Woof! Take me on a vacation with you

A pet being carried by his owner on his morning walk at a pet-friendly resort

A comforting paw in your lap; that familiar look of unconditional love in those chocolate-puddle eyes and the world suddenly seems like a brighter place to live in. During the pandemic, lonely families and individuals turned to pets for emotional support, reveals Devendra Parulekar, founder of SaffronStays, a hospitality company that curates and has built a network of premium luxury homestays in India. There was time to nurture them as well. And, now, as the pandemic wanes, furry babies have become permanent members of the family. “Pet parents are taking shorter trips to pet-friendly resorts. Indeed, 40
percent of the bookings at Saffronstays are for pet-friendly villas that is one in every four bookings, ” he adds.

“If you’re an avid pet lover, you’ll know that no holiday is quite complete without taking your family pet along”, “ states Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb General Manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan in a press release. He adds that when it comes to pet-friendly Airbnb stays, owners are seeking space, often in locations outside capital cities. “ With more than 25,000 pet-friendly Airbnb listings across India, we have something for even the fussiest four-legged family members,” he adds.

If you are considering taking your pet – cat, dog, bird in a cage – on a pet-friendly escape, there are now options in India where you can enjoy an idyll together. Some properties reportedly have pet-curated menus, pet beds and even adventure marshalls who baby-sit your furry baby while the rest of the family explores the environs. However, most have rules to be observed. Some allow pets after prior approval; some charge a fee, others don’t.

But certain rules are common to most properties… Pets are not allowed in lounges, restaurants, spa areas, near swimming pools and on furniture. They must be on a leash or in a carrier at all times when outdoors, and most resorts and home stays encourage pet parents to carry food, feeding bowl, and a pet bed for their four-legged proteges. Pet waste in the room and in the public areas has to be cleared by the owner. However, many will provide food from the kitchen if notified in advance. It’s best to check a hotel’s pet policy prior to booking.

Villas by Chandralok

The villas flooded our senses with shades of green and a post-monsoon wet-earth fragrance. A quick getaway to Lonavala, a two-hour drive from Mumbai, is a rite of passage for most
Mumbaikars, at any time of the year. And Villas by Chandralok, a pet-friendly four-villa property, is ideal for family reunions and celebrations with (or without) your furry family in tow – be it dogs, cats or even birds. Indeed, get-togethers of any kind – with friends from overseas visiting their Motherland, even a romantic getaway for two.

“We love dogs, rescue dogs, live with dogs,” says Siddhi Ganatra who with her sister Heta owns and runs Villas by Chandralok. “There’s no way we would want our guests to feel/live differently,” she adds. Even as we checked in, Chaaya, a female canine, gazed at us with her liquid-brown eyes. She had been grossly abused in Mumbai and subsequently rescued, nurtured and healed with love by Siddhi and Heta in their spacious Lonavala property. Three more gentle pooches dubbed M J, DJ and Tartuffi, eyed us curiously, and courteously escorted us to our four-room villa.

The design-led villas are a stand-out because the connection between the interiors and nature is so strong. The forest-like iridescent landscaping outside seems to fill the four-room villas ( which come with cosy minuscule balconies) in a gentle haze of green. The luxury of space, greenery and its pet-paradise aura make this a retreat that your fur family would love to come home to. However, the luxurious edgy décor and vintage furniture encourage respect for the owners’ impeccable tastes. Hence pets are discouraged from climbing onto the furniture.

Ultimately, boredom is not an option here. Relax with your pet on your private- pool-facing bench and bird watch; embark on a trek to one of the lakes; make forays into the forest, splash around in a stream en route, relax by your private pool at sundown … And wake up to mornings filled with bird song and tender loving care for your pet family.

A pet canine at Rakkh resort accompanies guests on a trek

Rakkh

Rakkh resort is an eye-full, rimmed by mountains and valleys, where nature is the handmaiden, making it a perfect fit for a pet-friendly vacation.

Located in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, the four and a half-acre resort, has 23 villas hewn into a hill along a pathway lined with forest-like vegetation. This makes Rakkh an ideal locale for a paw-some vacation as guests’ furry family can gambol on a leash in the Great Outdoors, and when accompanied by their paw parents. The dining areas, spa and swimming pool, however, are out of bounds for pets.

What is likely to make pets feel right at home are Talli and Tina, two resident canines, who are akin to a reception committee, ready to nuzzle and befriend every guest on check in. Your pooch can hang out with these two canines while the other three resident ducks, three geese and three hens are also a convivial bunch. They waddle up to inspect new arrivals while a rooster crows his welcome.

Take your four-legged ward for a walk in the neighbouring village where locals welcome you with radiant smiles, or take off on a forest walk, splash in a stream or waterfall or merely star gaze at dusk in companionable silence. “After all, furry babies are family, too,” says Swati Makkar, resort manageress,“and deserve to be part of family vacations. Lots of outdoor space, activities and experiences, give us an opportunity to host pets as well,” she says.

