL had stated plans to rebuild the hotel and construct a convention centre and commercial complex on the property when it purchased the interest. However, because of legal disputes and environmental clearance concerns, the development plans remained stalled.

In 2020, IHCL purchased the remaining portion, making it the sole leasehold owner of the Sea Rock hotel property.

Source: The Hindu Business Line

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