The Chambers: Refurbished members-only club at Taj hotel reopens today

For those unaccustomed to the environs of the Taj Mahal hotel on New Delhi’s Mansingh Road, the 14th floor can come across as something akin to a maze. Doors open into snug corridors — one of them embellished with artwork by R K Laxman — often leading you to unexpectedly large meeting rooms with massive television screens. Inside, however, the view from the windows is truly breathtaking: a sweeping portrait of the city that offers a rare bird’s-eye shot of the capital’s hallowed architectural past.

As stupendous as it is, it is perhaps worth mentioning that the view is strictly exclusive — to gain entry, you’d probably need an invitation, or a stellar recommendation.

That’s because this is where The Chambers, the Taj’s prestigious, members-only business club is housed. Closed for renovation since December 2019, the “reimagined” Chambers will be inaugurated on Saturday, perfectly explaining the presence of workers putting finishing touches to the interiors and the heady smell of fresh paint hanging in the air.

Originally opened in 1975 at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, The Chambers came to Delhi in 1982. Ever since, it has become a breeding ground for ideas and deals, a luxury sanctum for industry leaders where they can relax and socialise.

“Over the years, members in Delhi and Mumbai have had a very strong bond with The Chambers. But now we’re seeing a new generation; we wanted to make the club relevant for the next 40 years,” says Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and CEO, Indian Hotels Company Limited.

The refurbished Chambers is vastly different from its previous avatar. For one, the meeting rooms are up from two to seven: the main one has been designed by Italian luxury lifestyle label Stefano Ricci, complete with chairs made from pashmina leather and the flooring from fine Italian marble. Among the other big changes is the restaurant. Earlier called The Grill Room, Taj has torn down the old space to make way for a more spacious, 60-seater restaurant, rechristened “Rayasina”. Here, too, luxury features high on the list: sparkling chandeliers dangle from the high ceiling, with a dinnerware collection handpicked from French porcelain maker Bernardaud, and cutlery from Christofle, another French heritage brand. As for the food, Executive Chef Arun Sundararaj spent much of last year scouting new dishes across Europe’s culinary capitals, coming up with a refreshed international menu.

“We have focused on the food and the interiors because Chambers members deserve the best. But at the same time, we haven’t lost sight of the essentials,” explains Chhatwal.

“We have tried to offer uninterrupted connectivity that is both safe and secure for meetings. Outside of that, for people who like leisure, we have the bar and the cigar lounge — the first at the hotel since 1978. It is a great mix of luxury and technology.”

Immensely popular among old-timers, The Chambers, for a few years now, has dedicated itself to becoming an attractive proposition for a new generation of achievers. “Across the world, people are becoming successful at a much younger age,” reckons Chhatwal, adding that The Chambers is keen to embrace high-flyers from across the spectrum, and not just business. “You can be an Olympic shooter or a boxing prodigy and you’d be welcome here. That wasn’t the norm earlier.” This ethos is also reflected in the new Chambers Global Membership, which allows a one-time transfer of membership to the son or daughter of an existing patron. This, of course, is one among a host of other benefits. And while Taj likes to keep the joining fee under wraps, it is estimated to be around Rs 25 lakh. A member also has to pay an annual amount of Rs 3 lakh.

The Delhi overhaul is part of a larger plan that Taj has in store for The Chambers. The new membership is called “global” for a reason: in six months’ time, a version of The Chambers is slated to come up in London. Chhatwal says that the group even has ambitions to set one up in New York. In India, The Chambers has already expanded to six cities: apart from Delhi and Mumbai, it is also present in Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Despite the expansion plans, Chhatwal feels that exclusivity and privacy will always be the two hallmarks of the club, ensuring that its appeal is never diluted. “At the end of the day, it’s all about where you want to be seen. The Chambers gives you a great opportunity in that respect.” That, with the view available, is a difficult combination to beat.