Business Traveller (Asia-Pacific)
Wanderlust of the imperials
Akanksha Maker hand-picks luxury experiences in India curated for the ultra-discerning traveller
Years of travelling for business bring with them the realisation that experiences do in fact make you richer. For those fortunate enough to have the time and means for upmarket leisure escapes with the family, it doesn’t take long to understand that true luxury is always about privacy. In a world of constant communication and pressure, the price of lack of interruption and decadence is high.
Yet the number of travellers willing to spend their hard-earned cash on lavish jaunts is on the rise, with disposable income being spent on exclusive experiences rather than material goods. India’s luxury market is expanding faster than any other BRIC nation, with an annual growth rate of 13 per cent. Luxury travel companies are now creating refined trips that appeal to both Indian travellers and international visitors keen on experiencing India’s grandeur, colourful culture and warm hospitality. Here’s a hand-picked list of once-in-alifetime trips on the subcontinent.
RAREFIED LUXURY
Taj Air – Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces promises to make its guests feel like royalty in the sky with Taj Air. Whether you want to fly to Udaipur for an anniversary dinner with your partner or send your favourite clients to Bilbao as a gesture of goodwill, the hospitality group’s private jet service is a genie in the bottle for all your aviation dreams. Within India, Taj Air can fly with as little as four hours’ notice to 130 destinations (commercial airlines cover only 71). Worldwide, the service has already flown to nearly 150 airports across 56 countries.
Expect the legendary Taj hospitality on board, with staff remembering your favourite cuisine and ensuring complete privacy. Taj has a dedicated maintenance facility in Mumbai and has distinguished itself as the only Indian charter operator to be continuously certified by international aviation agencies since 2008. Taj Air’s fleet includes the Falcon 2000 jet and Falcon 2000LX jet, with passenger capacity of eight and nine respectively. Taj Air not only offers fixed itineraries but also creates trips according to your schedule and requirements.
A same-day return trip between Mumbai and Agra on the Falcon 2000 jet costs around Rs1,250,000 (US$18,384). tajaironline.com
Remote Lands – Remote Lands, a US-based bespoke tour operator, offers travel services for highly discerning travellers interested in ultra-luxurious experiences. It organises curated journeys in India that entail exotic destinations such as Varanasi, Jaipur, Ranthambore and Goa. What makes its trips so exclusive are the private jet transfers that take guests from one city to another. Remote Lands picks only the most opulent hotels for your sojourn in India; among its choices are the Taj Falaknuma Palace (Hyderabad), The Imperial (New Delhi), The Oberoi Amarvillas (Agra) and Taj Rambagh Palace (Jaipur). From a safari in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger in a national
park, to exploring the spectacular mountain regions of the Himalayas, Remote Lands creates personalised itineraries to suit wildly different interests. It also creates menus to match your dietary preferences, helps you maintain exercise regimens, and arranges for private security. Expect a highly curated, bespoke travel experience.
The “Exclusive North India: Mumbai to Varanasi by Private Jet” tour in October starts from US$2,255 per person, per day. remotelands.com
IMPERIAL LIVING
Sher Bagh – One of the first Indian members of luxury hotel group Relais & Châteaux, Sher Bagh is part of Suján Luxury Camps and Palaces, which owns four other luxury boutique hotels in the country. Family-owned Suján has an interesting history, with a lineage leading back to Sardar Bahadur Sujan Singh of Hadali, whose ancestors served in the Sikh army in the 18th century. Each hotel exudes an old-world charm that brings to life India’s colonial era.
Located in Sherpur in Sawai Madhopur (Rajasthan), Sher Bagh takes inspiration from the hunting camps that were once popular among the princely houses. Though perhaps not conventional luxury, the camp provides ultimate privacy in the middle of a wilderness that cuts you off from the modern world. Ancient trees surround the luxury tents, which are furnished in original teak and rosewood and boast Bespoke Halcyon Days accessories. For added indulgence, pick between the Burra Sahib suite that comes with its own private heated swimming pool and a glorious view of the grasslands, or the Pukka Sahib suite, which has its own walled-in garden, spa bath and a netted veranda. Sher Bagh also offers a range of experiences that include cooking in the jungle, photography safaris, wilderness walks and the Suján Spa.
A stay in the Burra Sahib suite from October 1 to May 31 costs Rs89,500 (US$1,316) per day. sujanluxury.com
Taj Falaknuma Palace – Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has made a habit of setting high standards in Indian hospitality. Taj Falaknuma Palace is no exception – it is, in fact, one of its best examples.
The Palace is set 600 metres above Hyderabad, overlooking its splendour. Once the imperial guest residence of the Mehboob Ali Pasha Nizam VI of Hyderabad (for a time considered the world’s richest man), Taj completed its restoration in 2010 after acquiring it in 2000. The grand castle boasts French tapestries, Venetian chandeliers, rare manuscripts, artefacts and a carved
walnut roof that’s a replica of the one at Windsor Castle.
Spread across 13 hectares of lush grounds, the Taj Falaknuma Palace houses 60 rooms and suites that were refurbished by Her Highness Princess Esra, the Nizam’s Turkish wife. Those interested in history will enjoy the Palace’s heritage walk – stroll through the magnificent property and delve into the tales of the Nizams.
A stay at Taj Falaknuma Palace begins with a royal welcome with jasmine flowers as you ride into the property on a horse-drawn carriage. A royal indulgence can be savoured with a meal at Adaa, whose culinary delights are inspired by the era of the Nizams. To really feel like royalty, stay in the Nizam suite; once the bedroom of the Nizam, this duplex suite has its own private swimming pool and is famed for being the largest presidential suite in the country at 180 sqm. Once you tire of admiring the panoramic city views from your window, take a break by soaking in the bathroom’s spa bath – built with marble from Carrara in Italy.
A stay in the Nizam suite starts from Rs700,000/US$10,295 (plus taxes) per day. tajhotels.com
ROYAL WHEELS
Maharajas’ Express – India’s railways will always have a special place in the hearts of many. The British era saw trade blossom with the advent of railway transport, which catalysed commerce and travel. Even today, railways are the most common form of transport for middle- and upper-middle-class India. In 2010, the governmentowned Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) introduced the Maharajas’ Express, which added a luxurious dimension to train travel in the country. With five curated journeys that offer explorations spanning the length and breadth of India, a trip on the Maharajas’ Express is a kingly experience. Nights are spent on board in luxury accommodation such as the Presidential Suite car, which has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and full luxury amenities.
Once you disembark at a destination, as well as visiting heritage sites, the Maharajas’ Express experience includes retreats full of indulgence. Fancy an elephant polo match at the City Palace? A game of golf at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur? Or perhaps a champagne breakfast at Taj Khema overlooking Agra’s Taj Mahal, or a spa treatment at The Grand Lalit in Khajuraho. Whatever you choose, an exotic tryst with antiquated India awaits you on board this luxury train.
The seven-night/eight-day Indian Panorama journey is priced at US$23,700 per person in a Presidential Suite car. maharajas-express-india.com