Shilpi Madan
12-Dec-2025
Warmth and wellness set the natural narrative at the mint-new, and totally Instagrammable, ATHIVA Resort & Spa, Khandala, near Mumbai.
I could listen to my heartbeat in the complete quiet.
As the blazing orange butterfly flitted from one flower to another in dizzy exuberance. The tufts of white, floating clouds wandered cheerily in the clear, powder-blue skies. The hills grinned in green, running through thickly forested slopes. The dappled sunshine poured in now and then, a tad breezily through the clouds. I slowly opened one eye, then another, leaf-peeping and feasting on the rani pink of the bougainvillaea against the blues and the greens. This felt like a world away, a delicious reverie. From my swinging chair on my expansive garden-tipped balcony. At ATHIVA Resort & Spa, Khandala, in the Western Ghats near Mumbai.
Rooted in the Sanskrit word for “abundance”, the property (erstwhile Dukes Retreat) is shaped on the core values of joy, wellness and sustainability that set the energy in every corner of the space, unfurling across eight acres on the shoulder of a cliff. Bookended by the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats.
The property makes way for the unique concept of Dollops of Joy, marked by the gentle sound of a bell. Unexpected cheerful moments, created with care, filled with love. Alighting from the car as it swept its way up the hill, I was welcomed by chocolate pops and a tinkling flute of champagne. The ripples of blue in the swimming pool shielded by nodding greens led me into a central open courtyard with old trees, gola carts, a candy floss booth and an open-kitchen helmed the all-day café overlooking the valley.
Back to my room - the generous space I gleefully scurried to for revelling in the prized tranquillity, away from the manic humdrum of Mumbai. That’s where the reverie happened each time I sank into the swinging wicker chair on the balcony; sipped tea staring blankly at the expanse of the hills through my full-length glass windows that opened into the green (that I padded onto barefoot thereafter); and when the moon peeped later, curiously, into my room at night after the dipping sun streaked the skies with a splash of fiery pink, orange and purple.
The colours of the sunset poured themselves into my herbal tea at the Spa by Athiva. Tucked away in the main section of the hotel, below the concierge, this wellness grove came strapped with expert therapists. My signature treatment arrived as a skilful 90-minute blend of Swedish and deep tissue massage, bringing in expert knuckle pressure and deep strokes to melt away the knots in my shoulders and calves. This was a muscle relaxant of an unbelievable kind, ushered in with the goodness of cardamom, ginger and green tea-infused warm almond oil that slowly worked its way into every cell of my bone marrow. I basked in the deep relaxation mode set in by the rose petal-Himalayan salt scrub-milk wash-powered foot massage, the full body treatment and the wrap-up in the steam room for ten minutes.
Ravenous, I made my way for high tea on the gigantic terrace near the Tree of Life, that brought in a splash out of everything delectable – from chaat to pakoras and hot chai poured from kitschy kettles to bruschetta and corn-on-the-cob and grazing tables heaving with every possible shape in tarts, pastries, muffins, cakes and savouries. It felt like the magic land atop Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree, with misty clouds floating lower and lower, glimmering lights in the distance and the cool wind whipping up its tempo.
The leader makes all the difference. General Manager Sherry Padda exudes the charm and the warmth of the team she powers with elan and the evening that marked the launch was filled with her radiance; live music, unplugged strains, and gourmet gospels across global cuisines. Full marks to the battalion of ace chefs for bringing in the delectable best in Awadhi cuisine, Korean and Japanese picks, grazing boards and more.
The following morning, birdsong, butterflies, and conversations filled the air in the central courtyard. Next to the yoga studio, the caricaturist stroked forth my likeness on paper and I worked at the wheel, learning the importance of breathing right and tempering effort with patience to create my own little clay vase, inscribed with my name after moulding and remoulding the clay for an hour. It was beautifully therapeutic. No rush. The personalised attention, the warmth of the entire team in sensing when I wanted a hazelnut cappuccino to shifting my chair away from the sun at the breakfast table later, with the live strains of the santoor… won my little heart easily. This is intuitive hospitality at its very best. Unobtrusive, yet timely. Each time.
The effort shone in every detail. Like the mini bar wasn’t mini, with its variety of fresh, local Maharashtrian munchies. Like ‘breakfast anytime’ is an anthem. Like popping a tiny note, a surprise gift wrapped up on my bed each time I returned to my room was a pop of unexpected joy. Like seeing me off with a beautiful hand-painted stole, potted plants, and snacks for the journey back to the city was a heartwarming gesture.
Little treasures are wonderful pleasures. ATHIVA Resort & Spa, Khandala, by Chalet Hotels Limited (CHL), makes you discover treasures many times during your stay. With a relaxed pace and an immersive experience in nature – as the outdoors spills indoors – the property brings in compelling reasons to visit it in every season.
Here's a refreshing, winsome, beautiful dimension to the mountain town, with unbeatable finesse. Experienced it yet?
