MUMBAI - TWO luxury hotels that had been stormed by militants reopened amid tight security in Mumbai yesterday, less than a month after devastating attacks that rocked India's financial and entertainment hub.

The Oberoi Trident and Taj Mahal hotels received their first guests since the carnage, as many praised their staff members for their dedication and resilience while others called for defiance in the face of extremism.

Mr Ratan Tata, the head of the Tata Group conglomerate that owns the Taj, dedicated the relaunch to all those who had died and said the swift reopening of the hotel's modern Tower wing marked the start of a 'new era'.

'I believe that the reopening of this hotel will send a message that we can come alive again in a record period of time and play a role and continue to be part of this great city,' he told reporters.

The 105-year-old Palace wing of the Taj remains closed, but Mr Tata said its reopening 'would send an even stronger message, not just for the Taj but for the community of Mumbai, that we can be hurt but we cannot be knocked down'.

Both hotels were officially reopened after commemoration services, during which prayers were said by religious leaders for the 163 civilians and security personnel who had died in the attacks and the nearly 300 others who had been injured.

During the attacks, 22 guests and 10 staff were killed at the Oberoi Trident, while 31 people died at the iconic red-domed Taj, including 12 employees.

The names of all those who died at the Taj will be inscribed at the base of a 'Tree of Life' that was unveiled during a private reception for Mumbai's elite yesterday afternoon, Mr Tata said.

Staff members at both hotels have won high praise for their work during and after the attacks.

Among the first guests at the Oberoi Trident were Canadian Rick McElrea and his family, who arrived for breakfast.

'It's a statement to terrorists that this does not close down business. This does not close down hotels,' said Mr McElrea, who lives in Mumbai but hails from Ottawa.

'I don't feel any fear. I feel hope,' he said. 'The terrorists failed and Mumbaikars won.'

About 100 of the Oberoi Trident's 550 rooms were booked last night while the Taj, where 278 rooms were available, was 65 per cent full. Both hotels reported healthy reservations for their restaurants. Security was tight yesterday at their premises.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE