Luxury hill resorts limit number of guests, turn up wellness amid Covid-19

Luxury resorts and wellness retreats are capping off a gloomy year for hospitality with optimism, thanks to a growing interest among people who are desperate to take a break and reinvigorate themselves more urgently than ever. And what better than a getaway in the secure bubble of properties nestled in the hills?

Araiya Palampur, a year-old resort in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, spent a month training its staff in new protocols of sanitisation and contact-less services after being shuttered from March-end to June. As the state borders opened, it started receiving guests from August. In the last couple of months, its rooms have been fully booked over weekends and it has had 70 per cent occupancy overall.

The resort in the heart of Kangra Valley has 25 rooms and suites. However, it has decided to take less bookings keeping safety concerns of guests in mind.

“Guests are preferring premier rooms, so they are not looking for deals anymore. They want more of private spaces, bedrooms and larger common areas,” says Amruda Nair, director, Araiya Hotels and Resorts. For the New Year, too, there will be 50 guests although the resort can house 100.

Nair mentions that a recent report by Deloitte showed 40 per cent guests wished to stay at a property offering pre-arrival communication on enhanced safety measures and personal preferences. Araiya sends its guests a personal preference menu prior to arrival “so we can be thoroughly prepared ahead of their check-in”.

People are also keen to experience the outdoors, particularly activities such as trekking and paragliding around the resort that is situated at a height of 5,000 ft. “We are seeing an interest in exploring the tea gardens in Kangra and tours for outdoor pottery lessons at the Andretta Art Village,” says Nair.

The coronavirus pandemic has served a reminder on the importance of immunity in staving off infections. Not surprisingly, luxury retreats are finding people appreciating and seeking out wellness and health services further.

Vana introduced a three-day wellness programme — based on Ayurveda, yoga and Sowa Rigpa — earlier this month as a “quick recharge” heading into 2021.

The six-year-old retreat in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, reopened on October 5. But while the last month drew in better numbers than expected, the gap resulting from the absence of overseas guests — who make up 60 per cent of Vana’s clientele — is far from getting bridged by a growing domestic market this year, says Jaspreet Singh, executive director.

“The increase in domestic guests has been a bright spot,” he says, adding that Vana has avoided outside activities including Ganga aarti in the holy town of Rishikesh, and has focused more on services within, such as sessions on yoga, meditation, horticulture, cuisine and beverage.

Besides complying with Covid-19 guidelines, the retreat has created a bubble for staff, and asks guests to arrive with negative RTPCR test results.

Ananda in the Himalayas, a 100-acre palace estate overlooking Rishikesh, similarly requires guests to clear RTPCR tests before arrival. Into its 20th year now, the premium spa destination utilised the shutdown to step up virtual wellness services.

“From mid-April till now, people have been logging in every day for yoga sessions that have had good traction particularly among past clients,” says Mahesh Natarajan, senior vice-president, marketing and business development. He adds that online became an effective channel that will continue to be a big part of Ananda’s strategy beyond the pandemic.

Even though it's a 78-room property, Ananda has kept only 25 open since guests began returning in August. “We wanted to provide distanced, spaced-out and staggered services. It's possible some decided to go somewhere else as a result. But the element of surety was really appreciated by those who came to Ananda. We know we are 150 per cent safe,” says Natarajan.

The staffers work in alternating batches for three weeks each, during which no one steps out of the retreat, and the entire place, including spa rooms, is sanitised multiple times daily. Despite creating a safe cocoon, the public pool remains the only restricted area, while among its range of accommodation demand for private villas has shot up.

A majority of visitors to Vana and Ananda are driving in from states such as Delhi and Punjab, with a few others flying in from across India.

Ananda also introduced two new programmes — Ayurvedic rejuvenation and immunity booster — in August, while for the new year it has started a three-day spa ritual.

“The journey doesn't stop here, as post-stay guidelines on diets, supplements, yoga techniques etc. are also advised. There was an immunity need gap. So, the programmes have been popular,” says Natarajan.