After weeks of debate, the management decided that this look was ``too white'' and needed to be toned down a bit. ``The domes will stay, but the lobby will be given a complete overhaul,'' says hotel public relations manager, Vandana Ranganathan, though she is tight-lipped about the other changes that will be made. The biggest change, however, is going to be at the hotel's popular coffee shop, Machan. The restaurant, which used to be the favourite hang-out for those indulging in late night shows, will now get a completely new look. ``The Machan will metamorphose into a more lively, upbeat outlet. Even though in name and theme, it will still be the Machan, the ambience and spirit of the coffee shop will be more adventurous and bright,'' says Ranganathan.

Temporarily, Machan has been shifted to the top floor, in the area that used to be the Taj's French country-style restaurant, Long Champs. Though Long Champs was closed down, the decor was never changed and the hotel had begun using the hall as a banquet area, especially for private parties, since it already had a good ambience. Now, it houses the Machan and its changed menu. The Captain's Cabin, the hotel's bar at the lobby level, has also been shut down for renovation. The abridged version of the bar exists within the new Machan premises and some of its popular dishes have been added to the Machan menu.

The Delhi project is being handled by a Los Angeles firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates. ``The company is the world's largest hospitality design firm and has a client list spanning six continents,'' says Ranganathan. Their clients include the Beverly Rodeo Hotel in Beverly Hills, the Las Vegas Hilton, Carlton Towers, the Ritz-Carlton Millennia in Singapore, the Hyatt Regency Mainz and the Hyatt on Collins.

The renovations will cost the hotel Rs 10 crore, part of a bigger renovation budget of Rs 90 crore, which will see the Taj Mahal Mumbai, Taj Bengal (Calcutta), Taj Krishna (Hyderabad) and Taj Samudra (Colombo) all being made over.