What makes Amaya, India different from other hotels?

Amaya is perched at 4,600 feet in India's Himalayas within a sustainably managed 25-acre forest. Nordic minimalism meets Japanese aesthetics in spaces designed to reconnect guests with nature while protecting the mountain ecosystem.

India, Asia

Amaya

At Amaya, simplicity is an art form where each element, from furniture to its surroundings, is curated to evoke.. connection to nature

Perched at 4,600 feet, Amaya is a secluded retreat where luxury and nature exist in perfect harmony. Nestled within a sustainably managed 25-acre forest, it offers a range of thoughtfully designed accommodations—including one and three-bedroom villas, chalets, chalet suites, cottages and cottage suites. Soon to be home to an exclusive spa, Amaya seamlessly blends Nordic minimalism with Japanese ryokan aesthetics. Each space features wraparound terraces, panoramic mountain views and serene, handcrafted interiors, creating an atmosphere of pure tranquillity.

Amaya offers a new way of living that combines the space and freedom of a secluded country existence with opportunities for spontaneous and interesting connections with the modern world.

Travellers to Amaya can enjoy a range of curated experiences. Step out of the warm embrace of Amaya for an afternoon of riverside picnic or get a taste of the local culture with a traditional Himachali Dham. One can dine privately at a secluded hill-top within the property or sample bold, innovative flavours at Amaya Labs. If the dishes are something you want to take with you, our culinary experts also host cooking workshops. The team can also set up a cosy intimate evening for a movie screening.

Each 3,000-square-foot villa at Amaya is designed to offer breathtaking views and absolute privacy. Thoughtfully planned, every villa features a study, dining and living areas, a fully equipped kitchen, and three ensuite bedrooms—perfect for a family or group of six. Minimalist interiors, inspired by Nordic and Japanese design, create a serene retreat immersed in nature.

Amaya’s culinary philosophy blends Himachali traditions with global techniques, crafting dishes that evolve with the seasons. Each meal tells a story—from a braised neck of lamb glazed with foraged mulberry murabba to hand-churned pine nut ice cream drizzled with pinecone syrup. Developed in Amaya Labs, this signature dessert captures the very essence of the surrounding pines, infusing a delicate, resinous sweetness reminiscent of the forest itself. Dining at Amaya is more than a meal — it is an experience of reconnection

A celebration of local flavours, crafted with precision and passion

A moment to savour, slow down and embrace the rhythms of nature

Building stronger communities

Committed to creating spaces that unite people and preserve local heritage

The Art of Simplicity

The interiors showcase carefully selected pieces that embody craftsmanship and timeless design

an authentic
Himalayan experience

Immerse within peaceful mountain life, enjoy local hospitality and cuisine and relax by the tranquil Gambar River

Immerse in Village Life

Darwa Village offers a glimpse into the quiet rhythm of mountain life. Wandering its narrow pathways, you’ll pass stone houses, terraced fields and villagers who greet you with warm smiles. The air carries the scent of wood smoke, and the pace of life feels beautifully unhurried.

A visit to Darwa isn’t complete without a stop at a local hut, where you can enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared with fresh, regional ingredients. Sharing stories over simple yet soulful dishes offers a rare connection to the land and its people — an experience both heartwarming and humbling.

Not far from the village, the Gambar River awaits — a serene spot perfect for a peaceful picnic. With towering pines and the gentle murmur of flowing water as your backdrop, it’s the ideal setting to unwind and take in the beauty of the Himalayas.

Celebrating Beautiful Design

Inspired by Japanese shoji screens, Amaya’s shutters are carefully crafted from locally sourced marble and wood. By day, they softly diffuse natural light into our living spaces. By night, the warm amber glow of each marble shutter on the terraces resembles paper lanterns against a midnight sky.

Coco-Mat Bedding, a hallmark of natural luxury, ensures a restful night’s sleep. Amaya is the first in India to introduce Coco-Mat’s signature sleep experience, allowing guests to wake up recharged after a day of hiking, exploring, and immersing in the forest.

Rejuvinate your Soul

The Library with its collection of curated books and a cup of freshly ground coffee beckons visitors to put their feet up and unwind.

