10 March 2018

Two new Taj resorts announced for 2018

Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris puts the Andamans on the map in April 2018 with the first luxury resort to open on the archipelago.

Source: Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris. The Taj Exotica.
Source: Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris. The Taj Exotica.

The new Taj Exotica will be located on Havelock Island on the crescent-shaped Radnanagar Beach, offering 72 villas resort-style.

Inspired by the pitch-roof stilt huts inhabited by the indigenous Jawara tribe, Taj Exotica is set in 46 acres of jungle, forests and mangroves with care taken to preserve the ecosystem of the island. To limit the resort’s carbon footprint, not a single tree was felled during the construction of the resort. The surrounding coconut and Areca nut trees as well as the mangroves remain undisturbed and have been incorporated into the resort’s design. An onsite bottling plant, waste disposal system and a sanitation treatment plant for water purification have been set up. Additional green initiatives will include solar energy panels for generating electricity to further reduce the consumption of diesel.

Guests can also meet with the in-house Naturalist who will work closely with the local NGOS and authorities towards the preservation of the marine life and the natural environment, which enjoys an abundance of bird life – over 270 species have been sighted on the archipelago.  Havelock Island is well known for its dive sites and Taj can offer interesting destination experiences including underwater photography, kayaking through the mangroves, and diving. Both Radhanagar and Elephant beaches are within reach.

The new resort will also be home to a Jiva Spa and three restaurants, each of which tell the history of the island’s inhabitants – including the Indian freedom fighters incarcerated by the British in the 19th century in the notorious Cellular Jail and the brief occupation of the Japanese during World War II.

The Settlers fine dining restaurant uses homegrown ingredients to create innovative dishes rooted in the flavours of Southeast Asian, Tamil, Keralan and Bengali cuisine, while speciality restaurant Shoreline offers coastal curries and fish from the Andaman sea and Bay of Bengal. For international comfort food, Turtle House offers global grills and a selection of Taj signature dishes curated from the chefs at leading Taj Hotels.

New for autumn 2018 is Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa – a new resort located in the foothills of the Himalayas on the banks of the river Ganges. The hotel will be situated 30 km downstream from Devprayag, where the rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi merge to form the holy Ganges. Each of the 81 rooms, including 47 villas, and the public areas overlook the Ganges and the pristine forest beyond.

This property will offer the very best of yoga and meditation as part of the Jiva Spa, in line with the rich expertise from the Yoga Masters of Rishikesh. Guests will enjoy practicing Yoga in a special pavilion situated by the river.

The hotel is along a new route opening up in North India, as Taj Swarna opened in Amritsar at the beginning of 2017 and Taj Theog – a new hill station resort is due open in Shimla at the end of 2018.

Details:

Prices at Taj Exotica start from INR 25,000 excluding taxes.

Rates at Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa are to be confirmed upon opening.