The Indian Hotels Company Limited, owners of the Taj chain of hotels, has announced that all hotels in the current portfolio will now be grouped under a single branded house identity: Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris.

Under this restructuring, the brands of Vivanta by Taj and Gateway will merge under the aegis of a single Taj brand identity

This aligning of brand architecture is driven by the strong legacy of Taj across decades and reinforces the deep resonance of brand Taj with its guests, and embodies the vision of its founder Jamsetji Tata.

It also connects back to the recently unveiled Tajness philosophy which takes the best from the Taj’s past and redefines it for the future.

Tajness, says the company, is a sum of guest experiences that seek their inspiration from the nobility of Indian heritage and traditions.

The new brand architecture was designed to honour the 100+ year legacy of the Taj and to realign Taj’s vision of building a globally-reputable chain of world-class hotels.

The new brand identity is a reflection of guest insight and research with all stakeholders including associates, owners and partners, all of whom indicated a stronger emotional connect and affinity for brand Taj.

The redesigned architecture will see all hotels grouped under: Taj Hotels; Taj Palaces; Taj Resorts; and Taj Safaris respectively.

All hotels will have carefully designed product and service attributes leading to a distinct guest experience.

All Taj Palaces will continue to have a rich regal history and lineage and will offer royal experiences that include themed suites that can be completely personalized to guest preferences, unique dining experiences and dedicated butler service for suites.

Taj Resorts will have distinct architecture and design that brings out the natural beauty of the locations where they operate.

Resorts will offer complete personalization for suites, sustainable food menus and signature Jiva Spas which are inspired by the ancient healing traditions of India.

Taj Safaris, located in or near National Parks, will have sustainability at their core.

They will operate with lighter carbon footprints and will champion local community engagement. Highly trained naturalists will be the key to these safaris; experiences will include adventure trails, breakfast in the woods and other unique dining experiences with farm-to-fork concepts for guests.

At the unveiling of the new brand architecture at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, Rakesh Sarna, chief executive, Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris, said: “We are humbled to be custodians of the vision of our founder, Jamsetji Tata, and very grateful to our guests who feel a deep connection with the Taj he built and who place their faith in us on a daily basis.

“The new brand identity honours the renowned legacy of the Taj in a structure that will create greater brand resonance with our guests and also allow for considerable value creation for all our stakeholders.

“Taj as a brand, truly speaks to the nation’s pride and the redesigned architecture is a tangible step in celebrating our heritage while recognising the need to prepare for the bright future of India’s tomorrow.”

Transition of all hotels to the new architecture along with the Tajness guest experiences is expected to completed by December 2017.