Hotel Review: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
Highly thoughtful and caring besides its five-star tag which brims with many services
AMENITIES
Wellness at its heart: full service spa along with swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms.
Round the clock multi-cuisine restaurant, room service and travel desk.
Club Lounge for quiet meals, High Tea and even reading.
THE REVIEW
Background
When it opened in early 2017 flashing its elegant glass building with high ceilings –it truly excited Amritsaris and visitors and it continues to. Thanks to the sincerity and passion for hospitality of Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces –India’s highly reputed luxury hotel chain which also has hotels in many other famous world cities such as London, New York, Frankfurt, Dubai, San Francisco and Cape Town, and more.
One of the first things that excites at the Taj Swarna is how beautifully it remains bathed with natural light, from its grand lobby and dining outlets to the accommodations, and it matters as several health studies have proved the benefits of natural light to the mind and body. For the reputation this hotel holds, it’s the first choice of most celebrities when they are in Amritsar, from Bollywood stars to politicians. This year, it also hosted Indian President Droupadi Murmu’s extravagant dinner banquet during her official visit, which remained talk of the town for long. For those wondering how far Amritsar is from the capital New Delhi, it’s just 45 minutes by air.
Where Is It?
It sits near Ratan Singh Chowk next to several residential neighbourhoods and a large shopping mall with cinemas, supermarket and several branded outlets. It’s just five kilometers away from the Golden Temple, locally known as ‘Darbar Sahib’ –the holiest shrine of Sikhs. Darbar Sahib is the cynosure of Amritsar, in its walled quarter –the city’s old pocket which is peppered with lively bazaars that offer opportunities for traditional shopping, mouth watering cuisine and vintage architecture that reflects British, Mughal and Sikh influences. It’s also minutes away by car from many other attractions, be it the city’s celebrated Gobindgarh fort, the Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Museum in the historic Company Gardens and also the Indo-Pak border (Attari –Wagha) popular for its evening parade. Just outside the hotel is also a 2km long cycling and jogging track and a quick walk of about 12 minutes can also lead you to Lawrence Road –Amritsar’s Fifth Avenue but with a rich street food scene.
What’s It Like?
Elegance that’s not loud elegantly follows guests wherever they step: fresh flowers, artworks depicting local heritage and attractions, fragrant corridors and most importantly smartly dressed enthusiastic staff richly contributes to every alphabet of elegance.
Photo Provided by: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
Rooms
The six floors hold 148 rooms and 9 suites, all with floor to ceiling glass walls. They are quiet and elegant. Most of them offer perfect views of the city and moments of sun’s arrival and departure. For those who love swimming pools, there are also pool view rooms. Expect luxurious Forest Essential toiletries, large work desks, marble bathrooms with deep bathtubs and fresh fruits or hotel made chocolates as you open the door of your accommodation.
If a Presidential Suite is booked, a butler will take care of your requests. My cousin and I stayed in one of the executive suites (#629) on the topmost floor. After a very quick check in with a traditional Indian welcome at the front desk, one of the staff members personally took us to the suite. We were impressed as the door was opened as it had a large living room through which we stepped in our bedroom with a king bed.
There were chocolates, fruits and other local snacks that waited for us on the tables, along with sleeping spray, face mist by the bedside and an array of water bottles. Fresh flowers around the bed and even in the toilets (one in the living room too) were so fragrant. Air purifier, extra toiletries, newspapers we preferred question by the front desk, latest current affairs and travel magazines (India Today, GQ, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue, Forbes and Taj’s Coffee table books) and follow up by housekeeping for turndown service in the evening was surely thoughtful.
The suite booking also gave us complimentary access to the club lounge on the fifth floor, where we relished High Tea in a very quiet setting with newspapers and magazines. Suite guests also get a one-way transfer to the airport or the train station.
An Executive Suite | Photo Provided by: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
An Executive Suite | Photo Provided by: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
An Executive Suite | Photo Provided by: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
Food and Drink
The Grand Trunk | Photo Provided by: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
Take yourself on a delicious journey at its 24-hour ‘Grand Trunk’ (where a breakfast buffet is also set up) and ‘The Chinese Room’ which opens for lunch and dinner. For those fond of bar time, you will surely have a good time at its ‘The Peg’ –all serviced by knowledgeable staff (many from the best hotel management colleges) eager to chat with guests. Our dinner at the Grand Trunk really stood out where we went for their signature ‘Grand Trunk Meal’ which had four courses that took us to Kabul, Delhi, Amritsar and Kolkata through an array of dishes such as lassi, kebabs, chaat, steamed rice, assorted breads served with freshly made vegetables and curries. The ending happened with two Kolkata inspired desserts: Ras Malai and baked gulab jamuns with cream on the top. We loved how the executive chef Aspan Singh and other staff members introduced us to the foods besides throwing light on Amritsar’s cuisine. During breakfast, the choices were endless and also authentic. Swiss Muesli, porridge and French toast, exceeded my expectations which matched standards of several Swiss luxury hotels, where I interned many years ago. According to my cousin, the local dishes such as the kulcha and puri chole were no less than many famous eateries of the city.
Breakfast, dinner at the Grand Trunk, dessert Platter of the Grand Trunk | Photo Credit: Rameshinder Singh Sandhu
Meetings
Photo Provided by: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
The hotel is home to a large banqueting space and several small meeting rooms (pool facing) that remain popular for several social functions, exhibitions and corporate meetings.
Leisure
The outside pool | Photo Provided by: Taj Swarna, Amritsar
It may be a city hotel but has a large spa –a mecca of wellness services with inspiration from Ayurveda: massages, facials and beauty treatments. Along with a swimming pool, one also has free access to steam and sauna rooms. During summer, special activities are also organised for children in and around the pool. If you love people watching, the lobby is your place where traditional welcomes are usually on and if you want quiet time, head to the Club Lounge, which also has computers and printers for guests. On certain evenings, a traditional musician fills the lobby air with melodious notes.
Verdict
Verdict The hotel lives up to the high standards set by the Taj group of hotels. Thanks to the way it is designed, the thoughtful touches in the rooms and suites and gestures that go on even during the check out. The departure gift of a fridge magnet depicting the Golden Temple is one of them. The staff genuinely cares and connects beautifully. Therefore, I would recommend it to anyone planning to visit Amritsar as not all Amritsar hotels are as passionate and professional as this one.
Best For Everyone: families with children, solo travellers, newly married couples and also those on business trips.
Don’t Miss A lunch or dinner meal at the Grand Trunk!
Price Executive Suites start at INR 18,375 ($192.99) + Taxes. Standard rooms in the base category start at INR 9,000 ($95) (prices keep changing)
Contact Taj Swarna: Plot no. C-3, Outer Circular Road, Opposite Basant Avenue, Amritsar, 143001, Punjab, India (Pets not allowed; designated area for smoking) | +91 183 665 8000
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Highly thoughtful and caring besides its five-star tag which brims with many services…