Banjara Camps and Retreats property in the Himalayas surrounded by towering mountains can make for a paw-some vacation

Banjara Camps and Retreats

Located in the remote reaches of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh and Kumaon, Uttarakhand, and one in Punjab, Banjara Camps and Retreats could well be the paw-some vacation of your dreams.

Blessed with ample space and breath-taking environs for long leisurely walks and treks accompanied by friendly pooches from nearby villages, Banjara Camps and Retreats welcome four-legged family members of their guests. The flagship property, Banjara Camp and Retreat in Sangla, in the Kinnaur district of
Himachal , is located in a lush apple orchard where plump red orbs hang low in the season. Take in wrap-around views of towering mountains as you swing in a hammock, cuddling your pooch or feline. The only sound track is the gurgle of the river Baspa as it gushes through the valley. Camaraderie overflows in the evenings over cups of tea or later when dusk shrouds the soaring massifs and a bonfire crackles.

At their Banjara Orchard Retreat in Thanedar, a Himalayan market town, enfolded in apple and cherry orchards, the living is easy for a pet-friendly family. Located 80 km from Shimla at an altitude of 7,700 ft, Thanedar is the epicentre of the Himachali apple belt where apple trees are shrouded in netting to protect them from the occasional hail storms that happen in the monsoons.

With your furry ward in tow, embark on a walk in the village or a drive to Hatu Peak, 15 km away, via twisting roads edged with blue pines and shaded by sturdy muscled cedars, fir and spruce. Take in the sight of the eternal mountains needling the blue skies with their jagged peaks; and walk through dense forests with floors soft and mushy with pine needles and maple leaves… There’s Tani Jubbar Lake with a Nag Devta temple and the Saroga Forest for a refreshing morning walk with your pet.

Whenever you stay at any of the 11 Banjara mountain lodges in Himachal or Kumaon, or at Dera Bassi, getaway to Himachal, near Chandigarh, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you did not leave a furry family member behind with a pet carer, and instead took your pet along to sequestered Himalayan locales where he or she could run free.

A network of picturesque homestays, SaffronStays has 100 pet-friendly villas in India

SaffronStays

A network of picturesque homestays, SaffronStays has 100 pet-friendly villas in India enlisted in its system. Many are within driving distance from Mumbai and Pune. “More and more home owners are opening their hearts and homes to four-legged guests, post-pandemic. Canine and feline babies gave pet parents unconditional love and support at a time when they needed it the most and so demand for pet-friendly accommodation has risen,” according to Devendra Parulekar, founder of SaffronStays. “ Home owners are passionate about pets too,” says Devendra. “The luxury of our estates is what draws pet parents. Large sunny lawns where pets can run around, private spaces, azure pools and pet-friendly food, what’s not to love about paw-cations?”

While the attitude of pet-friendly owners is that pets are like children and should be allowed to roam free in the estates, the usual restrictions apply within the homestay regarding pets and furniture. In homes where en suite facilities include bathtubs, pets are not allowed in the bathrooms and pet parents are encouraged to carry their own supplies in terms of food, water bowls, pet beds, pet hygiene products, poop bags, etc. Basic meals such as rice, boiled chicken veggies and rotis are provided for an extra charge.

The homestays are located in picturesque settings and ideal for families with pets and for large families with kids. Evocatively named, Birdsong on Madh Island in Mumbai, for instance, is a three-bedroom private home, 10 minutes from the beach where you and your buddy can frolic and play, go for a run or relax on a sit-out outdoors, lulled by a calming breeze.

The Cliff-edge Villa 270 Degrees is a homestay that fields ocean views in three directions. Located in Dapoli, 239 km from Mumbai, the five stunning sea-facing cottages are named after Dapoli’s native flora – Jaswanti, Bakul, Aboli, Sugandhi, and

Sheru, the local canine takes a break in the meadows at Sangla

Shevanti – and can be booked individually.

Jaswanti is a bright intimate room, perfect for a couple and their furry family, with landscaped gardens and a man-made pond where your four-legged buddy can laze around. Mornings are cosy and filled with light and there are plenty of excursions to choose from. Drive to Suvarnadurg Sea Fort, just a 15 minute drive away or to Murud beach (3.5 km away) or the turtle breeding centre at Velas (49 km way).

Or head to Parsi Manor in Matheran, the only pedestrian hill resort in the country, a three-hour journey from Mumbai. The 20th century vintage villa has four bedrooms and recalls a sepia-tinted era of four-poster beds and vintage easy chairs in the verandah.

And there are home stays in Alibaug, Panchgani and Nashik as well as up north in Bhimtal, Shimla, Kasauli, Dehradun and Mukteshwar. Down South, there are picturesque villas in Waynad, Mysore, Coonoor, Coorg, Ooty that welcome pets – even the furry, feathery and frisky ones.