Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans

“Taj all the way!”

Great experience, quintessential taj hospitality, food at Shoreline is amazing.

“Nothing like this !! Great stay and service.”

Amazing Place ! Taj has its own charm. Location on Radhanagar beach is great. Walking distance from rooms to the beach front.. Cleanest and amazing beach seen in India. What makes Taj so special is the amazing staff and their approach to help solve every possible difficulties the guest are experie… lisää

Amazing Place ! Taj has its own charm. Location on Radhanagar beach is great. Walking distance from rooms to the beach front.. Cleanest and amazing beach seen in India. What makes Taj so special is the amazing staff and their approach to help solve every possible difficulties the guest are experiencing. Not only related to their stay but other help like procuring bikes on hire, Airport pickup and drops from ferry and lots of other small request were solved with lot of zeal and enthusiasm. Mr. Manit was a one point contact for us and he arranged everything what we needed. The stay was excellent and the amenities taj provided was also at par. However, small things like pool table was not maintained properly. Balls were missing, table cloth was torn and cue sticks were very badly maintained.. I dont know why such small things were ignored.. Breakfast was out of the world and I think I would have gained a pound or so while I was staying there :) I truly feel, these things will be taken care when brought in front of the management. Its the zeal for perfection which Keeps Taj what it is. All in all, had a wonderful experience and a loud shout out to Mr. Manith for assisting us with everything needed. Having said that, I cannot ignore every other member from the security team to housekeeping team to service team. They were all in line with the standards and they were very well aware they are carrying the name Taj with them. Good stay and will definitely visit again.

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“Probably the best all-round hotel and beach experience ever”

My expectations for the Taj Exotica Andamans were high – and all were met or exceeded. Having booked well in advance, I had an opportunity to research the property and environs extensively (and read reviews). It’s always a lottery – what looks enticing on a website may be less so in reality – but … lisää

My expectations for the Taj Exotica Andamans were high – and all were met or exceeded. Having booked well in advance, I had an opportunity to research the property and environs extensively (and read reviews). It’s always a lottery – what looks enticing on a website may be less so in reality – but anything you might see or read about Taj Exotica does not do it justice.

The property is exquisite, words cannot describe the beauty and obvious pride and care taken in its presentation and maintenance. From the moment of arrival and check-in to check-out [two weeks later] we could not have been more pleased and impressed. Testament to the Taj Exotica’s success would have to be its staff – from concierge/reception to F&B to security to housekeeping and grounds staff, beach and pool attendants, and management – every person we encountered at the Taj was professional, kind, helpful and accommodating. They clearly take great pride in the hotel and their respective roles there, which is a huge factor in a guest’s subsequent level of enjoyment, relaxation and appreciation. So, to break it down Concierge/reception: Check-in and out were efficient and executed expertly. On arrival, we were taken to our villa and left in peace to get on with unpacking, settling in and relaxing. I had several queries throughout our stay, especially in the first few days, and guests can very helpfully communicate any needs or questions via WhatsApp, to which a response is received promptly and action, where necessary, taken. The room: There are no immediate beachfront villas at the Taj and, while I thought I might pine for the beachfront, we actually loved the quiet and relative seclusion of the Deluxe villa towards, I think, the rear of the property – maybe a 7-minute stroll to the beachfront. This has to be one of the nicest and most spacious rooms/villas we’ve stayed in. Often hotel rooms fall short on very minor details – lack of or inconvenient placement of power points, overdecoration and unnecessary clutter, awkward positioning of furniture, lack of storage and wardrobe space but, at the Taj, almost every detail is considered and there is very little I would improve on. There was not a lot of natural light in the room but, given the surroundings and the amount of time [we] spent in the sun, sometimes it’s nice to retreat later in the day into a cool, shady space, and each of the villas has a huge deck/terrace for lounging and relaxing in the sun or shade. Tastefully and minimally appointed, but with nods aplenty to the surroundings, the villa fronted onto a grassed area, positioned in such a way as to offer privacy with no disturbance from any of the other accommodations and, despite the property at full or high occupancy for much of our stay, in our villa there was a feeling of almost being the only guests at the hotel. The room being made up every day is regular and discreet, but with no evening turn-down service, which is really not a big deal in the scheme of things. The bed was wide and comfortable and the room cooled nicely by efficient air-conditioning units, although positioned to immediately project onto the bed is perhaps not the best place for them, as it meant we really couldn’t have it on at night time, which was occasionally required. The bathroom is spacious, with great water pressure and appointed with a large bath and walk-in shower. Loads of storage space in the room, especially helpful for a longer stay, meaning everything could be hung or put away, without having to clutter the room. The beach: In a word, sublime. Safe to swim in, and, again, pictures just don’t do justice. It has to be seen to be believed. Radhanagar Beach is a clean, completely walkable 2.5km stretch of flat, white sand, with warm, crystal-clear, turquoise/aquamarine water. Seriously the best, most perfect beach of the many we have visited. Indian high tea is served on the beach just before sunset, when the beach transforms as [truly] thousands of locals calmly congregate to enjoy the sunset. The Taj’s area of the beach is discreetly attended by Raja, Santosh and Sudarshan, who are constantly on alert, ensuring you have plenty of chilled water and towels, that the loungers and umbrellas are expertly arranged to shield you from the sun and just keep a general eye on proceedings to ensure guests are comfortable at all times, happy to engage in some banter and also provide advice and information about the island and the beach itself. That said, very few at the resort use the beach, other than some heightened activity at sunset, so we largely had the beach to ourselves by day, despite high occupancy at the resort. The beach does become a bit more littered further away from the Taj, but by no means dirty. No hawkers or beach sellers either, not one. The grounds: Set over quite a huge expanse, the villas are positioned seemingly randomly, but in fact is because, when building the hotel, no existing trees were felled. Depending on your villa’s position, it requires no more than a few minutes’ stroll along shady paths through exquisitely maintained jungle-like foliage and flowering plants, to either the beach, the bar/restaurant or other amenities. The grounds were constantly tended and in pristine condition at all times. And, if you don’t fancy the walk, there’s always a buggy to whisk to to where you want to go. Food & beverage: The Taj Andamans has three restaurants/bars. Of the three we ate and drank only in the Turtle House (bar/pool/international snacks and meals) and Shoreline (breakfast, dinner, local and regional dishes). The Turtle House offers a full range of drinks and some delicious snacks and lighter meals throughout the day, and is perfect for an early-evening cocktail at the end of it – one of our favourite parts of the day to just continue winding down out of the heat of the day’s sun and soak up the atmosphere. The bar and restaurant staff are fun, friendly and will cater to pretty much your every whim. No matter how busy the restaurant was, the highest level of service was maintained. We weren’t demanding customers but, even if we were, there would be zero margin for complaint. The all-important breakfast is served in the Shoreline restaurant, offering a variety of Indian and other Asian food, along with the more static Western staples, both hot and cold. The coffee is excellent (also sometimes disappointing in high-end establishments) and the staff are always professional, accommodating and attentive, but without being overattentive or fussing. There’s a fine line between great service and “excessive” service, and the Taj staff have struck the perfect balance. 

