About this hotel
General information
Ananda spreads across an estate of about 40 hectares on a hill above Rishikesh in the Himalayan foothills – manicured gardens, sal forest and long views over the Ganges valley. At its heart stands a historic palace housing the reception, the Palace Lounge with its antique furniture, chandeliers and brocade tapestries, a billiards room with a table around a century old, and the generous Viceregal Hall. Guests are welcomed with a ginger-lemon infusion and given fresh cotton kurta pyjamas each day to wear around the grounds.
This is a destination spa built around Ayurveda, yoga, meditation and thoughtful cooking: stays are usually paired with a wellness programme, while a daily timetable of group sessions is open to every guest. Quiet is protected by design – the resort accepts guests aged 14 and over, hosts no weddings or large events, and mobile phones stay out of the spa and the yoga and meditation sessions.
Location
The resort lies at Narendranagar in Uttarakhand, on a hill above Rishikesh, about 35 km (roughly 45 minutes by car) from Dehradun airport, which has daily flights from Delhi's international airport (around 45 minutes). By rail, trains from Delhi reach Haridwar in about 4.5 hours, followed by a 90-minute drive; the road from Delhi takes 4–6 hours depending on traffic. Car transfers from the airport or station are arranged on request, as are helicopter flights from Delhi (about 2 hours) to a helipad 5 minutes from the estate.
Spa
The spa covers more than 2,200 m², with around two dozen treatment rooms for Ayurvedic, international and hydrotherapy treatments, a steam room, sauna, chill plunge pool, Kneipp foot baths, a relaxation area and yoga rooms. The menu runs to more than 80 body and beauty treatments: Ayurvedic abhyanga, a four-hand massage with sesame oil, pizhichil with warm herbal oils, herbal-poultice massage, shirodhara and mukha lepa facial masks, alongside aromatherapy, Swedish, Thai and Tibetan Ku Nye massage, reflexology, Reiki, hot and cold stone massage, couples' treatments and the spa's own natural skincare range. Wellness programmes are booked in advance: the introductory Foundation Wellness starts at five nights with an hour of personal sessions a day, while the deeper programmes – among them Ayurvedic Rejuvenation, Holistic Yoga, Dhyana Meditation and Activ-Fitness – usually start at seven nights and open with a consultation with an Ayurvedic practitioner. Programmes include full board with three wellness meals a day.
Sports & leisure
A daily timetable of complimentary sessions takes in traditional Hatha yoga for beginners and practitioners, morning stretches, pranayama and meditation, gym workouts, talks by visiting wellness masters and a weekly Ayurvedic cooking class. The gym has cardio and strength equipment and free weights, with personal trainers on hand. A six-hole golf course runs along the hillside of the estate, with lessons available, and the palace has an antique table for snooker. Beyond the estate the resort arranges guided nature walks, a weekly trek up to the Kunjapuri temple at 1,645 m for sunrise views of the snow-capped Himalayas, a 9 km downhill walk through the forest to Rishikesh, white-water rafting on the Ganges rapids (from age 14) and jeep safaris in a national park about an hour's drive away, home to wild elephants, leopards, tigers and hundreds of bird species.
Restaurants & bars
Ananda's cooking is light and seasonal, built on fresh local produce; menus for guests on programmes are drawn up daily along Ayurvedic lines, and any diet is catered for on request.
- The Restaurant — the main restaurant, set among old sal trees with views over the valley: Indian, Asian and Western cooking from a seasonal à la carte menu;
- Tree Top Deck — the restaurant's open-air deck in the treetops, at its best for dinner;
- The Pavilion — a relaxed space in the restaurant building for tea, coffee or a full meal, with afternoon tea and snacks daily from 4 to 6 pm;
- Palace Lounge — a drawing room in the historic palace for tea and quiet hours;
- By The Pool — juices, shakes, lassi and a short menu beside the pool.
Private meals can be set up by the pool, at the Music Pavilion, on the palace rooftop, beside the villa pools, in the Ananda Suite gazebo or on the Viceregal Suite terrace, with sunset picnics at Sunset Point or on the palace lawn. In-room dining is available.
Swimming
The temperature-controlled outdoor pool sits on the hillside between the forest and the spa, ringed by a deck with comfortable loungers; each villa has its own 40 m² pool with a sun deck.
Rooms
Rooms, suites and villas are quietly elegant; every room has a generous balcony with a chaise longue, and the villas sit secluded among sal trees. Each takes at most two guests, the two-bedroom villa excepted at four, and extra beds are not offered.
Each room has a writing desk, smart TV, tea and coffee maker, minibar with healthy snacks, fruit basket, safe, walk-in closet, bathroom with a bathtub and shower, bathrobes and slippers, Ananda bath products, fresh kurta pyjamas daily, aromatic baths on request, a pillow menu, complimentary Wi-Fi, air conditioning and winter heating.
Deluxe Palace / Garden View Room
A room with a porch or balcony looking out to the palace, the gardens and the golf course, a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a window. A king bed or, in a limited number of rooms, twin beds; for up to two guests.
Deluxe Valley View Room
A room with a large balcony, chaise longue and tea table facing the Rishikesh valley, and a bathroom window onto the same view. King bed, with twin beds arranged on request; for up to two guests.
Deluxe Valley View Room (Premium Floors)
A room on the fourth to sixth floors with a balcony and the widest valley panorama, a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a window. King bed, with twin beds arranged on request; for up to two guests.
Deluxe Suite
A two-bay suite with a bedroom, living room, two full bathrooms with views and an extra-large balcony with a chaise longue. King bed, for up to two guests.
Garden Suite
One of four two-bay suites with a bedroom, sitting room, large bathroom and a secluded private garden with a deck, facing the valley or the gardens. King bed, for up to two guests.
Viceregal Suite
A suite in the historic palace with a spacious sitting and dining area, a bedroom with a period four-poster bed, a dressing room and bathroom with antique fittings, a private terrace and a rooftop gazebo over the gardens and the Ganges valley. For up to two guests.
Ananda Suite
A three-bay ground-floor suite overlooking the valley, with a bedroom, sitting and dining areas, a bathroom with a view, an extra powder room with a shower and a large private garden with a gazebo. King bed, for up to two guests.
One Bedroom Villa
A villa among sal trees with forest and partial valley views: a bedroom, living room, butler's pantry, dressing room and a bathroom with its own sauna looking onto the private pool and its lounger deck. King bed, for up to two guests.
Two Bedroom Villa
A villa with forest and valley views: two bedrooms, a living room, butler's pantry, dressing room, a bathroom with its own sauna and a private pool with a lounger deck. For up to four guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.