The Taj Banjara one of the landmarks of the city, and within 15 minutes of the Rajiv Gandhi airport. Taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers will get you there without any confusion. It is 10 minutes away from several major business and shopping centers.
The Taj Banjara has a 30-year-old history. It opened as Hotel Banjara in the early ’70s. But the original promoters found that they could not manage it, so Welcomgroup stepped in and ran the enterprise for several years. In 1988, the present owners, Indian Hotels Limited, took over and started restructuring it, and it became the Gateway Hotel. Then it was the Taj Residency, and now, after the Taj Group took over just about every luxury hotel in town, it's the Taj Banjara.
The Taj Banjara is a business hotel. It does not claim to belong to the same league as the great five-star establishments of the Taj group. Nevertheless, it has a presence of its own. The hotel overlooks a private lake, a small kunta from Qutb Shahi times. The view from the lakeside rooms is enchanting. There are 116 rooms in all, not all of them facing the lake, and each one is clean and comfortable.
The standard rooms provide the average business traveler with all he would normally require. The ‘Residency’ rooms, on two floors, are more expensive, but provide extras. Guests can avail of in-room fax on request and enjoy access to an exclusive lounge that serves breakfast and cocktails in the evenings. Refurbishing and improvement of rooms and guest services seems to be going on all the time.
Several facilities including 24-hour room service, free safe deposit lockers, express laundry/dry cleaning service, doctor on call, 24-hour fax/telex/e-mail, work-station, if required, secretarial service, meeting rooms and a fully equipped Business Center are provided. The hotel offers travel assistance and can arrange car rentals. It also has a facility for currency exchange.
The restaurants are worth exploring. The Waterside Café is more than a coffee shop. It is a lovely place, overlooking the water, cheerful and inviting. It serves an elaborate buffet for lunch, representing Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine. The Kebab-e-Bahar is open for dinner only. As its name implies, it is a kebab-roti and barbecue place, the haunt of many bon vivants, and well worth a visit. The Dakhni serves authentic Hyderabadi and Andhra cuisine. The Lobby Lounge is a popular watering hole, usually a hum of activity and merriment in the evening, a pleasant place to slake thirst.
Don’t forget to start your day with a dip in the swimming pool by the lake. The Taj Banjara will arrange for boating on the water, if you are so inclined. A hotel tennis court is also available. Large parties can be held in five banqueting rooms or on the lawns outside. Theme parties and food festivals seem to have become synonymous with this hotel. It is known as a good place for work and pleasure.
Road Number 1
Banjara Hills
Hyderabad - 500034
Tel: 2339-9939
2339-9999
5566-9999
Fax: 2331-6858
2339-2218
FACILITIES Car Services, Airport Shuttle, Bar, Minibar, Business Center, Beauty Salon, Fitness Room, Computer Access, Groups, In Room Telephone, In Room Fax, Massage, Meeting Room, Swimming Pool, Restaurant, Room Service, 24 hour Service, Suites, Tour Desk, Air/Rail Reservations, Banquet Hall TIMINGS 24 hours PRICES 2200 - 10000 PAYMENT Cash, Credit Cards