The heated Outdoor Pool in stone and lime is prefect for a swim or to just watch the glorious sunsets. The saunas set by the pool help in energizing the body after a long trek in the Amaya hills.

Your Host - Deepak Gupta

Amaya was born from a simple need: to reconnect. 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.

Amaya is that space: a commune, a philosophy, an agent of symbiosis that enriches the lives of all that inhabit it, but also the land upon which it is built.

Our insights..

Transparency is essential if we are all going to grow and improve together and this is why we have dedicated this section to sharing what we love about each place and its hosts. We work with each of our hosts to improve their guest experiences, sustainability practices and local impact, this is where you can learn more about that along with what still needs to be improved, the measures being taken to ensure our hosts continue to move forward and every now and then we’ll come back to update you on their progress.

Lars von der Wettern

Visited the property in November 2023

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Amaya offers a new way of living that combines the space and freedom of a secluded country existence with opportunities for spontaneous and interesting connections with the modern world.

A celebration of local flavours, crafted with precision and passion

A moment to savour, slow down and embrace the rhythms of nature

The Art of Simplicity

The interiors showcase carefully selected pieces that embody craftsmanship and timeless design

Building Stronger Communities

Committed to creating spaces that unite people and preserve local heritage

An Authentic Himalayan Experience

Immerse within peaceful mountain life, enjoy local hospitality and cuisine and relax by the tranquil Gambar River

Your Host - Deepak Gupta

Amaya is that space: a commune, a philosophy, an agent of symbiosis that enriches the lives of all that inhabit it, but also the land upon which it is built.

Our insights..

–

Lars von der Wettern

Visited the property in November 2023

Community & Sustainability Commitment

Here are some key sustainability & community practices that these hosts are committed to. Please use the key below the icons for reference. You might see that some measurements are not currently in place and that’s okay, we choose to support our hosts on their imperfect road towards a better world and we understand that that takes time.

Sustainability Practices

Community Commitments

Not in Place

Eco Certifications & Efforts

Just as we admire each of our hosts for their singularity, we appreciate that their sustainability journeys are also unique. Because of this, we do not require our hosts to have an eco certification or two under their belt, we simply guide them on improving their sustainable business practices one imperfect – but positive – step at a time. If a host has eco certifications they will be shown below, if not, then know we are working towards this together.

Our Efforts

The entire water consumption is using water drawn from our hills and we recycle wastewater using reed beds where filtered water is used for farming thus completing the recharge loop.
All movement in Amaya is either on foot or using electric carts.
The food waste at Amaya is composted for fertilizer and we do not use plastic on site.
Our lime-plastered swimming pool uses natural salt for cleaning thus avoiding the use of chemicals.
The sensibility at Amaya is one of an honest commitment to sustainability, to nature and most importantly to ourselves that we will stay true to our goal of managing a sustainable forested sanctuary in the Himalayas.

Building with Purpose – Sustainability, Restoration and Minimal Impact

Amaya is more than a collection of homes — it is a philosophy, a living organism that enriches both its inhabitants and the land it rests upon. Designed by Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai, each structure is built by hand, without cement, embodying an ethos that is both ancient and modern.

The project embraces sustainability not as a limitation but as an elevation — where the integrity of materials, the energy of those who craft them, and the legacy of the land are honoured. Every home is a study in restraint and respect, using locally sourced wood, lime and stone to seamlessly integrate into the terraced forest. Rather than imposing on the landscape, Amaya revives it, ensuring that nature not only coexists but thrives.

Our vision at Amaya is rooted in a philosophy of coexisting with nature. The structures in Amaya were built so that if we were to abandon the site, the buildings would disintegrate into nature without leaving any industrial pollutants or materials.

The old farming terraces have been rejuvenated to grow our food without using any chemical fertilizers or pesticides, the food at Amaya is a seasonal menu thus avoiding transporting most of what we consume.

Locally Sourced Materials – Stone, Timber, Copper and Lime Plaster

The essence of Amaya’s living spaces is deeply rooted in the local landscape while seamlessly incorporating global design influences. The roofs of its villas and chalets were crafted using traditional techniques by French roofer Jean-Marc Moreno, whose expertise shaped Bijoy Jain’s acclaimed 2012 ‘Copper House’ project. At Amaya, his mastery of copper finds new expression—each roof, subtly muted in hue, harmonizes with the warm patina of the lime-plastered walls, designed by Swiss architect Ruedi Kerbs.

