Nowhere to be, somewhere to go: The best luxury escapes in India

Burnout is real—and it’s no longer something a long weekend or a good night’s sleep can fix. What you need instead is distance. From the noise, the notifications, and the version of yourself that’s always switched on.

Across India, a new kind of luxury escape is redefining what it means to truly unwind. Think forest retreats where time slows to a near halt, wellness resorts that rebuild you from the inside out, and design-forward stays that make doing nothing feel like an art form. These are places you go to when you don’t just want a break, you want a reset

Hotel Eagles Nest - Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

For the soul-searcher.

The place that makes you wonder why you ever thought an airport was necessary.

At 7,381 feet in the Himalayan foothills, nestled inside two square kilometres of cedar, oak, and rhododendron forest, Eagles Nest does something that most luxury resorts only promise: it makes you genuinely forget what month it is. The Kangra Valley sprawls below; the Dhauladhar range looms above. Between them, the silence of that specific kind that city people pay a lot for and rarely find.

Days here are built around the natural world. A stable for guided forest horse rides. Trained naturalists who will take you out to spot leopards, flying squirrels, and over 550 species of birds. Escorted treks into the surrounding forest. Evenings end at the bonfire or on the stargazing deck. For the more inward-facing: a spa, sauna, yoga hall, and designated meditation zones. The library lounge with a fireplace, mountain view, and absolute quiet is worth the trip alone.

Highlights: Forest treks, horse rides, wildlife spotting, yoga and meditation, stargazing.

Address: Eagles Nest, Dharamshala, Upper Dharamkot, Near Gallu Temple, McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh 

Atmantan Wellness Resort - Mulshi, Near Pune

For the one who's tired of being tired.

Not a hotel. A complete system reset, and it actually works.

Forty-two acres on a crystal hill in the Sahyadris, overlooking Mulshi Lake. Atmantan is the resort for people who've run out of road. Every programme begins with a doctor consultation, with no plug-and-play spa packages or generic detox itineraries. What you get is a personalised plan rooted in Ayurveda, naturopathy, yoga, nutrition, and physiotherapy, designed specifically around what your body actually needs right now.

You arrive expecting to do the yoga class and perhaps one massage. You leave having had a conversation with your own body that was long overdue.

The 50,000 sq ft spa is one of the largest in Asia. Expect everything from Ayurvedic therapies and Thai massage to Hammam, Pranic healing, and colon hydrotherapy. On the movement side: Pilates, spinning, Zumba, aquatics, TRX, and guided treks. For those seeking the ultimate private escape, the Mango Tree Villa features an infinity pool, a private gym, and a couples' spa. The Taj Hotels group recently backed the property, which is confirmation, if you needed any, that Atmantan is now firmly in the conversation about India's finest.

Highlights: Ayurvedic programmes, 50,000 sq ft spa, guided nutrition, Pilates & TRX, Mulshi Lake views.

Address: Atmantan Wellness Resort Village Palse, Tamhini Ghat Road, Mulshi, Pune, Maharashtra 

Brij Bageecha - Kukas, Near Jaipur

For the romantic who wants Jaipur without the crowds.

Not inside the Pink City, but better.

Nestled in the Aravalli foothills, surrounded by thousands of trees and overlooking a lake,  Brij Bageecha is what happens when Indian hospitality stops trying to be international and leans fully into what it already is. Eleven acres of pure, jasmine-and-marble luxury. Each private villa is 1,250 sq ft, with plunge pools and sit-outs that frame the water. Some come with a private jacuzzi. All convey a distinct sense that someone has carefully considered your experience.

Candlelit dinner in the orchard, the scent of marigolds, the sound of absolutely nothing. This is the India you tell people about when you come home.

The cultural programme here is genuinely immersive, featuring mud pottery, lac bangle making, block printing, puppet shows, camel rides, and archery, alongside beautifully arranged day trips to Amber Fort, the City Palace, and nearby heritage havelis. Dining ranges from complimentary high teas with live stations to traditional village-style dinners under the stars. The property is pet-friendly, which, in 2025, counts as an amenity.

Highlights: Private plunge pools, block printing, Aravaali views, fort day trips, pet-friendly.

Address: Brij Bageecha Bhanpur-Saiwar Road, Bhanpur Kalan, Kukas, Jaipur, Rajasthan 

Hotel Irada - Baramati, Near Pune

For those who romanticise Napa but haven't discovered this yet.

India's most glamorous wine country address, and it has a story to match.

Once Vijay Mallya's storied estate, Irada has been reborn across 66 acres of working winery, cradled by 4,000 acres of reserve forest. It is extraordinary in the specific way that only a property with history can be. You can feel the old life in the bones of the place, and the new life is very good indeed.

A tower-top nightcap above the treetops, red wine in hand, the forest stretching as far as the eye can carry. There is no better seat in the country.

Daily estate wine tours led by an Australian estate manager include tastings straight from the fermenting tanks. This is the sort of access that wine tourism elsewhere charges a premium to approximate. Lola, the Italian restaurant, operates with what the team calls "Amalfi brightness meets old Bombay mischief." 

The Irada Pool Club handles the more languorous afternoons. Nyāsa, the on-site wellness sanctuary, is rooted in yogic philosophy supporting breathwork, spa therapies, and daily rituals. Wildlife walks through the dry scrub bring sightings of Indian gazelle. Forest picnics, vineyard lunches, honey tastings, the itinerary here practically builds itself.

