World's largest spa destination is here...

If you want to go to the world's largest retreat and spa destination you don't have to fly out of the country any more. A mere two and half hour drive from Mumbai into the Sahyadris into the Maval tehsil of Pune district would suffice. The retreat is spread over an area as vast as 1,300 football fields, within the private Shillim Estate whose size can accommodate 10 times as many fields.

In its current avatar, the 320 acre-retreat in which the Hilton group is partnering, is an ecologically sustainable destination surrounded by 3,500 acres of natural beauty that offers the opportunity of complete seclusion and serenity in an ultra luxe setting. The experience at the all-villa property will have rates starting from $600 per night with world-class food and beverage restaurants including world’s largest wine cellar. These are introductory prices which will be on offer for a short period since the soft launch today. “We want nothing but the best for our clients so we are sourcing all the non-vegetarian food from abroad,” says GM Andreas Kraemer. This German who has helped set up several holiday resort destinations world over says he's never been as excited as he is about Shillim. “This place has so much potential with the Tungi, Tikona, Lohgad and Visapur forts and ancient Buddhist caves of Karla and Bhaja. We are hoping to help boost the heritage tourism in the region.”

Gavin de Souza, Chairman, Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat and Managing Director, Writer Realty says that the property is accumulation of land parcels acquired over the years.

“My family owned land parcels there right from my childhood. We have only built on that by acquiring other smaller parcels adding to the estate,” he told DNA and added, “We essentially began with conservation when we saw forests being destroyed. We got local villagers from Shillim involved in the process and the land slowly came back to its glory.”

“Since this initiative, the forest cover and the water table has improved. If this is of benefit to us why wouldn't we want to be part of the project? Unlike other projects around we have not been displaced,” said Balu Jadhav, 29 a local farmer.

Retreat director, Rajinder Prabhakar pointed out, “Apart from five restaurants, lounges & bars, the spa features 18 villas, 15 spa pool villas, 17 treatment rooms with private gardens, a dedicated spa restaurant, outdoor heated spa pool, consultation rooms, relaxation terraces, a yoga Pavilion, a meditation cave, conventional & infrared saunas, steam, outdoor hot tubs & hydrotherapy tubs. For those who want more there's a cooking school, dance, music and pottery studios and an outdoor amphitheatre too.