What makes Woods At Sasan, India different from other hotels?

Woods At Sasan grew from a belief in meaningful, sustainable hospitality within an 8-acre mango orchard near India's Gir Forest. Over 280 mango trees create a living ecosystem where architecture draws on natural terrain and local culture.

India, Asia

Woods At Sasan

As a modern wellbeing retreat, Woods at Sasan offers a transformative hospitality experience deeply rooted in environmental sensitivity and community integration

Woods at Sasan ‘grew’ out of a belief in a sustainable and meaningful ecosystem of hospitality. It draws upon the natural terrain and local culture to shape its philosophies with regard to its architecture, the environment and the spirit of hosting. The retreat is nestled within an 8-acre mango orchard, home to over 280 trees that produce a bountiful mango harvest each summer. The orchard also attracts a rich variety of insects, birds and wildlife, making it a vibrant, living ecosystem.

An oasis of quiet, lush greenery that merges into the forests of Gir, the 38-key property is a serene blend of contemporary spaces and culture-inspired interiors that merge into the landscape. With spaces designed for clear, natural lighting and an uninterrupted view of the orchard or the forest, one may enjoy living within nature with all the conveniences that the heart desires.

Woods at Sasan is more than just a modern retreat; it’s a biophilic sanctuary where nature takes centre stage. Committed to preserving the environment, the property was built without harming a single tree; the original mango orchard remains intact, a testament to its sustainable design. Inspired by Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), the retreat’s minimal footprint and integration with the land minimise environmental impact and create a harmonious connection between guests and nature.

Our approach to luxury is rooted in elevated essentialism. Unlike typical luxury retreats that promote excess, we believe in “less but better,” making conscious choices to provide minimal yet elevated experiences such as silent dinners and bonnet breakfasts, allowing guests to deeply connect with nature and themselves.

Every aspect of our operation is harmonious and integrated with our surroundings. From our sustainable hiring practices to our focus on organic food production and cultural engagement, we strive to create an experience that refreshes perspectives and leaves a lasting impact on guests and communities alike. We’re not just a destination; we’re a catalyst for positive change and meaningful connections.

Glimpse the Lions

Sasan Gir, best known as the land of Asiatic lions is also home to a host of other wildlife. The dense natural cover sustains over 300 species of birds and many other species of mammals, reptiles and insects

Sunrise bonnet breakfast

Enjoy a delicious breakfast in the serene setting of a hilltop, surrounded by nature

Savour regional & continental delicacies

Our four restaurants offer a selection of seasonally varying dishes inspired by the rich variety of local produce

Walk with the
local tribes

The wilderness of Gir supports the nomadic lifestyle of the maaldhari tribe as well as the Siddi comunity - an African-origin tribe settled in India

Your Host - Mr. Maulik Bhagat

As a social architect and lifelong learner, Maulik’s journey is shaped by an insatiable curiosity and a passion for exploring the interconnectedness of diverse fields. With a thinker’s mindset and a deep interest in multiplicity, his path has naturally expanded across hospitality, technology, design, education and social enterprise. For Maulik, good design is not just an outcome — it’s a process of collective discovery and shared inspiration.

Marking his presence as a modern social entrepreneur, Maulik leads a spectrum of ventures that reflect both diversity and are in their very nature a force for good. One such forward-thinking endeavour is 1000 Island Hotels and Resorts, with Woods at Sasan as the flagship property, co-designed with his friend and architect Maria Portella. Together with Maria and the design atelier team, which includes around 32 local artisans, the project has been shaped with deep thought and introspection. Social architecture has been carefully woven into its creation, with the entire build using only organic materials and no cement. Brought to life with a strong sense of mission, this collaboration demonstrates how a hotel can contribute meaningfully to the place-making of its bio-region.

Maulik’s journey began as a software engineer in the process of which he developed a nuanced understanding of systems design. Eventually, he established India’s first biophilic retreat, inspired by the spirit of the Kathiawar-Somnath bio-region.

Today, Woods at Sasan isn’t just a hotel — it’s a living experience. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that regeneration, as a process, is intrinsically connected to all living systems, and the retreat truly embodies this spirit. In the heart of Gir, soulful, forward-looking and place-making efforts go beyond simply creating a hospitality experience.

Maulik always believes that hospitality, as an entity, has the power to touch lives—through its very nature of creating multiple touchpoints where the lives of all stakeholders involved can be meaningfully engaged. It is impactful even in urban contexts — it does something to you. It leaves an impression, a shift in how you feel and interact. Yet, it is especially powerful for the place and the people it is rooted in, grounding you, connecting you and giving you a sense of belonging.

He is now pioneering three new food forest projects — focused on residential, social and communal spaces. All initiatives are designed for community-driven, ecology-centric and urban living.

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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Glimpse the lions

Savour regional & continental delicacies

Our four restaurants offer a selection of seasonally varying dishes inspired by the rich variety of local produce

Sunrise bonnet breakfast

Enjoy a delicious breakfast in the serene setting of a hilltop, surrounded by nature

Walk with the local tribes

Apart from the teeming wildlife, the wilderness of Gir supports the nomadic lifestyle of the maaldhari tribe as well as the Siddi comunity - an African-origin tribe settled in India

Your Host - Mr. Maulik Bhagat

He is now pioneering three new food forest projects — focused on residential, social and communal spaces. All initiatives are designed for community-driven, ecology-centric and urban living.

