Ananda in the Himalayas Unveils New Suites Before Its 25th Year
The Ayurvedic retreat on a Maharaja's estate above Rishikesh added new suites in October 2024, completing a renewal begun with a three-year renovation.
Ananda in the Himalayas, the destination spa in the hills above Rishikesh that introduced much of the world to Ayurveda as a form of travel, unveiled a new set of suites in October 2024, as it prepared to mark its 25th anniversary the following year. The work completed a programme of renewal that had begun with a three-year renovation of the whole property, finished in June 2022.
Ananda opened in 2000 on a hundred-acre estate that belonged to the Maharajas of Tehri Garhwal, in the Himalayan foothills of Uttarakhand. Guests arrive at the palace, where the reception and some of the public rooms are found, and stay in a separate building and a small number of villas set among sal forest, looking down on the valley of the Ganges and the town of Rishikesh, long a centre for the study of yoga.
The six-month project of 2024, led by the Delhi designer Deepa Sama, created a new category of Deluxe Suites with private balconies over the valley or the palace gardens, and a Garden Suite with its own enclosed garden and deck. The Ananda Suite and the Viceregal Suite, in the precincts of the palace, were refurbished. The retreat now has 64 rooms, eight suites and three villas. A show kitchen was added, for the cooking demonstrations that are part of every stay.
What has not changed is the method. A stay begins with a consultation with an Ayurvedic physician, who determines the guest’s constitution and prescribes a programme of treatments, diet, yoga and meditation. The retreat combines Ayurveda with yoga and with Vedanta, the philosophical tradition taught by visiting scholars in daily talks. The programmes have been extended in recent years to address sleep, hormonal balance, fertility and chronic stress.
Ananda remains family-owned, and it is one of two serious destinations for wellness in this part of the Himalayas. The other, Six Senses Vana, lies about an hour and a half to the west, near Dehradun. Both are described in OKYTO’s guide to serious wellness in Asia.