Stays With Soul

Planning for a family vacation can be an onerous task. There are a hundred and one individual preferences and quirks to be taken care of, and after running through hundreds of destination, flight, and stay options, you realise that no travel plan fits all.

But, perhaps we are trying too hard to “plan” our vacations. We’re so used to our creature comforts and our need to be meaningfully occupied that we forget holidays are meant to loosen up, let go and allow ourselves to just be. Why does travel need to be planned to the last detail? Why does everything have to be perfect? What is the point of escaping from our mundane lives if we want everything to be as it always is, albeit in fancier digs and a more exotic location?

In this issue, we’ve found some unique boutique resorts in stunning locations where you can wallow in the high-end luxuries they offer, explore the hikes, nature walks and other experiences, or simply soak in the vibe and do nothing else. These luxe escapes, like Bari Kothi in West Bengal and Sawantwadi Palace Boutique Art Hotel, are rich in history and make for wonderful destinations. Antaraa Chatterjee took off to one such getaway—Tipai Wildlife Luxuries—in Maharashtra’s Tipeshwar forest, and came back with tales of pregnant tigers, waking up to forest sounds and an unforgettable meal at chef Amninder Sandhu’s indigenous cuisine restaurant, Palaash, at the property.

Half the fun of staying in a homestay is getting to know the people who own it. In this issue, we reached out to families and individuals who shared their stories of why they opened up their homes, from the Indo-Dutch couple running a farm stay in Chennai to the four sisters who are the force behind a grand old family home in Ooty, to the conservationists and ecologists who offer hospitality with a side of sustainability.

We’ve always been committed to responsible tourism at Outlook Traveller. From this issue we have introduced a “Green Living” section to talk about conscious travel, responsible choices and how we can lighten our carbon footprint.

Happy reading!