Tag Archives: SaffronStays

This milestone signals a new chapter in Indian hospitality, as SaffronStays ventures into the boutique luxury hotel space, with an idea to unlock hidden gems like Sindhudurg on the world map. With Araqila, SaffronStays introduces a bold and beautiful modern-day fortress, rooted in the cultural heartland of Arawali, Sindhudurg. Just 45 minutes from Goa’s MOPA airport, Araqila sits on the edge of the untouched Konkan coastline. It is not a place that asks for attention. It simply exists, rooted in salt, stone, and memory. Marking SaffronStays’ foray into the boutique retreat space, this unveiling also reintroduces Sindhudurg to the discerning traveller. Araqila is born from familiarity, not fantasy. It comes from a family that belongs to the land, bearing deep ancestral ties to the region. Spread across 55 acres of pristine coastal estate, this retreat follows the slope of the earth, becoming one with the Konkan forts that stood the test of time. Nestled in the region that has not yet traded its quiet for convenience, Araqila has no televisions, no distractions. Just the sea, the rustle of the trees, and the occasional stillness that asks you to listen. The name Araqila is derived from a fusion of ‘Ara’ (Arawali) and ‘Qila’ (fort), symbolising a protective yet peaceful sanctuary. Inside, 25 sea-facing suites embody quiet minimalism, with winding walkways and an aesthetic rooted in restraint. Beyond the suites, an open-air amphitheatre and an untouched beach continue the retreat’s rhythm, blending effortlessly into the natural landscape. The food speaks to the local tongue with fresh catch, Malvani spices, and ingredients that have not travelled far. The land sustains what it serves. Built with a low ecological footprint, Araqila supports native plantations …

Micro-hospitality brand SaffronStays has launched its first-ever training centre to facilitate 360-degree training locals who can be employed as cooks and caretakers in vacation homes across the country. The brand will teach, train and empower 1500 individuals in skills ranging from hygiene to health-care, and cooking to concierge. Tejas Parulekar, Founder, SaffronStays, says, “We are an inclusive brand. Our caretakers are our ‘Moment of Truth’ since they are first recall points of brand experience, and hence training them was a priority. The training centre in Panvel is our first giant step towards skills development, and would over time, become a part of our CSR activity. We would eventually look at top hospitality brands to collaborate and co-create the modules to train the staff”. The first successful test run involved caretakers from SaffronStays 9 Palms, Alibaug, SaffronStays Sanskriti, Kashi, and SaffronStays Little Paradise, Murud. The caretakers were imparted in-depth knowledge of local dishes that covered over 25 recipes for breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner. Various types of service-enhancing modules were taught during the three-day session. This included styling and setting up of community tables, table decoration and flower arrangement using locally-grown flaura. The aim is to cater to the larger goal of running 500 homes and providing a parallel support of skilled caretakers.

SaffronStays, which started with one property in October 2015 in Matheran called SaffronStays Parsi Manor, announced its expansion plans to other parts of the country. Devendra Parulekar, Co-Founder, SaffronStays, says, “We currently have 28 properties and plan to add 40 more by the end of December 2017. The goal is to have over 2,000 properties managed and branded by SaffronStays in the next five to seven years. Now that we have cracked the product-market fit, achieved unit-level and even transaction-level profitability, and also understood all the operational problems associated with the model and figured out ways to overcome these problems, we think it is time to raise some serious money to rapidly scale the business.” According to the company, it has clocked over USD 1 million in revenues in less than 19 months since it started. SaffronStays is largely operational around Mumbai, Pune, Goa and a few chosen locations in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.