Athiva Resort & Spa Is A Hillside Sanctuary Of Abundance
Chalet’s first brand, Athiva, has raised the bar on the already popular Duke’s Retreat nestled in captivating Khandala, blending in modern hospitality with its legacy.
By Suman Tarafdar
For many millennial Bollywood watchers, the song Aati Kya Khandala from the film Ghulam was almost an anthem, putting the quaint largely British era ‘hill station’ on the map as never before. Along with its adjacent, and noticeably larger cousin Lonavala, Khandala has long been a favourite getaway for Bombay’s rich and famous, most notably its showbiz celebrities.
Many stars had – and continue to have – second homes here. And where there are celebs, there are hotels and their hangouts. Easily, the favourite one was Duke’s Retreat, an almost six decades old hotel, which even with changing ownership, continued to be a magnet for the swish set. Duke’s was frequented by stars, with Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra even staying in the hotel when they got married at an adjacent venue.
Located approximately midway between Mumbai and Pune, the resort remains a quick getaway. It changed hands once again when Chalet Hotels Limited, a part of K Raheja Corp, acquired it in 2023 and rebranded it to Athiva Resort & Spa Khandala. Post acquisition, it has undergone major renovation, almost doubling the room inventory to 147 rooms. Not just were the existing rooms refurbished, but also entire new blocks of rooms were added. An extensive yearlong study was done in terms of the building structure, the plantation and the flora, the fauna, the surrounding area, post which the work started.
With requirements for MICE becoming increasingly important, one of the new blocks of 44 rooms is ideally suited for banqueting, with its own entrance and helpfully, slightly removed from the rest of the resort.
Panoramic view of the ghats, verdant in their still unspoilt tree canopies, provide spectacular relief at the resort.
Just by entering the vast 7.5 acre property is a wellness detox.
Luxury redefined
Panoramic view of the ghats, verdant in their still unspoilt tree canopies, an odd waterfall or so providing spectacular relief. That is the first view that guests to Athiva can feast their eyes on! It’s an almost automatic wellness detox just by entering the vast 7.5 acre property.
The name Athiva, meaning abundance in Sanskrit, also seems to indicate the upscaling of the property. “It's a premium lifestyle hotel,” says Sherry Padda, who has been at the property since the preopening. “We are not using any other words like luxury and all because for us, you know, the luxury here was important. When we talk about luxury hotels in India, we certainly go to our chandeliers and the plush carpets and silk and all that stuff. Chalet believes a lot in sustainability. So for us it was important to build something which embraces nature. We suddenly have a tree coming up from somewhere. We have a plantation which we did not touch. We have a lot of exotic trees on the property, and we do a nature trail for our guests. We got taught by the biologists who were stationed here during the refurbishment and are now helping guests understand the flora. We are very careful and we have protected them while we do nothing from our end.”
While nature is the absolute and ever present star of the hotel, human efforts have transformed it into a modern resort that would bring succour to any traveller. The rooms have been refurbished in neutral tones and stocked with all modern amenities. The façade, with cream and design relies on multiple local touches, such as the use of terracotta, wood print blocks, even tree trunks beautifully placed to enhance the feeling of ever present nature even with the interiors.
Chalet believes a lot in sustainability. So for us it was important to build something which embraces nature.
Sherry Pada
Athiva Resort
Unwinding in Chalet style
As a perfect resort defines itself by its vibe – and if guest feedback is anything to go by – ‘chill’ is the winner here. There are numerous hangout places, from the pool to a vast garden – which also doubles as an outdoor banqueting space, a four room spa that takes the feeling of rejuvenation further, game rooms for kids and the young at heart, a gym, trails that can be undertaken by guests. A potter is always at hand, helping make customised instant pottery for you. Well, you must give it time to dry before you can claim it! If you want an absolutely unique keepsake from the resort, there is a caricaturist at hand to create your likeness.
Incidentally, all these activities are for free! There is an imposing fig tree on the lobby level, and each evening starts with a little lighting ceremony there. Keep a lookout for the ringing of bells, for that’s when the vendors give out more freebies such as ‘gola’ and candy etc. Just more dollops of nostalgia and charm combined to result in sheer magic. And perfect memories.
The resort has enhanced dining options too. A-Diner is an all-day dining restaurant, which measures up to the best the neighbouring metropolises offer. For a panoramic outdoor view, well, there’s Panorama. An Italian open kitchen style café, its aromas of freshly baked pizzas, pastas, raviolis and more combine with the valley views to make for ethereal experiences. Yes, do expect aforementioned celebs to make clandestine appearances, though quick note, they are not quite fond of being ‘papped’! Just adjacent is The Duke’s Bar, one of the prettiest bars anywhere on the planet! If your heart desires an outdoor dinner under the stars – and yes, their twinkles are more luminous in this almost pollution free space, The Sky Deck, is the place for you. The velvety darkness of the valleys around combined with inky darkness of the starlit skies above – interspersed only by the candle on your table, is a magical experience indeed.
Incidentally, the original name has not been forgotten. There is still the Duke’s bar. You could also choose the Duke’s Suite to stay in. For those nostalgic, the spirit of Duke’s still hangs around the place. However, what pervades is the feeling of joy. As the logo for the resort goes, ‘Joy is on the house’. With that as a foundational philosophy, it is a guarantee that joy, along with its siblings happiness, contentment, enjoyment and relaxation, combine together to offer a perfect, remarkably stunningly beautiful idyll.
The resort has enhanced dining options which measure up to the best the neighbouring metropolises offer.
The dining options serve mixed cuisine to cater to different palates.
