business living high life tata ka taj

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Living the high lifeTaj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has, over the years, established a reputation for

impeccable style and superlative comfort. The Taj takes its unique brandof hospitality to North America with three landmark hotels. The general

managers of the hotels — Heiko Kuenstle of The Pierre New York,

Jeffrey Seward of Taj Boston and Ashrafi Matcheswala of Taj Campton Place

— discuss the way ahead with Tata Review and the significance of building the

brand in North America.

B

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S I N

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Je f fre y Se ward,

general manager, Ta j Bos ton Ashra fi Ma tches wala,

general manager, Ta j Camp ton PlaceHeiko K uens tle,

general manager,

The Pierre Ne w York



Can you tell us what is new at The Pierre?The hotel’s décor still maintains its classic

ambience, with traditional interiors that have a refined,

modern sensibility. Subtle Indian touches can now be

seen throughout the hotel, such as the silk comforters

and artwork in the guestrooms and public spaces. The

guest bathrooms have been enlarged to feature

glass-walled showers, steam-free mirrors and soakingtubs with flat-panel televisions.

Updating of the technology we used was an integral

part of the renovation. All bedrooms feature a 40-inch

flat-screen television, a Bose Wave Studio with iPod

docking station, WiFi, a working desk with built-in data

and power outlets, and sound-insulated, energy-efficient

windows.

The Two E bar and lounge is a welcoming place for

timeless cocktails, coffee, tea, or small plates. Designed

by Alexandra Champalimaud, Two E is a neoclassical,

residential-style lobby lounge by day; at night it

transforms into a stylish bar with a relaxed, intimate

atmosphere and memorable dance parties.

Le Caprice opened in the fall of 2009. The

restaurant offers signature European dishes modified

for the American palette. Martin Brudniski’s art deco

design satisfies the most discerning guests with its

contemporary black-and-white look, David Bailey

photographs and long, sleek bar. The restaurant sits

among Richard Caring’s exclusive dining

establishments, which include The Ivy, Annabel’s,

Daphne’s, and the Wentworth Golf Club.

How has the renovated Pierre been received by

your guests?Our guests are appreciative of Taj Hotels’ meticulous

restoration of The Pierre. Regulars love that the Taj has

managed to preserve the heart and soul of the hotel, and

they are delighted with all the new amenities.

The Pierre is also seeing a wave of new guests who

come to experience the new and updated offerings of the

property. Many of these guests are coming because they

are familiar with the Taj brand and want to enjoy a Taj

experience in New York City. The renovation is not only

attracting new guests to the hotel but also a whole new

contingent of New Yorkers to our new restaurant and bar.

What are your expectations for this hotel in thedays ahead?

The Pierre has built its reputation on legendary

service and unparalleled facilities. Our expectations for

this year are to reinforce The Pierre’s restoration and its

position as the top luxury hotel in New York City. We

received our AAA Five Diamond status for the second

year in succession and expect to receive the Forbes Five

Star status as well.

How is the Taj brand being promoted in theUnited States?

For over 100 years, Taj has been creating,

enhancing and caring for landmark properties around

the world. It continues this tradition in the United States

with three landmark hotels: The Pierre New York, the Taj

Boston and the Taj Campton Place in San Francisco.

Taj is renowned in India for its standards of excellence in

the art of hospitality, unwavering attention to detail, and

for maintaining each property’s unique history and

beauty. We are doing the same in the United States and,

consequently, we have a rapidly growing and loyal

customer base in the North American market.

39Tata Review January 2011

Restored togreater gloryThe Pierre New York, a Taj hotel, reopened in June

2009 following a $100-million refurbishment that

has made it classier and more hospitable thanever before. In this interview, general manager

Heiko Kuenstle speaks about the makeover of

the iconic property and the way forward.



What does being a part of the Tata family feel like?To be welcomed into the Tata family the way I was

has been exciting and enlightening. Joining the Taj was a

personal and professional decision for me.

At the Taj Boston, I have tried to get my people to

understand what Tata represents, the group’s heritage and

its philanthropic outlook as well as its global presence, not

just employees at this hotel but Bostonians and New

Englanders too. It’s invigorating to be part of a process

that bridges the gap in understanding.

Can you tell us a little bit about the Taj Boston, itshistory and its heritage?

