One of India’s best and only true destination spas, Ananda is a glorious hotel, clinging to a ridge in the Himalayan foothills. It resides in the former Palace Estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal with the exquisite Viceregal Suite and various other beautiful public areas situated within the Palace itself. The rest of this magical hotel spa spreads out around the beautiful grounds and gardens. Ananda has been voted ‘World No. 1 Spa’ and ‘Best Overseas Spa Retreat’ by readers of Conde Nast Traveller and other publications, numerous times, and rightly so. The resort boasts unbeatable spa facilities, peaceful solitude and a chance to get back to nature, whilst surrounded by luxury. There is a great deal to do if not enjoying the spa and, unlike some spas, it is not run like a ‘boot camp’! The restaurant offers superb cuisine and dedicated spa menus which can be personalised according to the spa doctor’s recommendations. It has staggering views over the valley, and the nearby heated swimming pool is the perfect place to relax, in a climate that is ideal almost year round. The 74 bedrooms and suites in the main building are beautifully decorated in soft colours and each has a balcony or garden overlooking either the valley or the hotel grounds. The bathrooms are state of the art and one is unlikely to find a better valley view from a bathtub anywhere else in the world! The 2 and 1 bedroom villas are scattered around the grounds and are wonderfully spacious and private, with their own pools, living room and butler.

The exceptional spa is a haven of tranquillity, with 24 excellent treatment rooms, a gym, hydrotherapy facilities, and a team of highly qualified, multigenerational physicians of Eastern Medicine, healers and wellbeing practitioners who bring with them decades of specialised experience and knowledge to customise health oriented wellness programmes that has paved the way for path breaking curative results. The open air treatment ‘room’ allows you to lie and be massaged whilst gazing straight out across the Himalayan foothills and the valley below! Being a fully dedicated ‘Spa’ rather than simply a ‘hotel with a spa’, Ananda integrates traditional Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta with international wellness experiences, Physiotherapy, Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture, fitness, emotional healing and healthy organic cuisine. There is also daily, expert instruction in both physical and ‘spiritual fitness’ - yoga, breathing, meditation and the ancient art of Reiki – all of which are very much associated with this particularly spiritual region of the Himalayan foothills. The yoga pavilion is a magical place to spend time in quiet contemplation, guided by some of the country’s finest teachers.

Aside from the unparalleled spa treatments that Ananda offers, it is also a place to come and relish the glorious mountain air and setting. The walking opportunities here are fabulous – following winding mountain tracks up into the surrounding hills, passing villages, schools, temples and all the time with sublime mountain views, hearing the happy sound of laughing children and bumping into locals going about their business. If wanting to venture out, only half an hour away is the nearby holy town of Rishikesh, (356m) which stands at the point where the wooded mountains of Garhwal rise abruptly from the low valley floor and the Ganges crashes onto the plains. It is one of the holiest places in India and the Aarti ceremony in the evenings is a must. Alternatively, experience the exhilarating fun of rafting on the Ganges or the joy of wildlife in the jungle at Rajaji Natiional Park.

Come here to restore your mind, body and soul by treating yourself to one of their exceptional and hugely varied wellness programmes. You’ll return a different person – rejuvenated, full of positive vitality and energy.

Eco / environmental / responsible tourism policy

Surrounded by a 100-acre forest, overlooking an ancient river valley, nestled in the foothills of one of the worlds’ most famous mountain ranges, Ananda in the Himalayas is nurtured by the nature that surrounds it, and it is their primary duty to not just maintain it, but also ensure that the nature thrives.

Waste & Recycling

• Garbage segregation is done to facilitate proper disposal and recycling
• Used oil from the spa is sent to bio diesel manufacturers for reuse
• All E-waste is recycled

Food

• Ananda grows ayurvedic herbs and kitchen spices in its on-site garden
• Food waste is sent to the local municipal corporation
• Used cooking oil is sent to bio diesel manufacturers for reuse
• They work with local farmers and organic farms to grow a large part of our vegetable and fruit produce

Water Management

• All the recycled water from the sewage treatment plant is used for gardening, without the usage of harsh chemicals
• On-site water bottling plant to produce clean drinking water, served in reusable glass bottles
• Synthetic grass (turf) at the Golf course which does not need watering
• Drip irrigation and sprinklers installed for all the gardens and lawns
• Opt in bath / bed linen reuse programme

Electricity

• Use of Micro switches and key slots to manage electricity consumption
• Use of heat pumps in place of hot water generators that helps in reducing carbon-di-oxide emission
• LED bulbs and lights are used in all guest rooms and public areas
• Only Battery operated golf carts are used to transport guests, staff and materials within the property premises, to reduce vehicle emission

Ananda Spa Foundation

The ASF is a Non-Profit foundation by IHHR Hospitality Ananda that aims to develop and serve the local community. ASF does so by imparting free education, vocational training, affordable healthcare, cleanliness drives, supporting local farmers and sustainable farming practices. The foundation aims to implement practices that are more sustainable, socially responsible, and help in the thriving of the local community and its treasures. It imparts vocational training to youth from socially, educationally and economically backward areas. ASF periodically carries out cleanliness drives in the local area in order to improve cleanliness. It adopts local schools in Narendra Nagar and provides for the maintenance and upkeep of these schools for underprivileged children.