Dinner in both restaurants is a relaxed but still professional and efficient à la carte affair, with a buffet offered on some evenings in the Shoreline. There’s a pretty comprehensive menu on offer, a range of locally sourced fresh food of several cuisines that we spent two weeks working our way through, returning several times to some favourites. Lots of fresh fish, local/Indian dishes and international cuisine. Again, the kitchen and serving staff are fun, professional and engaging, happy to answer any questions or accommodate any special requirements. Whether it’s seafood, meat, poultry or vegetarian, the produce is clearly of the highest quality. You’d only have yourself to blame for going hungry. All of the F&B staff are courteous, efficient and helpful, happy to execute their duties discreetly or engage in a bit of chat. So, all in all, a stay at The Taj Andamans is worth the effort of getting there – via a 90-minute ferry from Port Blair followed by a 20-minute journey by car on arrival at the ferry terminal at Swaraj Dweep. It’s not cheap, food and drink is close to London prices, but you get what you pay for. Beautifully staffed and run, as well as being stunning by day, The Taj was just as gorgeous by night. A large property designed to convey a feeling of true privacy and seclusion, the hotel was largely at full capacity during our stay, but we could walk the beach, grounds and gardens day or night, often not crossing paths with another soul. A few corporate events took place during our stay and, unlike previous experiences elsewhere, this did not negatively impact our experience – not really. There was no deterioration in service level or attention; these functions were carried out discreetly and focus was maintained on all guests throughout the function preparations and execution. I have stayed at other properties where an event seems to divert pretty much everyone’s attention, and non-event guests can be left almost to fend for themselves. Not so at The Taj, for which I highly commend the staff and management. One complaint is that the [only] bar was occasionally off limits/closed for the private events, with no other venue or contingency. I think management do need to review this, as other guests should not have services curtailed to accommodate this. Looked after throughout our stay largely by Purnima as our appointed guest services manager, and front office manager Abhishek, who introduced himself to us very early in our stay and with whom we enjoyed several charming conversations. He’s a relaxed, congenial, friendly host who treats the guests and staff alike with the utmost courtesy and respect. Abhishek and staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and valued, and organised some excursions and treats, including a tour of the on-site vegetable and herb gardens, which we very much appreciated. I don't believe I have ever felt as valued and appreciated as a guest as I did at the Taj. All of The Taj Andamans staff were exceptional. Special mention and thanks to Subhankar and Ramesh (drivers/transport), Jagdeep, Sandeep, Purnima and Abhishek (guest services/concierge), Shubahm, Sai, Rupa, Sujit, Prissila, Mercy, Anish, Saptadipa, Vishal, Jasmine, Akash, Snehashish and chef Manish (dinner/drinks/breakfast/F&B) who looked after us, were fun, professional and engaging, always had time for a smile and a chat, often entertained us and made a perfect experience even better. Raja, Santosh, Sudarshan looked after us on the beach, Shrawan and Kushal expertly cleaned our room each day, Veera on reception and buggy driver Samir brightened each day with their warmth, smiles and general friendliness, and Robert in the spa delivered some of the best massages I’ve had. But really, everyone at The Taj Exotica Andamans deserves commendation, and we indeed left not just as guests, but as friends to several. One other thing that perhaps requires management's attention: while I appreciate the property’s stance on ecological maintenance, mosquitoes and insects were a problem for us. I do think this should at least be investigated and some low-impact measures taken. I know from speaking to other guests that this was not an isolated problem. So, my top tip: use extreme insect/bite protection, cover up where you can and pack some antihistamine cream to relieve the sting and itching! All in all, a stay at the Taj Exotica is not cheap, but still worth every penny. Beautifully staffed and run, it’s very difficult to find fault. I recommend the Taj Exotica highly as an exceptionally well-oiled hotel experience – one of, if not the, best hotel experiences ever. If you’re considering staying at The Taj, I would not hesitate to recommend it highly as one of, if not the, best hotel experiences ever. Thank you all at Taj Exotica Andamans. We will return.

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“A 40th birthday in the mangroves – Taj Exotica, Andaman (Vibrant Wanderers review)”

A 40th birthday in the mangroves – Taj Exotica, Andaman (Vibrant Wanderers review) Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 35 countries and counting. 200+ restaurants reviewed. 250K insta family along for the ride. If you're new here, we are Vibrant Wanderers, and we are so glad you're here to read this. We chose Taj Ex… lisää

A 40th birthday in the mangroves – Taj Exotica, Andaman (Vibrant Wanderers review) Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 35 countries and counting. 200+ restaurants reviewed. 250K insta family along for the ride. If you're new here, we are Vibrant Wanderers, and we are so glad you're here to read this. We chose Taj Exotica, Andaman to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday — and it turned out to be one of the most soulful stays of our travels. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with love and a native song that felt less like a hotel welcome and more like a blessing. Special love to Deba, whose warmth stayed with us all through. One of our favorite memories? A photograph clicked against a 200-year-old tree — which the resort later gifted to us. That's the kind of thoughtfulness that sets a place apart. The villa: We stayed in a Mangrove Villa — absolute calm, absolute peace. The design is beautiful, intimate, and deeply connected to nature. One small hiccup — a centipede in the washroom. But given that the property sits in the lap of a forest, it didn't break the spell. The team went beyond. · Jagdeep at front office created an awestruck birthday setup for my husband — truly unforgettable. · Anish & Vishal (F&B experts) brought every little request to life with grace and joy. · Rana ji at J Circle Spa — phenomenal. Don't miss it. What we loved doing: · Private beach access · Tea time at the beach · Olympic size pool + table tennis · Cycling treks through forest trails · Loads of activities to choose from We stayed 3 nights and could have easily stayed longer. If you're looking for a place that delivers luxury and untouched nature, with staff who treat you like family — this is it. Yes, you're in a forest. Yes, there may be a crawlie or two. But the magic? Unmatched. Vibrant Wanderers approved. 🌿

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