Perched at an elevation of 4,800 feet – and just a two-hour drive from Chandigarh – the resort Bhumi stayed at isn’t just a getaway; it’s an architectural statement. Designed by the Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, Amaya is a 20-acre sanctuary where the ‘per night’ luxury comes with a heavy dose of soul — and a price tag of ₹39,000 (plus taxes) for a one-bedroom chalet, as per Booking.com.
Nordic minimalism meets Himalayan heritage
Amaya’s design is a masterclass in ‘quiet luxury’. Moving away from the typical gilded resort aesthetic, the design team utilised ancient building techniques to create structures that feel as though they sprouted from the earth. In a rare feat of eco-conscious engineering, the entire resort was built by hand ‘without the use of any cement’.
The palette is raw and honest — local stone, wood, and lime plaster. The walls feature a unique patina, created by mixing local soil into the lime. Gleaming hand-rolled copper roofs cap the villas, designed to age gracefully and eventually be recycled, allowing nature to reclaim the site decades from now, per the resort’s website.
Premium decor and valley views
The interiors strike a delicate balance between Nordic minimalism and a Japanese ryokan-style living experience. The rooms feature marble window panes and wooden shutters in place of heavy curtains, allowing natural light to filter through while still protecting privacy.
The rooms are furnished with a mix of salvaged wood furniture, custom marble-and-teak tables, and woven rattan accents. Wrap-around porches hug the structures, offering uninterrupted views of the snow-capped peaks and the lush pine forests that Bhumi showcased in her photos.
Wellness beyond the room
For those checking in for a ‘sojourn in the hills’, the amenities are as attractive as the architecture. The resort features a teardrop-shaped, heated infinity pool made of stone and lime, along with saunas and a library filled with curated titles. The culinary experience is equally rooted in an organic farm-to-table philosophy, where everything from sourdough bread to honey is produced on-site.
“Our journey began from the yearning for a sanctuary, a space far from the chaos of the city; free of noise, distraction and the demands of the lives we had created for ourselves. We wanted a nest from where we could watch the mist that cloaks the mountains at dawn, a cradle where we might be lulled by a gentle mountain breeze, a home where the night would bring a million stars to dazzle us. A quiet place where we could slow down and rediscover life,” the resort’s philosophy reads on their website — a sentiment clearly echoed in Bhumi’s serene getaway pictures.