Amaya stands at the intersection of global craftsmanship and local tradition. Kerbs, renowned for his expertise in lime, led workshops where young artisans from West Bengal honed their understanding of its complex material properties. Under his guidance, these masons travelled to Amaya, blending lime with the region’s soil to construct walls that would embody both resilience and artistry.

At the heart of Amaya’s construction lies an unwavering reverence for materiality. For Bijoy Jain, sustainability is not a formula to be followed but a conversation between past and present, where the energy of those who shape a space is imprinted within it. Each stone carried, each beam placed, bears the essence of the people and the land that brought it into being. By embracing time-honoured craftsmanship, Amaya is more than a retreat — it is a living extension of the mountains, where every detail tells a story and every story is a tribute to the land.

The Farm

Amaya’s 25-acre sanctuary is replete with organic orchards and flourishing vegetable gardens, each abuzz with pollinating bees and butterflies, and our guests are encouraged to join us on our foraging excursions.

Amaya’s Food Concept has evolved from the idea of sustainability in consumption. Years ago we started rejuvenating the terraced hills which were once used for farming and thought that most food should not have to travel long distances, it should be local. We now grow endless varieties of organic fresh vegetables around our homes. We planted a thousand fruit trees and now the site is full of apple, pear, plum, mulberry, fig and citrus fruit. Our chefs bring together a mountain food sensibility and elements of international cuisine using this seasonal produce to make dining at Amaya a unique culinary experience.

Discover fiddlehead ferns, and pick coiled fronds perfect for pickling, as verdant green as the peas we grow in our organic gardens – plump, juicy and astonishingly sweet. In spring, visit our wild garlic patch, its green surface a bed of little white flowers. Or, in late summer, pluck an apple from the farm, and taste for yourself the floral notes of its golden flesh to realise why we take such great care to grow and nurture the ‘Dorsett Golden’ cultivar amid this unique climate.

NGOs & Local Impact Projects Supported

Each of our hosts strive to have a positive impact on their local communities. Some of our hosts already have established connections with local partners to enrich the lives and wellbeing of their communities, others are in the process of creating these long term relationships. If a host has local NGO connections they will be shown below, if not, then know we are working towards this together.

Hiring Local

A majority of people involved in the construction of Amaya came from the local villages, which progressed to the development of our farming and horticulture program where local communities and farmers still run the program for us.

Once Amaya was open to guests, most of our staff were hired from the nearby villages, these included housekeeping, security, cafeteria, maintenance and service people. Village Darwa which is next door to Amaya became a home to all out-of-town staff of Amaya.

Amaya is in many ways integrated with the communities around it, a morning walk to the village reveals groups of children walking to school and an equal number of our staff in their uniforms walking to Amaya. The lines between the village and the resort get blurred.

Uplifting our Community

A few years ago we noticed that homes were dilapidated and we decided not to build our worker housing. We funded local villagers to build additional accommodations for our staff and gave them rental guarantees, by doing this, we now have 20-30 people living in the village in homes owned by villagers which we helped fund and these will be permanent assets for the community besides helping them uplift their housing.

Our excursions include trips to the village temple we helped build, a village walk to showcase the beauty of rural life in India and visits to a traditional Himachali home where guests can engage with the owners and see how people lead simple lives.

Supporting local heritage

At Amaya, we’re dedicated to more than creating beautiful spaces; we’re committed to building stronger communities. Our journey began in Darwa, where we built a new temple and donated culturally significant statues to honour local heritage. This project wasn’t just about construction; it was about crafting a space that unites people and preserves tradition.

The temple represents a shared place for the community to gather, reflect, and celebrate, offering a foundation for lasting connections. With each brick, our goal was to enrich Darwa’s cultural landscape and support the community’s unique identity. This temple now stands as a testament to Amaya’s commitment to meaningful community engagement, and we’re excited to support more projects that uplift and empower communities.

The 4Cs

The 4Cs is a framework designed by The Long Run that integrates sustainable and regenerative practices into any travel business. Designed by practitioners and experts, both proven and flexible, it makes strategic and holistic sustainability more accessible, breaking it down into four chunks: