Staycations are catching up as people want to pamper themselves with luxury

Rohan is an architect and runs an architecture studio called The Black Sheep Farm, in Mumbai, and has been in the field of design and architecture since 2004. He has been involved with many residential, retail and commercial projects across India. His core expertise has always been developing design concepts that are not only aesthetically appealing but that are also functional.

East India House has been his first venture into designing and developing a hospitality project. By using his expertise in design and his experience in planning and execution, East India House has been become one of his successful pet projects that he looks forward to further expand and create. Rohan Salian, Partner at East India House, in an interview with Bizz Buzz, talks about the nuances of his project and destination UTTAN located very close to Mumbai.

East India House - cocooned in the lap of nature, this boutique resort overlooks a small hillock with a rainwater stream cutting right through it. Only half-hour from the city but in the midst of wilderness, with the sound of birds chirping, this retreat offers both, the serenity of the countryside along with a carefully tailored menu of entertainment, cultural, educational and outdoor activities. East India House believes in sustainability and with breath-taking views with an explosion of iconic design remarks an unforgettable landscape. UTTAN is a small village known for its fish cuisine and its East Indian culture

What has been the response to these resorts in recent times?

After the Covid restrictions were lifted and the economy looked better, people are eager to get out and spend quality time with their loved ones away from home. The concept of staycation is catching on with people where the idea is to spend time and pamper yourself with luxury. The staycation concept works well where you don’t have to stress yourself travelling long distance to do so. This is where East India House does very well, being just 90 minutes from anywhere in Mumbai. So even after a hard day at work, you can still make it to our resort to start your weekend.

What are the activities during the monsoons?

Our property overlooks a small hillock, with a view where we take guests on a small trail to reach the top of the hillock where we set up camping chairs and tables with refreshments to watch the sunset. We conduct a small cultural tour of the neighborhood in the morning which covers few attractions around the neighborhood and ends in a courtyard of a local to have homemade East Indian delicacies.

How important is proximity to the resort and to the beach?

The idea of the beach being just 10 minutes’ drive from the property is always exciting and gives you the feel of a beach holiday. Our property and the infinity pool overlook a small hillock in our property which gives the guests a feel of being away from the city and in the wilderness. So the idea of being secluded and away from the city, close to nature and having your own private space is important and sells well.

What are the promotional prices you offer families and small groups?

We sell at a price of Rs 10,500 per couple per night which includes all three meals. We are a ten-room property and only entertain groups that want to book the entire resort, so that it does not create a hindrance to other guests staying with us.

Is there scope for MICE activities at the resort?

We plan to make an amphitheatre in phase two which will convert into an event space that will hold art workshops and live events and on weekend turns into a standalone restaurant.

Are there plans to promote Uttan as a destination?

Not a lot of people have heard of Uttan, and being so close to the city it is one of the hidden destinations to take a staycation. So, yes, we want to promote Uttan as a destination, for which we are promoting the neighborhood by taking people around to make them know of the rich East Indian culture.

How important is the wedding business to your resort?

The wedding scene in young India is changing from the traditional big fat Indian wedding to a modern one in which a few loved ones come together to celebrate the best day in your partner’s life. Being a boutique resort we are a perfect location for a small event of 50-75 people.

What are your future plans? What kind of growth are you looking at?

We have already planned for the future, we are building five elevated tree houses which will be connected to our current setup through an elevated pathway apart from this we are adding few automated luxury villas, a Spa and an amphitheatre.

So with this we achieve the target audience of well-travelled Indian couple who is looking for a good time within the city.

Do you plan to expand your footprint in the vicinity or along the coast?

We plan to increase our footprint close and in around our current location.