Mandarin Oriental, the Hong-Kong based hotel chain with 21 properties around the world, is believed to be in talks with the owners of the Mumbai-based Sea Rock Hotel for a possible management contract, says The Economic Times, quoting market sources.

Sea Rock, once the favourite haunt of Bollywood stars bang on the Arabian Sea, was purchased from its original owners by the Delhi-based Claridges Group.

Arms dealer Suresh Nanda, the son of a former Admiral of the Indian Navy, is the Chairman of the Claridges Group. He has declined to comment on the Mandarin story.

The Mumbai landmark, which was being managed by the ITC Welcomgroup, had suffered a serious setback after the 1993 bomb blast masterminded allegedly by Dawood Ibrahim, India's most-wanted mafia don.

Thereafter, the hotel's original, and fractious, owners were deadlocked in litigation with ITC Welcomgroup till Suresh Nanda acquired it last year.

Sea Rock, a five-star hotel with 410 rooms, is valued at Rs 450 crore.