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Review of The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, ...

As professional and polished as one would expect f...

As professional and polished as one would expect from the flagship of India s Tata business empire. No waiting around for attention - 800 staff are on duty at any one time, which generally works out at a staff member for every guest. Extra flourishes in the palace wing include 24-hour personal butler service and an in-house Vedic astrologer. There are also no fewer than 15 yoga and meditation classes to choose from, a private jet on standby at four hours notice, and a luxury yacht.The original building is a seven-tiered wedding cake of Gothic, Greco-Roman, Islamic and Rajasthan architecture topped by a glittering Florentine dome. The extravagant interiors are adorned with Italian marble floors, Belgian chandeliers and 4,000 works of art, most of them antique. The erstwhile horse and carriage entrance is a swimming pool shaded by mature palms. This was the first hotel in India to be installed with electricity, German lifts and Turkish baths. Portraits adorning the walls of the lobby are a Who s Who of royalty, heads of state and A-list celebrities. A 22-storey tower annex added in the 1970s offers more modest accommodation and services.