Voices Anand Neelakantan S Vaidhyasubramaniam Ravi Shankar Anu Aggarwal Debashis Chatterjee Mata Amritanandamayi THE new sunday express MAGAZINE Buffet People Wellness Books Food Art & Culture Entertainment june 22 2025 SUNDAY PAGES 12 By Veidehi Gite Evolve Back Chikkana Halli Estate in Coorg N estled in the mist-shrouded hills of Coorg, Evolve Back Chikkana Halli Estate rises from the coffee plantations like a grand colonial vision reimagined. The resort’s palatial façade, with its imposing columns and wraparound verandas, gives way to interiors where hand-carved rosewood furniture sits beneath soaring timber-beamed ceilings. Meanwhile, across the country in Rajasthan’s golden desert, Mihir Garh stands as a sand castle made manifest—its curved, fortress-like walls blending seamlessly into the dunes surrounding it. Boutique Hotels Let’s get Personal Luxury in India is shifting from opulence to authenticity, with boutique hotels redefining exclusivity through personalised, story-driven experiences Inside, each of the nine suites features private plunge pools and fireplaces set into mud-plastered walls adorned with intricate mirror work that catches and multiplies the desert light. Though separated by geography and aesthetics, these boutique properties speak a shared language of authenticity . As luxury travel in India evolves, boutique hotels are gaining momentum because they offer what large chains often cannot—experiences that are deeply personal, rooted in local context, and thoughtfully curated. They are smaller, have fewer than 100 rooms, which have individuality as their calling card. Like the Old Lighthouse Bristow in Kochi which has been converted into a boutique hotel from a lighthouse. The Haveli Dharampura in Old Delhi, a 14-room Mughal-era building, two centuries old where kite flying is a welcome amusement for patrons: it even bagged a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The Saraca Hotel Lucknow is an Art Deco building built in 1936 and echoes the ‘tehzeeb’ of Lucknow’s kothis. The Sawantwad Palace, built by Khem Sawant III in the 18th century as his royal home in the Sindhudurg foothills; at this art hotel items of Ganjifa art and lacquerware made by skilled local artisans are collectibles; Ooty’s British era King’s Cliff, that was once the home of Lady Maybn and Lord Reginald overlooking the Blue Mountains with a fireplace in every room; the Sheikhpura Kothi in Haryana built in 1921 which has four poster beds with its own small ceiling fans; the six-suite La Villa 19th-century building serving French classics like leek fondue in Puducherry—the mother of boutique hotels culture in India. Boutique hotels became popular sometime after the first phase of the pandemic. As the global travel market started opening up and people became more confident about travelling, they started prioritising experiences above comfort. The big hotel chains suddenly seemed impersonal, with a one-size-fitsall worldview. Travellers needed more and with the economy picking up, had the means to splurge on personalised experiences. The last two years have seen the boutique hotel trend skyrocket. Its market size was valued at USD 25.04 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1 per cent by 2030. Boutique hotels are hotels with a unique personality Each one is . distinctly different from the other. While in size and capacity they are , smaller than big chain hotels, it’s in the details they win brownie points. “What we’re witnessing is a beautiful evolution in how guests define luxury ,” says Ayu Tripathi, Director, Aahana Resort. “Our guests value both exceptional comfort and meaningful connections. They seek places that feel like an extension of themselves where luxury isn’t just about amenities but about creating a space to reconnect with what truly matters.” The hospitality landscape is experiencing a profound transformation, with Turn to page 2
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