By Mewati Sitaram
The Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) is set to begin the construction of another iconic property. Mumbai’s legendary Sea Rock Hotel will be reimagined and reopened as Taj Bandstand, situated in the Queen of Suburbs, Bandra. Construction on the sea-facing plot in Bandra is expected to begin in the second half of 2025. This will be Mumbai’s first hotel directly adjacent to the seashore, though it will not have a beach. While a few other hotels in the city are located near the seashore, they are separated from the coastline by a road, including the flagship Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.
IHCL is on an expansion spree, rapidly increasing its footprint in Mumbai, where it launched its flagship hotel in 1903. Taj Bandstand will mark IHCL’s fifth luxury property in the city, joining its iconic portfolio that includes the Taj Mahal Palace, Taj Lands End (opposite the Sea Rock site), Taj Santacruz, and Taj The Trees.
Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO said “We are awaiting the commencement certificate (from the BMC) and the Airport Authority of India’s approval. Everything else has been fulfilled. Once we have these, we can start construction and we expect it to commence in the second half of 2025”.
Taj currently operates 12 hotels across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including its four iconic properties in the city, which collectively offer 1,550 rooms. These hotels are part of a broader portfolio that also features the Ginger, SeleQtions, and Vivanta brands. Taj is leaving no stone unturned in expanding its presence throughout Mumbai and the MMR region, with several exciting projects still in the pipeline.
Sea Rock, Mumbai’s first five-star hotel, was built in 1978 by the Luthria family and became a celebrity hotspot. ITC took over its operations in 1986, but the hotel was damaged in a 1993 terror attack and remained closed due to a dispute with its owners. In 2005, Suresh Nanda bought the property for ₹300 crore, and in 2009, IHCL acquired an 85% stake, planning a reconstruction with a convention center. However, development stalled due to legal and environmental issues. In 2020, IHCL acquired the remaining stake, becoming the full leasehold owner of the site.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
