Taj Connemara

Once the striking 18th-century garden house of the Nawab of Arcot, the Taj Connemara is steeped in history. The garden house was rented out to an English trader at the turn of the 19th century before being converted into the Imperial Hotel in 1854. It changed hands several times before being leased to the Taj Group of Hotels in the 1970s. It remains a mystery, though, as to whether it was named after Lord Connemara, the then Governor of Madras and a good friend of the Prince of Arcot or Lady Connemara, who spent four months at this hotel before sailing back to England to seek divorce from her scandalous husband. The original garden house now combines classic Art Deco heritage with modern comforts, while the modern tower block, built by acclaimed architect Geoffrey Bawa, is linked to the garden house by an outdoor pool.

Accommodation comprises 150 elegantly decorated rooms and suites with modern amenities overlooking the gardens or the pool. While rooms in the Heritage Wing feature high ceilings and evoke the charms of the colonial era, the rooms in the Tower Wing are bright and airy and reveal their contemporary character. The three different restaurants at Taj Connemara entice guests with exotic menus and innovative cuisine from around the world, while the bar is one of the city’s most fashionable late-evening watering holes.

Leisure facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre that is open around the clock, a beauty salon and a spa offering a range of treatments, including aromatherapy massages and those based on ancient Indian traditions.