This hotel really is not just significant because of its

history within Boston, but also because of its history of

hospitality. It was, it is said, the first hotel in the Americas

where you had your own bathroom, the first to have

fresh-cut flowers in its open spaces and so on.

We get a good blend of customers. We have

corporate guests through the week. The weekend visitors

are mostly people who come to see Boston, to enjoy

sporting events or those who have business with the many

universities and educational institutions in the city, but

business travellers constitute the majority of our business.

The Taj group places a high value on corporatesustainability activities and linkages with thecommunity. Could you tell us a bit about suchprojects at The Pierre?

The movement towards ecologically sound tourism

has gained urgency and importance across the globe

over the last decade. The Taj has responded to this shift

with its EARTH (Environment Awareness and Renewal

at Taj Hotels) programme.

As part of this initiative, The Pierre is committed

to the cause of sustainability by reducing the impact

of our daily operations on the environment and

improving operational efficiencies, resource

conservation, reuse and recycling of key resources, and

social responsibility within the community. By doing

this, The Pierre has achieved its first sustainability

certification level from the prestigious Green Globe

programme, a worldwide benchmarking, certification

and performance-improvement initiative.

We are building a power plant fuelled by renewable

natural gas that will reduce our carbon dioxide

emissions. We have a 100-per cent recycling policy for

paper, plastic, glass and cardboard, eco-friendly products

in our bathrooms, and organic mattresses in the

guestrooms. Going forward we are planning on

mulching wet garbage, using biodegradable chemicals

and sourcing local raw materials wherever possible.

The Pierre is a strong advocate of community

service and donates to many charities including City

Harvest, an organisation that collects food to distribute to

homeless shelters across New York City, and Toys for Tots

which distributes toys to children.

We also participate in a programme called Grand

Central Neighborhood, where Pierre employees volunteer

their time at a soup kitchen to feed the homeless in

Grand Central Station.

40 Ta ta Re vi ew J an ua ry 20 11

A history of hospitalityThe Taj Boston has become a part of the social

fabric of the city it is anchored in. In this

interview, Jeffrey Seward, general manager,

explains what makes this iconic hotel so special.



41Tata Review January 2011

Is the hotel perceived differently now that it is TajBoston rather than the Ritz-Carlton?

The Ritz-Carlton is what this hotel was since the

1920s, so there is plenty of emotion attached to the

name. Our employees here continue to be very proud of

the hotel. There were some instances of emotion when

the change from the Carlton to the Taj happened, but

our people have come to understand what the Taj stands

for and how much it cares for its employees.

How is this property being marketed? What are thechallenges you face on that front?

We market our property as one of the leading

luxury hotels of Boston. That aside, we market the hotel

through different periodicals, through our newspapers,

through multimedia, and through the bouquet of Taj

luxury properties globally.

How do room rates compare with that of thecompetition?Our room rates vary from $275 to $425 for a night

and that isn’t as high as that of some of our competitive

set. We continue to work on our average rate, we continue

to try to offer more to our guest as far as amenities go, and

we continue to drive service as much as we can. Our

occupancy rate for the year is about 75 per cent.

Tell us about your restaurants.We have all-day dining and our restaurants are

very popular with Bostonians. A good story here is

about what happened when we tried to change one

of our menus a few months ago. We decided to do away

with chicken pie and chicken biryani — but our guests

would have none of it; they wanted it back on the

menu.

We have done well with our café and our bar too.

The bar does an incredible amount of business; it

has a beautiful view and boasts patrons who have

been coming there for long years. Then there is the

Taj Club, which is a key access point for guests. Not

least, we have an excellent selection of traditional

Indian cuisine.

Could you tell us about your long-term vision forthe Taj Boston?

As a property The Taj Boston is financially fit and

has been able to deliver revenues and profits. We have

been able to do that only because we have ensured thatwe are a significant part of the wider community and

of Boston.

I see the hotel remaining a social address for

Boston. I see the Taj Boston being increasingly known

for the work it does in community relations and

community welfare. For instance, we have been

working for years with the Women’s Lunch Place, an

initiative that takes care of homeless women.

I see the hotel continuing to garner significant

revenues and profits.

Serving upluxury, Taj-styleA quintessential San Francisco landmark, the Taj

Campton Place is well set to continue its

tradition of luxury and hospitality. Ashrafi

Matcheswala, general manager, talks about what

the future holds for this elegant hotel, the only

Taj hotel on the West Coast.



