7 Luxury Experiences in India Worth Every Penny You’ve Saved Over the Years!
Wow. That’s the only word that should be on your mind when you read our list of luxury experiences you must have at least once!
1. Glamping at Aman-i-Khas, Ranthambore
Glamping – or glamourous camping is a concept that takes luxury to the outdoors. And it doesn’t get better than at Aman-i-Khas, Ranthambore, where the tents, minimalist as they are, offer every extravagance you can think of. You stay in one of the ten luxury tents and explore the forest and forts around, coming back to spectacular views of the Aravalli Hills.
The experience here begins even before you arrive at the resort – a batman, aka butler, picks you up and takes care of all the travel logistics till you reach Aman-i-Khas. Here, spacious tents await you, with heated floors, partitioned bedrooms, closets, bathrooms and reading areas. Come back from safaris to a warm bath prepared by your butler, and then spend some time listening to local musicians at the communal fire pit. Food is top-notch, and wifi is strong throughout the resort. If the safaris tire you, experience insanely good spa therapies at the resort’s two treatment rooms, and then go down the stepwell-style pool or try some outdoor yoga. And all this comes for just Rs. 90,000 a night at the Aman-i-Khas, Ranthambore. Worth every penny you pinched at your wedding, we think!
2. Luxury Stay at the Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling
For a Rs. 30,000 nightly rate you can have a luxurious experience living it up tea-planter style – chauffeur-driven car rides, tea-tasting sessions, personalised tours of the tea estate along with nature walks in private forests, followed by idyllic picnics by the banks of gushing mountain streams. Stay in one of the bungalow suites overlooking the lush Himalayan terrain or spend a night at the Camp Glenburn Log Cabin for a hint of romance. There are also relaxing Reflexology and Green Tea oil massage sessions thrown in. What’s not to love?!
Glenburn has old-world charm tucked into its corners – with hand-embroidered bed linen, quaint tea cosies, old fashioned bath tubs, Venetian mirrors and floral printed tea sets – stepping into the resort is like stepping back into a more luxurious time. The estate also grows its own herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables and makes customised European. South-east Asian, and Indian menus, often naming stand-out dishes after the guests who inspired them. Sit out at the long verandahs in the charmingly named bungalows or check into the Simbong Butterfly Room where pinned butterflies liven up even the dullest of days.
3. Propose Aboard the Avior
How about if you could propose to that special someone in a setting so special that the answer can be nothing but a yes? Or if you have already proposed in a less spectacular setting, how about a party for your friends – an evening to remember? Add that special pizzaz to your evening with a party or even a quiet evening with your beloved aboard the Avoir – a dream boat from the house of Oyster Sailing. The yacht, with a capacity of 75, offers an open dance floor, a bar and Jacuzzi on the top level, a lounge just right for the mood at the middle level and a romantic bedroom set up at the lower level.
Transfers to and from the yacht are done by speedboats, and the yacht remains in anchorage out in the sea. But don’t let that bother you because you are the only ones out there and far, far away is the Mumbai skyline with its Gateway of India silhouetted against the city lights. You can carry some food on the yacht, but they arrange for catering if you have anything specific in mind. And in order to bring liquor on board, you need to have a permit. These tiny issues aside, pay Rs. 1,50,000 for four hours, and the yacht is all yours. Go ahead, buy that ring now.
4. Relax at the Spa La Vie by L’Occitane, Hyderabad
Experience luxury all over at the Spa La Vie by L’Occitane at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, where a couple’s spa therapies would cost upwards of Rs. 74,000. The therapies spread over two days, and include exfoliating body scrubs, detox and skin tightening body wraps, anti-ageing facial massages, reflexology among others, all done with L’Occitane products. Acupressure techniques from the Ayurvedic, Balinese, Chinese and Swedish traditions are used in the massages, and the cherry on the cake is a candle-lit, rose-petal infused Lavender bath in your own free-standing bathtub that leaves you feeling completely happy – no holds barred.
Your visit here begins with herb-infused tea, and you are given a questionnaire to fill out about your preferences, skin type etc. Following this, your preferred massage begins. The Shea Body Wrap is especially popular for its wonderful effects on repairing dryness and sun damage, while the Aromachologie Massages are also extremely popular for those looking at full body relaxation. Oh, and did we mention that the spa also does couples massages and spa soirees for your sisterhood? No? Now you know – and you have to be there to truly experience bliss, believe us.
5. Spend a Night at the Leela Palace, New Delhi
Imagine sleeping on a bed fit for kings, where real kings like Spain’s Juan Carlos I have spent a night, and looking up at gold-leaf ceilings, or intricate woodwork. Look around you at bespoke silver objets d’art scattered around the two living rooms, or the dining room for 12 or even the study with leather-bound editions. The en-suite bathroom has Bvlgari toiletries, and a Jacuzzi, and Bullet-proof glass and a private elevator ensure your security at all times. Additionally, you have a 24-hour butler and a Rolls Royce Phantom at your service.
Spread over 4800 sq ft, the Presidential Suite is known as “a palace within a palace.” It really does treat you like royalty – its bar has the rarest of cognacs – the Remy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl exclusively for you. Oh, and for all this, expect to pay in the region of Rs. 5.5 lakhs a night plus taxes. Luxe redefined? Hell, yeah!
6. Dine at the Chef’s Studio, Mumbai
You’ve now slept on the bed where royalty has, and it’s time to now consider dinner at a table graced in the past by the Obamas, Prince Charles and the Pope. Your meal will be exclusively crafted for you – only, a meal for two at the Chef’s Studio in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai will cost you Rs 1.5 lakh! The meal begins with a red carpet walk into a candlelit room, the menu is customized exactly as you want it, while you can also have a chat with the chef himself, and let him make you feel more special. This is an unforgettable and exquisite dining experience with Rosenthal dinnerware, designed by Versace, Ercuis cutlery and Riedel wine goblets that you’re not likely to forget in one lifetime.
7. Step Out in Style in Jade Shoes
Fabric cut in italy, sent to India for embellishments with beads and sequins from Japan and resent to Italy for stitching with German threads – now that’s a shoe that would make Cinderella’s slippers pale. Speak directly to Monica and Karishma at Jade about which style of shoe would fit you best, and get guidance about the pattern, heel size and material, embellishments and size – even in-between sizes. Feel guilty? Don’t because the materials used are eco-friendly and sustainable, and even the glue is water-soluble, and at Rs. 1.2 lakh onwards for a pair, this is a guilt-free experience like no other. Only, it’ll take up to two months for the finished product to be delivered, but for something as bespoke as this, we aren’t complaining!
Luxurious experiences are just that much special when you know you have saved up for them – backpacked on a tight budget, pinched the pennies at your wedding, been putting off a dinner at that Michelin-starred restaurant, skipped the world cruise – and then they are the best memories you’ll make for a couple of years. What has been your most luxurious experience so far? Tell us, and then plan you luxury holidays on our online itinerary maker for a truly gorgeous vacation.
You May Be Interested IN