IHCL Enters Branded Villa Segment With 32-Villa Taj Mount Kusur Project
Taj announces the launch of Taj Mount Kusur Resort and Villas in Lonavala, Maharashtra.
By SOH Edit Team
Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) has entered the luxury branded villa segment with Taj Mount Kusur Resort and Villas in Lonavala, Maharashtra, a 34-acre integrated development comprising 32 branded villas and a 100-key Taj resort.
Developed in partnership with Amavi, the project is positioned between Mumbai and Pune, targeting the growing demand for second homes that combine private ownership with professionally managed hospitality services.
The development will comprise a 100-key Taj resort and 32 branded villas, with the villas integrated into the resort inventory under a lease-back programme. Villa owners will have access to Taj hospitality services including concierge, housekeeping and maintenance, along with the resort’s wellness, leisure, dining and recreation facilities.
The development will also feature Club Amavi, banquet and dining venues, and a two-acre Wabi-Sabi Central Park with nature trails, a Miyawaki forest, zen gardens, stargazing decks, golf putting greens, fitness facilities and sports courts.
Taj broadens luxury portfolio
Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said the project represents a strategic extension of Taj into a new luxury category. “The launch of Taj Mount Kusur Resort & Villas marks our entry into the branded villa segment, broadening our portfolio to address evolving consumer preferences while bringing the trust, service excellence and legacy of the brand to a new category of luxury real estate.”
For IHCL, the project adds a real-estate-led format to Taj’s luxury portfolio while leveraging the brand’s hospitality platform and customer base.
Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL.
Lease-back model adds hospitality layer
The villa model is designed to combine second-home ownership with resort-style management. Rather than functioning as standalone homes, the 32 villas will form part of the wider Taj resort ecosystem.
Commenting on the project, Apurv Kumar, Managing Director, Clarks Group of Hotels and Founder, Amavi, said the proposition is aimed at addressing a key challenge associated with second-home ownership: ongoing management. “Second homes are bought to create more time with family, time in nature and time for oneself. Yet too often, they become another responsibility. At Amavi, our purpose is to change that.”
Sachin Agrawal and Bajrang Bararia, Founders, Amavi, said the project responds to rising consumer demand for the privacy of a second home combined with hospitality services. “Luxury consumers today are increasingly seeking experiences that combine the privacy of a second home with the services and assurance of a hospitality brand.”
Apurv Kumar, Managing Director, Clarks Group of Hotels and Founder, Amavi.
Lonavala targets Mumbai-Pune demand
Located between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavala is an established leisure and second-home market, supported by its proximity to two major urban centres.
Taj Mount Kusur is positioned to tap demand from leisure travellers, wellness-focused consumers and buyers seeking professionally managed second homes in a resort environment.
The project’s low-density format, integrated hospitality infrastructure and lease-back structure place it at the intersection of luxury hospitality and branded residential real estate — a segment that is gaining traction among premium consumers seeking both asset ownership and hotel-style services.
