Just two hours out of Mumbai, where the Western Ghats begin to stretch, breathe, and gently slow the world down, Athiva Resort & Spa, Khandala, feels less like a hotel and more like a soft reset. This is Athiva’s very first property, and it arrives with a simple, quietly confident idea that joy sneaks up on you when you finally stop rushing.

The journey itself prepares you. The air grows cooler, the greens deepen, and by the time you enter the property, the city feels like a distant rumour. Athiva is built around nature rather than over it, and that choice defines the experience. A natural lotus pond sits at the heart of the resort, home to fish and turtles that glide through the water as if on cue. Nearby, a 175-year-old banyan tree stands rooted and regal, silently reminding you how fleeting deadlines really are. From different corners of the resort, you can spot a waterfall slicing through the hills. At night, instead of horns or traffic, you hear insects and their layered chorus oddly soothing, almost meditative. The air feels lighter here, fresher, and the stillness invites you to do very little, and we were happy for that.