At the Rait Spa, part of Suryagarh Palace Hotel in Jaisalmer, the ambience, treatments and products are designed keeping in mind the raw natural beauty of the Thar Desert

Suresh Chhabra, a Delhi-based businessman, visited Ananda three years ago and can’t stop raving about it. “It is like visiting a holy place. The welcome with rose petals and a rudraksha mala sets the mood for a soulful stay. They provide white kurta-pyjamas to all their guests. Shedding city clothes seems symbolic of leaving the humdrum of city life behind,” he adds.

Spas are also bringing local flavour and setting into the therapies. At the Rait Spa, the ambience, treatments and products are designed keeping in mind the raw natural beauty of the Thar Desert, says hotel manager Nakul Hada. Products to make the unguents for body massages are locally sourced; Fuller’s Earth is freshly brought in from Bikaner where it is abundantly found; spices such as cumin and turmeric are sourced from the farms and hand-ground afresh for body wraps and facial packs. The cost of services at Rait Spa can range from `7,500 to `12,000 for a minimum two-hour session.

Apart from Indian healing practices, these spas also provide international therapies to appease the well-travelled Indian. The Warren Tricomi Salon and Spa at the Novotel Resort and Spa in Goa, spread over 20,000 sq. ft, offers the hammam treatment. “The idea is to provide a treatment that is not easily available and create an exclusive experience. In line with the tropical feel of Goa, all the furnishings, walls, ceilings, hammam beds are imported from Bali,” says Darpan Sanghvi, MD, Sanghvi Brands that operates the spa. The space has been designed to give a