42

Tell us about the hotel and its rich history.

Taj Campton Place opened its doors in 1909 as the

Drake-Wiltshire. Campton Place Associates acquired the

property in 1981. Plans were then developed for an

extensive renovation which would turn the old Drake-

Wiltshire into the luxurious Campton Place Hotel. The

hotel was completely rebuilt to accommodate 126 rooms

and suites where there were once 220, and reopened in

October 1983.

In June 1992, some guestrooms were turned into a

luxurious meeting and banquet facility leaving 110

guestrooms, nine of which are suites. The restaurant, bar,

lobby and public areas were also renovated in 1994 and

1995 and further upgraded in 2001. These enhancements

included an indoor-outdoor health facility to ensure that

Campton Place was well suited to face the new century as

one of San Francisco’s finest hotels.In April 2007, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces

acquired this quintessential San Francisco landmark as

part of its luxury hotel division.

Has the hotel undergone any renovation after thetransition to the Taj group?

In order to maintain the property as “the place to

stay in the Bay Area”, an ambitious programme of

upgrades has been undertaken in all areas.

Wireless internet and a new electronic door lock

system have been installed throughout the hotel. New

HDTVs, minibars and automatic espresso machines areavailable in each guestroom, and the linens and amenities

have been upgraded to match the quality used in fine

homes around the world.

The executive boardroom was renovated in

November 2007, adding new features such as a 63-inch

plasma HDTV with IT-based video-conferencing

capabilities and broadband wireless internet service. Also,

on the lobby level, we have added a new business centre

offering complimentary internet access along with

copying, faxing and printing services.

To change the ‘flavour’ of our restaurant, Taj

Campton Place decided to refurbish it in April 2008;replacing the carpet, banquettes and tables to offer a

contemporary look and feel, along with changing the

menus and cuisine.

How have regulars and new visitors taken to thehotel’s new avatar as part of the Taj chain?

The hotel is an iconic hospitality landmark in San

Francisco and Taj’s reputation of preserving historic

Indian palaces and landmark hotels (like The Pierre New

York) has made local patrons and return guests very

supportive of the transition. New visitors find Taj

Campton Place a quiet refuge in a busy city, in an

environment that feels like a refined home.

What is the guest profile? Is the hotel seen as a luxury social destination or a premier business setting?

Taj Campton Place is the perfect place for a leisure or

business traveller. It is a world-renowned luxury boutique

hotel whose comfortable elegance and intelligent,

personalised service will make any stay in San Francisco

warm, carefree and memorable. Campton Place

Restaurant, a one Michelin Star eatery, is one of San

Francisco’s premiere dining spots. The hotel is centrally

located near the city’s best shopping and dining, lush parks

and famous museums. It is also strategically located on

Union Square, close to many corporate and business

headquarters, and is the top choice in San Francisco for

the discerning business traveller.

What are your business expectations for the

coming season?According to the NBTA Foundation, corporate travel

budgets will grow 4.45 per cent in 2011 on a national

travel level. Although corporations are increasing their

budgets, this does not mean actual travel will grow. For

San Francisco, we are expecting transient room demand to

grow in 2011 for both business and leisure.

What are the brand values that Taj Hotels wishesto communicate in the US market?

The Taj brand in the US is built on the quintessential

luxury qualities of heritage, authenticity and welcoming

hospitality. All our hotels boast a rich heritage and culture;guest experiences, which we enhance by continuously

redefining authentic luxury; and customer engagement

through a number of campaigns and localised activities.

The presence of three landmark hotels allows us to

communicate what the brand stands for in a more visible

and emphatic manner.

What are the corporate sustainability projectsthat Taj Campton Place has initiated?

Taj Campton Place works with a number of

charitable organisations. The Walden House, a local shelter

whose mission is to give hope and change lives for peopleaffected by substance abuse and mental health conditions,

is supported with in-kind donations as well as by

extending professional support which will help them in

securing jobs. We are also in the process of finalising teams

who will cook for them and read to the children.

During the holiday season we hold an annual food

drive where all associates participate by donating non-

perishable food items. All proceeds from the food drive are

donated to The Salvation Army, which works in the San

Francisco area. We are also proud to be part of the fight

against breast cancer with the American Cancer Society.

We recently held a Tata-First Book event, which was a tie-

up with Tata Sons to provide new books to children.

Tata Review January 2011

business living high life tata ka taj

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