Club Mahindra Expands Its Luxury Footprint with Amba Ghat & Bandhavgarh Retreats

A Strategic Expansion Rooted in Experience-Led Travel

Club Mahindra continues to redefine India's leisure hospitality landscape with the unveiling of two new resorts in Amba Ghat, Maharashtra, and Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh. With the addition of 159 keys, the brand strengthens its growing portfolio while moving steadily towards its ambitious vision of 12,000 keys by FY30. This is not merely expansion, it is a reflection of how travel itself is evolving. Today, luxury is increasingly defined by experience, authenticity, and emotional connection. As Indian luxury travellers continue to evolve in their preferences, brands that invest in meaningful destinations are set to lead the next chapter of Indian hospitality.

The Rise of Emerging, Experience-First Destinations

Rather than competing within saturated tourist hubs, Club Mahindra is investing in destinations that are still discovering their identity - raw, immersive, and quietly powerful. This approach mirrors a broader industry shift, where hospitality brands are venturing into unexplored mountain and nature retreats to meet the demand for transformative travel experiences. Amba Ghat and Bandhavgarh exemplify this shift:

• One offers a serene, elevated escape in the Sahyadris
• The other delivers an untamed, wilderness-driven experience

Together, they represent a new blueprint for Indian leisure travel.

Amba Ghat: A Quiet Escape in the Sahyadris

Set along the scenic Kolhapur-Ratnagiri route, Amba Ghat is emerging as a refined alternative to crowded hill stations. The 96-key resort is designed to exist in harmony with its surroundings. For those who appreciate nature-led luxury in Maharashtra, Maharashtra's coast and hinterland are increasingly home to world-class wellness retreats that blend landscape with luxury.

• River-facing apartments overlooking the Kadvi River
• Verdant Sahyadri landscapes enveloping the property
• A setting defined by stillness, nature, and understated elegance

This is a destination crafted for those who seek silence over spectacle.

Bandhavgarh: Where Wilderness Meets Refined Living

In contrast, Bandhavgarh offers a deeply immersive encounter with the wild. Located near the globally renowned Bandhavgarh National Park, home to one of the highest densities of Bengal tigers - the 63-key resort is designed to bring guests closer to nature. India's wildlife corridors are fast becoming coveted luxury destinations, and luxury wildlife escapes across Indian national parks are setting new benchmarks for experience-first hospitality. For those who love the idea of staying deep in nature, forest vacation rentals offering immersive woodland stays continue to grow in popularity across the country.

• Expansive verandas opening into forest views
• Outdoor decks for uninterrupted observation
• An experience that dissolves the boundary between comfort and wilderness

Here, luxury is defined not by excess but by proximity.

Leadership Perspective: A Vision for the Future

Commenting on the launch, Manoj Bhat, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited, said, "Destinations such as Amba Ghat and Bandhavgarh reflect the growing preference for immersive, nature-led experiences among today's travellers. At Club Mahindra, we have always believed in identifying and thoughtfully developing emerging leisure destinations for India's evolving base of holidaying families. As we build for the future, our focus remains on expanding high-quality inventory across diverse locations, while consistently delivering memorable family holiday experiences. This approach continues to guide us in our journey towards becoming India's most trusted leisure hospitality brand."

To understand how India's top hospitality names have built their legacies, the story of Taj Hotels as a pioneer of Indian luxury hospitality offers a compelling point of reference. For a broader industry view, India's leading luxury hotels and what sets them apart provides useful context on where the bar currently stands.

An Asset-Light, Scalable Growth Strategy

Behind these launches lies a disciplined, forward-looking expansion model. Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL) is adopting a capital-efficient, asset-light approach  - leveraging:

• Greenfield developments
• Strategic management contracts
• Flexible operating models

This ensures scalability while preserving the integrity of experience. Club Mahindra is not alone in pursuing this model - Indian Hotels expanding its footprint through strategic portfolio acquisitions reflects a similar ambition for capital-smart growth. Likewise, Hilton's bold plan to expand across Indian hospitality markets underscores how global and homegrown players alike are doubling down on India's hospitality opportunity.

Expanding the Map of Indian Leisure

Recent additions such as Nadiya Parao in Uttarakhand and a signed property in Dapoli further underline the brand's commitment to building a diverse, experience-rich portfolio. The move is part of a larger national trend: Indian hotel brands charting ambitious growth paths toward 2030 by tapping into under-explored leisure geographies. And as brands like The Leela Palaces expanding into newer Indian states and regions demonstrate, the future of Indian luxury lies in its diversity of destinations.

The larger vision is clear: to create a new travel map for India, where emerging destinations become the next icons of leisure.