Our insights..

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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 Awards & Certificates

IGBC Platinum rated – 2024
Skift design awards – 2019
TOFT tiger october 2018 to September 2021
World Animal Protection
Destination Deluxe Awards
Gujarat Organic Products Certification Agency (GOPCA) is a non-profit organization that certifies organic products in the state of Gujarat, India. Their primary function is to ensure that products labeled as “organic” adhere to strict standards of organic production, processing, and handling.

Biophilic design

Biophilic design calls for a connection between nature and the built environment. At Woods at Sasan, an intermingling of nature and architecture reconnects the self to the living world and makes for a healthful and rejuvenating environment for guests.

As a Biophillic modern retreat, not a single tree was cut or pruned during the construction of the property. The architectural plans were developed such that each and every man-made element on the 8-acre landscape was woven mindfully in and around the pre-existing, flourishing mango orchard. The retreat ‘grows’ out of the land, with a minimum of built area. Using Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) was crucial in designing the retreat as well as minimising our carbon footprint.

Our energy-efficient designs maximise natural light, reduce electricity usage, and optimise natural cooling with thick stone walls. We use sustainable materials such as locally sourced wood and bamboo screens.

With the trees in the orchard and the forest greenery, the air at the resort has 33% less CO2 than the average air that we breathe. In addition, the soil of the resort is free of chemicals and bio-hazardous materials. The use of local stone for walls and paving, natural lime plasters, wood panelling and bamboo based materials and products, minimise concrete usage and reduce carbon footprint.

The Guest Stays are designed to catch the gentle rays of the rising sun and reduce exposure to the midday heat, an architectural intervention that contributes to approximately 26% energy savings. The resort has also minimised plastic use by 90%.

Today, when the need of the hour is to save the environment, the retreat stands testimony to the fact that if we only put a little heart into our ventures, Mother Nature need not be disturbed or uprooted to create space for our aspirations; we can learn to live in perfect harmony and sync with Her.

Our Efforts

We are dedicated to nature conservation with our eco-friendly initiatives integrated into our operations:

We provide eco-friendly transportation options like bicycles and electric vehicles.
Waste is carefully segregated, with composting for organic waste and reusable materials like glass bottles are repurposed within the retreat. With our no-plastic policy, we have implemented a Netting Zero initiative, where water bottles are reused, forming a circular economy.

Our commitment to sustainability extends to our food practices. Through permaculture techniques, we’ve increased our in-house food production by 3% last year, aiming to achieve 60% self-sufficiency in the near future. This not only ensures nutritious, organic meals but also fosters a farm-to-table dining experience, forging a direct connection between guests and the land.
We prioritise sourcing farm-fresh produce without packaging to reduce landfill waste, using reusable containers for bulk goods, and even offering a home delivery service to minimise packaging waste.
Logistic optimisation strategies are employed to reduce transportation emissions, while the disposal of goods is managed responsibly through authorised agencies.
We actively seek out products with energy-efficient certifications such as EPEAT, TCO, and ECO-LABEL and utilise energy-efficient equipment throughout our retreat.
We have preserved existing trees during construction, used reclaimed materials like excavated rocks and teak wood, and offer nature and village walks to our guests.
A diverse range of trees and vegetation is maintained on-site, and we actively monitor illegal activities in nearby areas.
Our efforts to raise awareness include a library with resources on national parks, documentary screenings, tree-planting events and organic farming discussions with local farmers.
Certified by environmental agencies, we promote plant-based diets and sustainable farming.

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.

Our Efforts

Local Employment: Central to our ethos is hiring locally, preferably within a 100km radius. Resulting in over 40% of our employees coming from the local community, enriching both our team and guest interactions. As Woods at Sasan grows, so does the local economy.
Art and Culture Support: We offer guests opportunities to engage with nearby villages and immerse themselves in local traditions and provide platforms for local artists to showcase their talents through pottery and mud wall art.

Cultural immersion is paramount at Woods at Sasan: Our commitment to community welfare extends beyond providing amenities, it’s about fostering sustainable development and resilience while preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the region. Our village tour, led by a community expert, offers guests insights into the indigenous homes and rich traditions of the tribal and rural communities of Sasan Gir. We suggest our visitors visiting less touristy, organic spots that offer a distinctive and rewarding experience away from the usual.
Celebrating Cultural Heritage: We proudly host the Siddi community weekly, showcasing their local ‘Dhamal’/Siddi Goma dance and traditions, generating over $2500 in income for them. Siddis are an ethnic minority group descending from a tribe in southeast Africa. They came to India as a part of the slave trade a few hundered years ago. This collaboration not only empowers the Siddi community but also preserves and celebrates their cultural heritage.

Community Development

At Woods at Sasan, our holistic approach to community development encompasses a variety of initiatives aimed at enhancing rural well-being and quality of life. Through programs like Shramdan, Swasthaya Sewa, Samajik Granth Pariseva and Krishi Utpadan, empower villagers with skills in yoga, women’s healthcare, environmental conservation, and sustainable farming. From healthcare services for underprivileged populations to a community library called Pustak Ghar.

Happy Faces

We have a sister venture called ‘Happy Faces,’ which employs women from our local community to design and handcraft artisanal products, made from banana fiber. These handicrafts are kept at our boutique store from which guests can purchase.

The Four Cs

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: