This story first appeared in DNA Money edition on Wednesday, January 08, 2014.
Indian Hotels (IHCL), Tata’s hospitality business vertical, has
rebranded two of its hotels in the United Kingdom (UK), aligning them
with its luxury positioning in the international hospitality market.
The UK hotels will now be promoted within the Taj group’s portfolio of luxury hotels, resorts and palaces.
Taj management said it now has sole ownership and management, as well as operational and marketing control, of both properties.
The over a century old Crowne Plaza London - St James, a property located in central London and featuring 340 guestrooms and 21 suites, has been renamed St James’s Court, a Taj Hotel. While the published rate for a standard room at this hotel is £495 (around Rs 50,500) for a night’s stay, the best available rate as shown on its website is £119 (Rs 12,100) including the value-added tax or VAT.
Similarly, 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites & Residences (pictured, below; 86 luxury suites and residences) has been re-branded Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences. With a published rate of £720 for a base category room, the hotel’s website shows £360 and £324 as best available and early bird (non-refundable) rates for a night’s stay.
Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO of the Taj group, said that the rebranding comes at an exciting time for the increasing strategic links between India and the UK. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to restore these iconic hotels that have more than a century of heritage.”
Deepa Harris, senior VP-global sales and marketing, the Taj Group, said that the success of the two London hotels has provided impetus to consolidate Taj’s brand presence in the UK, an important source market where the Tata group has had a presence for over a century, and is now the UK’s largest manufacturing sector employer and one of its largest foreign investors.
Both hotels have undergone phased renovations at considerable (but undisclosed) investment from the Taj group.
Taj will add to the Tata brands portfolio in the UK that includes Jaguar, Land Rover, Tata Steel Europe (formerly Corus) and Tetley Tea.
The UK hotels will now be promoted within the Taj group’s portfolio of luxury hotels, resorts and palaces.
Taj management said it now has sole ownership and management, as well as operational and marketing control, of both properties.
The over a century old Crowne Plaza London - St James, a property located in central London and featuring 340 guestrooms and 21 suites, has been renamed St James’s Court, a Taj Hotel. While the published rate for a standard room at this hotel is £495 (around Rs 50,500) for a night’s stay, the best available rate as shown on its website is £119 (Rs 12,100) including the value-added tax or VAT.
Similarly, 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites & Residences (pictured, below; 86 luxury suites and residences) has been re-branded Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences. With a published rate of £720 for a base category room, the hotel’s website shows £360 and £324 as best available and early bird (non-refundable) rates for a night’s stay.
Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO of the Taj group, said that the rebranding comes at an exciting time for the increasing strategic links between India and the UK. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to restore these iconic hotels that have more than a century of heritage.”
Deepa Harris, senior VP-global sales and marketing, the Taj Group, said that the success of the two London hotels has provided impetus to consolidate Taj’s brand presence in the UK, an important source market where the Tata group has had a presence for over a century, and is now the UK’s largest manufacturing sector employer and one of its largest foreign investors.
Both hotels have undergone phased renovations at considerable (but undisclosed) investment from the Taj group.
Taj will add to the Tata brands portfolio in the UK that includes Jaguar, Land Rover, Tata Steel Europe (formerly Corus) and Tetley Tea.
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