Cuban cigars to AirTags: Luxe hotels curate Diwali hampers beyond the box

Locally sourced goodies, sustainable packaging becomes the draw this festival season

With Diwali approaching, luxury hotels are pulling out all the stops with gifting hampers curated for the festival season. From indulgent oils to gourmet offerings, these hotels have created the most luxurious hampers for the festival of lights.

 

Taj Hotels features several hampers filled with handcrafted goodies and delicacies as part of its gifting campaign, Tarang. These hampers start at Rs 3,100 and include organic honey, Indian sweets, and an idol of Lord Ganesha.

 

At the higher end of the range, hampers priced from Rs 25,100 come with a silver idol of Ganesha and assortments like hazelnut or cocoa truffles, along with beeswax candles. The most premium hampers, priced at Rs 1.11 lakh and Rs 2.51 lakh, include silver coins, silver-plated coaster sets, Kashmiri saffron, an Apple AirTag, indulgent marmalades, jars of honey, truffles, and more.

 

“Hampers from Tarang have done incredibly well this year, with several corporate houses also placing bookings with us,” said a member of the hotel’s corporate affairs department.

 

Rival Indian hotel chain Oberoi has curated a list of premium indulgences to kick off the festivities.

 

In Gurugram, starting at Rs 5,250, these hampers — packed in brilliant ruby red boxes —feature an assortment of mithais, decorative items, and a Ganesha idol. The more opulent packs, priced from Rs 1.1 lakh to Rs 1.9 lakh, include goodies like a toran (door festoon), a Royal Salute 21-year-old whisky or Glenmorangie Signet, cufflinks, brass Ganesha and Lakshmi idols, handwoven coasters, a Swarovski-crusted stole, Cuban cigars, and Indian-made organic incense sticks and cones. These hampers also offer experiences such as a Sunday brunch or a one-night stay at the property.

 

In Mumbai, the most premium hamper, priced at Rs 85,000, contains Indian-origin Araku coffee, dokra (lost-wax metalcraft) artefacts, gourmet honey and oils, and a four-course dinner at the property in the city.

 

This initiative collaborates with NGOs like the Boond Foundation Trust to promote mindful celebrations.

 

Under Khushiyan by Hilton, the international hotel chain offers hampers ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000, which include items like floral honey, Channapatna toys, cookies, diyas (lamps), and incense sticks from Phool — a startup that uses discarded flowers from temples to create these products.

 

“This year, people are looking for more locally sourced goodies in their hampers. There is also a strong focus on health, which is why we have included Indian artisanal healthy products like seed and muesli mixes. We have also seen a lot of interest in sustainable packaging; many of our hampers come in rattan and handwoven baskets,” said a spokesperson for Hilton.

 

This year, the hotel has seen a 30 per cent increase in the gifting business, with several large orders from corporate houses, including one for 400 rattan weave boxes from an automobile company, the spokesperson added.

 

The Indian hospitality giant ITC Hotels has also curated a host of exquisite hampers.

 

“Ideal for gifting or indulging, these artisanal treats are carefully selected and thoughtfully prepared in our award-winning kitchens, and are available in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi,” said the hotel chain.

 

From signature brownies to nutmeg nankhatai (shortbread cookies), the boxes start as low as Rs 899 and go up to Rs 20,000. These hampers include mithai boxes, a puja set, cobalt blue glass tea light sets, and scented candles, among others.