The Taj Bahrain development is part of a US$100 million programme outlined by Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and Kingdom Projects, combining the planned hotel with new dining and retail projects.
Announced at Gateway Gulf on 1 and 2 November 2026, the combined investment covers Taj Hotel Downtown Seef, Bombay Brasserie at Bahrain Bay and a Hamleys flagship at The Avenues Bahrain. The US$100 million figure applies to all three projects, rather than the hotel alone.
The programme was detailed in BizBahrain’s report published on 4 November 2026.
Three projects with different delivery stages
- Taj Hotel Downtown Seef: construction of the 200-key hotel is expected to begin shortly. The scheme includes 80 branded residences. A hotel opening date was not disclosed.
- Bombay Brasserie at Bahrain Bay: fit-out work is under way, with the restaurant targeting the first quarter of 2027.
- Hamleys at The Avenues Bahrain: the Reliance Retail-owned brand is targeting the same opening period for its flagship showroom.
Kingdom Projects is described as Taj’s exclusive partner in Bahrain and is developing a wider pipeline with the group. The announcement was made in the presence of Bahrain Economic Development Board chief executive Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif and tourism minister Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi.
Taj Bahrain development builds on the 2024 signing
Taj’s planned entry into Bahrain was first announced in July 2024, when IHCL signed the Downtown Seef hotel and a separate 251-room resort in Hamala with Kingdom Projects. The original plans for the Seef property included restaurants, wellness facilities and space for meetings and weddings.
The November announcement therefore provides an investment and delivery update to an existing hotel project. It does not signal that the Taj hotel has opened, and the separately announced Hamala resort is not identified as one of the three projects in this US$100 million package.
For hospitality businesses tracking Bahrain’s development pipeline, the near-term dates are the restaurant and retail openings. The hotel’s construction start and eventual opening timetable remain the next milestones to watch.
Sources: Gateway Gulf investment announcement, reported by BizBahrain on 4 November 2026; TradeArabia report, 3 November 2026; IHCL’s original Bahrain signing announcement.
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Manama, Bahrain. Illustrative destination image, not the planned Taj hotel. Photo: Ondrej Bocek / Unsplash.