Highlights: Vineyard tours, wine and honey tastings, Nyāsa wellness, wildlife walks, forest picnics.

Address:  Hotel Irada G. No. 37, Roti Baramati, Tal Daund, Hinganigada, Pune, Maharashtra

The Ritz-Carlton Pune

For those who don't need to leave the city to feel transported.

Some staycations require a forest. This one just requires a very good hotel.

Perched at the edge of the Poona Club Golf Course with 198 rooms overlooking either the greens or the city skyline, The Ritz-Carlton Pune is an argument for urban luxury done without apology. You come here not to escape the city but to be elevated above it, in the very literal sense: the rooftop bar Aasmana on the 18th floor has views that make Pune's messy, energetic sprawl look like something you chose.
High tea at Ladurée, a round on the driving range, dinner at Ukiyo, a cocktail eighteen floors above everything. The city hasn't changed. You have.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa occupies an entire wellness floor with eight treatment rooms, a temperature-controlled outdoor pool, and a full fitness studio. Ukiyo delivers sophisticated Japanese cuisine. The Three Kitchens runs from morning to night. And yes, there is a Ladurée, Parisian pastries, high tea, and the whole production. The Club Lounge on Level 18 offers complimentary culinary presentations throughout the day for those who need a reason to never leave their floor.

Highlights: Golf course access, rooftop bar, Ladurée high tea, Ukiyo restaurant, full wellness floor.

Address: The Ritz-Carlton, Pune Golf Course Square, Airport Road, Jayprakash Nagar, Yerawada, Pune, Maharashtra 

Della Resorts & Adventure - Lonavala, Maharashtra

For the one who comes back with stories.

The resort that refuses to let you slow down, and somehow that's exactly what you needed.

Forty-three acres. Five restaurants. Three lounge bars. A nightclub. A spa. A pool open through the night. Seventy-plus adventure activities. Della is the resort equivalent of someone who says "we could do anything" and actually means it. It is enormous in every sense, and it is very much on purpose.

The adventure park is genuinely India's most serious: a 1,250-foot flying fox, a 100-foot Swoop Swing, bungee jumping, ATV tracks, zorbing in five configurations, paintball, archery, and motocross. The spa exists for after all of this, with Thai massage, aromatherapy, and rock climbing on the gentler end. Wednesday through Sunday, the entertainment division runs global-standard dinner shows. And for the truly fearless: D.A.T.A. Resort, India's first military-themed luxury glamping experience, reached via 40-minute jungle off-road and a trek through the hills.

Highlights: 70+ adventure activities, India's longest flying fox, dinner shows, military glamping, 24-hr dining.

Address: Della Resorts & Adventure, Della Enclave Road, Kunegaon, Lonavala, Maharashtra 

The Haven by Sula - Nashik, Maharashtra

For those who believe a weekend can be a small life upgrade.

India's wine country finally has the resort it deserves.

Beside the tranquil waters of Gangapur Lake, with the Sahyadri hills beyond and Sula Vineyards next door, The Haven is for people who understand that the best weekends don't require drama. Just excellent wine, unhurried meals, and a room with a view that makes you feel faintly sophisticated for having found it.

Every guest receives a complimentary estate tour and an exclusive tasting at Sula Vineyards, and York Winery next door offers gourmet food pairings for those who want to make a full afternoon of it. Café Dia, the on-site restaurant, builds its menu around the estate's award-winning labels. Days fill themselves easily: cycling the surrounding countryside, a spa treatment, or simply the radical act of sitting still with a good bottle. Fifty boutique rooms. Lake-view and garden-view categories. Perfect for couples, intimate celebrations, and small group escapes.

Highlights: Sula vineyard tours, wine-paired dining, Gangapur Lake views, CyclingSpa

Address: The Haven by Sula Gat No. 14/2, Gangapur–Savargaon Road, Gangavhare, Nashik, Maharashtra 

Jaisalmer Marriott Resort & Spa - Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

For those who want Rajasthan without roughing it.

The desert, but make it five-star.

Built in golden sandstone less than two kilometres from Jaisalmer Fort, the Marriott sits at the edge of the Thar like a mirage that delivers on its promise. The city is ancient, labyrinthine, and genuinely one of the most beautiful places in India. The hotel is a comfortable, well-fed base from which to fall in love with it.
Days here belong to the desert. The concierge arranges camel and jeep safaris out to the Sam Sand Dunes, where the hotel has curated its own signature experience: high tea on the dunes at sunset, which is precisely as cinematic as it sounds.

Back at the property, the Quan Spa handles everything else with personalised therapies, steam, sauna, and jacuzzi. Wyra, the rooftop restaurant, opens only for dinner, with grills, live cooking stations, and views of the illuminated fort that will make you put your phone down and look. Dunes Bar keeps the evening going with signature cocktails and a serious wine list. For the culturally inclined: the fort itself, Patwon-Ki-Haveli, Gadsisar Lake at sunset, and the winding lanes of one of the world's few living forts are all minutes away.

Highlights: Camel & jeep safaris, Wyra rooftop dining, Quan Spa, Fort & haveli day trips, High tea on the dunes

Address: Sam Road, Police Line, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 

Lead image: Hotel Iraada

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