The Taj Bengal: Two’s company

After years of “will it, won’t it, where will it”, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces on Thursday announced its second property in Calcutta.

The 200-room, “mid-market” Gateway hotel will come up at the EM Bypass-Rashbehari connector intersection and be ready to welcome guests by the end of 2009.

Joining the room rush in Calcutta, fuelled by the new-age service sector and a growing interest in Bengal business, Indian Hotels Company Limited of the Tata Group on Thursday inked a management contract with Jalan Intercontinental Hotels Limited for a “five-star business” hotel.

Taj Hotels has three divisions — luxury, business and leisure. While the 18-year-old Taj Bengal, with 228 rooms, comes under the luxury category, the Bypass hotel will be in the business bracket.

“The launch of our second hotel in Calcutta is a significant milestone. It will give us critical inventory in this burgeoning market. The strategic location and the timing of the project are key factors that will help us enhance and consolidate our leadership position,” said Jamshed S. Dabboo, COO, Taj Business Hotels, at the signing in Mumbai.

The new property, to be part of the Taj Business Hotels portfolio, will be built on 1.9 acres and cost “around Rs 150 crore, including land price”, disclosed Aditya Jalan of Jalan Intercontinental Hotels. The company is promoted by city-based Maruti dealers Jalan Distributors.

“The Gateway, our first foray into the hospitality business, will be a five-star business hotel and we hope to carry forward our partnership with Taj in other properties as well,” Jalan told Metro.

The Kasba hotel will have all-day dining and a bar. It will be equipped with 10,000 sq ft of banqueting and meeting facilities, a fitness centre and a swimming pool.

“The Bypass has a defined need for this category of hospitality, since the other two addresses are five-star deluxe. Besides, this will be the first organised hotel in that catchment,” said Abhijit Das, regional director of JLL Meghraj, the international property consultants handling the deal.