Consider hospitality that creates an immersive tapestry that goes above the norm by fusing luxury, cultural diversity and sustainability. Welcome to Ashutosh Goyal’s vision! He is a dynamic leader who is changing the face of Ananta Hotels & Resorts. He is leading a new era of development, creativity and cross-cultural interaction with a forward-thinking approach, making sure that each visit is unforgettable. His leadership is evidenced from the introduction of exciting events like the Soul Festival, which skillfully combines wellness, culture and entertainment, to developing a more polished online presence and building closer industry relationships. Ashutosh has another reason to rejoice, personally, since he got married, a happy event that has greatly enhanced his life. With love, family and friends by his side, he is excited and full of gratitude as he starts this new chapter. We wish him a lifetime of happiness and success and know that this new journey will infuse his professional activities with new vigour and motivation!Excerpts from the interview:
These days, luxury encompasses more than just extravagance; it also includes exclusivity, customisation and life-changing events. What does luxury mean to you?
Luxury is more than just extravagance; it’s about meaningful, personal and intimate experiences that help visitors connect with wellness, culture and the natural world. At the remote Ananta Spa & Resort in Ajabgarh, architecture and nature coexist together. The resort, which is encircled by the magnificent Aravalli Hills, offers private villas that are elegant and secluded and are inspired by the elements of fire, earth, bamboo and water! Visitors can tour Sariska Tiger Reserve and Pratapgarh Fort, or they can just relax in wellness activities surrounded by nature. The spiritual energy of Pushkar, a town renowned for its fragrant rose gardens and holy lake, is embodied by Ananta Spa & Resort, Pushkar. The resort blends centuries-old customs with contemporary luxury to create a location for introspection and relaxation with its beautiful grounds, modern cottages and wellness programs. With its individual plunge pools, Balinese-style villas and ecological design, the 98-acre Ananta Udaipur redefines eco-luxury. Every feature, from private dining under the stars to solar-powered equipment, is designed to create a unique and restorative haven in the middle of the Aravalli Hills.
The contemporary tourist looks for both luxury and authenticity. How can you strike a balance between the upscale amenities and standards of upscale hospitality and immersive, culturally rich experiences?
True luxury, in my opinion, is found in genuine experiences that are expertly paired with top-notch comfort. Every one of my hotels is made to provide a close relationship with the environment while upholding the highest standards of hospitality. Guests are taken to the center of Rajasthan’s unspoiled splendour. Every activity, whether it’s touring the ancient Pratapgarh Fort, interacting with regional craftspeople, or taking in the abundant wildlife of Sariska Tiger Reserve, is designed to offer a genuine cultural immersion. However, exclusive luxury homes and excellent dining combine this rustic appeal, guaranteeing that visitors never have to sacrifice comfort! While enjoying a sumptuous getaway, visitors can interact with the town’s spiritual and cultural legacy at Pushkar. Visitors can tour Pushkar Lake’s colorful bazaars, observe the religious rites there, or partake in a wellness treatment filled with roses, which pays homage to the town’s well-known rose gardens. In the meanwhile, my resort offers a tranquil haven from the outer world with its vast vistas, well decorated villas and fine dining options.
Luxury and sustainability are sometimes seen to be mutually exclusive, but the most progressive hotels are showing that this is not the case. In what ways does do you include sustainability into your opulent offerings without sacrificing elegance?
Sustainability is not an afterthought, it is a fundamental component of my opulent experience. My mission is to provide environmentally friendly accommodation that complements the destinations’ natural beauty rather than detracts from it! Sustainability is ingrained in the design and management. The resort in Ajabgarh reduces its environmental effect while improving its aesthetic appeal by using natural stone materials, energy-efficient buildings and native landscaping. Because to its closeness to Sariska Tiger Reserve, conservation initiatives have been sparked, guaranteeing that visitors enjoy nature in a responsible manner. Using locally sourced materials, water-saving methods and ecological eating practices, Pushkar resort adheres to a low-impact design concept. The resort promotes the use of local, organic foods in its food and places a strong emphasis on wellness programs that honour natural healing customs. It demonstrates through efforts that luxury and sustainability can coexist harmoniously!
The Soul Festival combines entertainment, culture and wellness. What motivated its development?
The increasing desire for intense, life-changing travel experiences served as the impetus for Soul Festival. Today’s visitors want more than just luxury; they want meaningful interaction, cultural enrichment and well-being. By combining mindful experiences, local art, music and wellness retreats, the festival enables visitors to form a close bond with their environment. Travel is being redefined by this transition from passive luxury to experiential hospitality, which combines leisure, cultural immersion and personal development into a single, seamless experience. It is setting the standard for creating unique, soul-satisfying vacations by fusing thoughtful luxury with entertainment and culture!
Luxurious suites, opulent lobbies and stunning views have long been characteristics of luxury accommodation. However, these days, having a strong online presence is as important. In what ways are you rethinking online experience?
I am aware that a flawless online experience is equally as crucial as a luxurious in-person encounter. Using cutting-edge booking systems, AI-powered concierge services and interactive virtual tours, we aim to improve guest convenience, personalisation and engagement. To highlight the distinctive experiences at our locations, we make use of digital storytelling, influencer partnerships and social media. We make sure visitors feel a connection to it both before and after their stay by using technology-driven personalisation, loyalty programs and immersive digital content.
Nowadays, a lot of upscale tourists are looking for “transformational travel”—experiences that alter viewpoints and leave a lasting impression on the individual. What actions are you taking to provide accommodations that are more than just comfortable and genuinely connect with visitors on a deeper level?
We design experiences that stimulate the senses, encourage self-improvement and provide enduring memories. Our facilities provide nature-based experiences that promote strong bonds, carefully planned wellness retreats and immersive cultural outings. For example, visitors can explore historic ruins, unspoiled landscapes and conservation initiatives at Ajabgarh, while Pushkar provides spiritual experiences interwoven with age-old customs. The Udaipur property blends solitude, sustainability and wellness to make sure that each visit is about more than just luxury—it’s about self-discovery and rejuvenation.
Food plays a crucial role in luxury travel, from expertiential dining to hyper-local culinary storytelling. How do you design its culinary offerings to satisfy a changing, pickier global base?
The culinary concept ensures a dining experience that is both sophisticated and grounded in tradition by fusing local authenticity with global elegance. Using seasonal, organic and sustainably sourced foods, our chefs create dishes that highlight local flavours and provide a more sophisticated farm-to-table experience. From Pushkar’s rose-infused treats to Udaipur’s stargazing private dining, we craft unique, unforgettable and engrossing culinary experiences. Every meal tells a story, making food an essential component of every visitor’s trip, whether it’s fine dining with global influences or hyper-local tasting menus.
In the world of luxury hospitality, tradition and modernisation frequently clash. What difficulties have you encountered?
The idea is based on striking a balance between contemporary luxury and traditional authenticity. With fort-inspired designs and natural stone accents, Ajabgarh embraces Rajasthan’s architectural legacy while providing private villas, spa centers and modern dining that meets current standards. In addition to immersing visitors in the town’s spiritual legacy, Pushkar enhances the experience with carefully planned cultural walks and indigenous flora. We make certain that visitors may enjoy the unadulterated splendour of nature without upsetting nearby ecosystems at our wildlife-focused resorts, like Baagh Ananta Elite in Ranthambore and Jagira Ananta Elite in Gir. In addition to offering luxurious lodging, fine dining and expertly led safaris by naturalists, lodges are built with ecological materials and blend in with their surroundings. This equilibrium guarantees the harmonious coexistence of luxury, tradition and conservation.
