Taj Palace

As many of you that read my posts know I review hotels on how well they look after Coeliacs so that they can feel confident about travelling to different hotels around the world. Our first impressions of the hotel was disappointment to be honest - it doesn’t look grand from the front at all and it was so busy. Once we entered the hotel it started to look better. We had booked to stay in a Taj club room on half board basis - at check in we were told we could take our dinners in the Shamiana restaurant only and were given a voucher to hand in when we went for our meal - to be honest it gave us the feeling that we were back at school with our dinner tickets! Our room was nice and comfortable but did smell a bit musty. We got to the hotel at 20.30 at night so managed to get to dinner after a freshen up - the restaurant was ok but lacked any ambience - it didn’t feel like a place that you could have a nice romantic meal - had more of a canteen feeling about it. The chef came over once we had told the waiter that my husband was a Coeliac and he told us what we could have to eat - starting with a gluten free clear chicken broth - which was really nice - then we had a burger with some smashed jacket potatoes which again were lovely - followed by one dollop of gluten free chocolate ice cream and one dollop of coconut ice cream - both flavours were delicious. We ordered our food for the next night - same starter and dessert and the chef agreed to cook a goat curry for my husband (his favourite). The second nights meal in there was something that resembled a comedy sketch - I won’t go into detail about it as we sorted it with the hotel - the food was really good though. Afternoon tea (part of our package) is served at 15.00 so we went down to have a cup of tea and something to eat but there were no gluten free options - the chef said they would cook something and bring it to our room which would take about an hour - when the food arrived it was a small toasted salad sandwich served with fries however we didn’t dare eat the fries as the chef had told us on the previous night that he couldn’t guarantee they were gluten free as they were bought in - and a fresh fruit salad - not very adventurous - it would have been better to have sent a toasted cheese sandwich or something. We went in the lounge for cocktails at 18.00 on our second night - great service though there were no gluten free canapés for my husband - despite us and the travel agent notifying the hotel of our stay - you would have thought they would have offered some gluten free options - we then asked if the lounge we were in was the the correct one to go to for cognac and chocolates (also part of our package) at 21.30 and we got told they no longer do this - very disappointing as we were looking forward to that part. The first breakfast at the hotel was not good either as there was nothing my husband could eat as it was all buffet so the chef came over and had a chat with my husband w

The Taj Palace is a living work of art, and every part of your hotel experience will be special. The building is exquisitely decorated. The central staircase is amazingly beautiful, and during the morning there is often live Indian music played on the bottom floor that can be enjoyed by everyone as they walk slowly down the stairs to breakfast. There are efficient elevators, but why miss such an experience? The breakfast room is very roomy with some special seats near the windows that allow those seated to gaze out onto the Gateway and the large number of colorful ferryboats that are tied to one another in the middle of the harbor. The rooms in the Palace are spectacular, as one would expect in a luxury hotel. The bathroom and entryway add to a large and comfortable space where one can relax during the hot days and sleep well at night. The hallways through the wings of the Palace are tastefully decorated with artworks of many flavors. The collection rivals that of a typical museum of fine arts. The Aquarius "bar" and pool stands as a true wonder. One can eat under the shade of palm trees and associated greenery that gives the feeling of being in a forest clearing. The nearby pool is sizable and well maintained with a relaxed ambiance. Swimming there allows one to look up and enjoy the Taj Palace towarding above. These are "must" destinations for those staying at the museum. Above all, the personnel are supportive and friendly. I've traveled throughout the world and have never before experienced a hotel so beautifully maintained and well designed.