Inside Ananda, the Himalayan Wellness Retreat Offering a Unique Spin on Ayurveda | Vogue

"In the heights of the Indian Himalayas near Rishikesh, this sprawlingly luxurious destination spa is perched on a lushly forested mountainside over a thousand meters above sea level; as I drove up the winding road, the views below were blanketed in cloud. Stepping through its palatial doors, I was given elegantly pressed white kurta pajamas and a schedule of spa treatments and consultations for the week ahead, and by that point I was practically floating. The property is vast—golf buggies ferry you between the spa, the 78 rooms and suites, and the main reception building known as the Viceregal Palace—and its USP is to prolong the inevitable through a comprehensive wellness program. Private villas tucked into lush greenery come with large lounges and infinity pools, while the Viceregal Palace, the former seat of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal, holds yoga spaces, a historic billiards room, and the grand Viceregal Suite; I’m told King Charles II once tried to stay there but, due to security needs, could only inhabit one of the private villas." - Lara Johnson-Wheeler