Boutique hotels have come a long way from simply offering high thread counts and espresso machines. Today, they are becoming living galleries of heritage, giving guests more than just a beautiful place to stay. They offer a glimpse, or in some cases a full 360-degree immersion, into traditional crafts and art forms that are quietly fading away. These stays go beyond luxury, inviting travellers to spend their time more meaningfully and return home with a small sense of pride tucked into their suitcase. And, if your heart beats for art, they make for perfect escapes this long weekend.
In Maheshwar, a riverside town in Madhya Pradesh, visitors come first for the sacred Shiva temple on the banks of the river Narmada. But the second thing the city is known for, beyond its spiritual energy, is a delicate, sheer fabric called the Maheshwari textile. The story of this weave dates back to 1767, to the time of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, whose descendants still own and run Ahilya Fort. She envisioned a way to provide sustainable livelihoods while celebrating traditional craftsmanship. Under her leadership, weavers, dyers, bobbin winders and artisans from various communities came together to create what became Maheshwar’s signature fabric.
At the Ahilya Fort Heritage Hotel, guests experience this history in living form. The Maheshwari weave veers away from traditional Indian textiles to be used in more modern applications, such as upholstery, table décor and cushions, offering a fresh take on a centuries-old tradition. Yeshwant Rao Holkar, Partner at Ahilya Experiences, says, “Maheshwari textiles are a living legacy. Supporting their preservation is a tribute to Devi Ahilyabai Holkar and a promise to make sure that this community can always call Maheshwar their home.”
At Ahilya Fort, you can take a guided tour of the REHWA Society’s handloom centre to meet the weavers behind the fabric and support local initiatives.
South India is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the country, and CGH Earth does a brilliant job of showcasing and protecting many of its living traditions. Across CGH Earth properties in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, classical and folk performers of Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi and Ottanthullal are given a respectable stage and audience, helping these fragile art ecosystems to thrive once more.
In another CGH Earth initiative in Tamil Nadu’s Chettinad region, Visalam, a Chettinad mansion under the brand, celebrates architectural heritage through its iconic Athangudi tiles. The property arranges a visit to the factory of these unique handmade tiles, and guests can have a closer look at the architectural heritage of the region.
High up in the hills of Thekkady, Spice Village has revived the nearly forgotten tribal craft of elephant grass thatching. Once practised by the Mannan and Paliyan communities (indigenous forest-dwelling tribes), this traditional roofing technique involves layering Saccharum spontaneum (wild elephant grass) to construct naturally cool, fire-resistant roofs.
Once used in the royal courts of the Mughals across India, and painted with painstaking detail, Ganjifa cards were miniature masterpieces in the form of playing cards.
In Sawantwadi, Maharashtra, this ancient Persian-inspired art form acquired a distinctive identity through the patronage of King Khem Sawant III in the 17th century. The Sawantwadi style is recognised for its use of vibrant regional pigments such as sindoor red, mehndi green and haldi yellow, and for its detailed depictions of navari-clad women, Hindu deities and mythological scenes.
Today, Sawantwadi Palace serves as both a functioning studio and a boutique art hotel. A team of 14 artisans and woodworkers continue to hand-paint each deck. Guests can interact with the artists, observe their process and even try painting themselves. Parts of the rooms at Sawantwadi Palace are painted by the artisans themselves, from mirrors and doorknobs to study tables, making you feel like you’re living within the art form itself.
Phad paintings were like Instagram reels in a world long before social media. They captured vivid extracts from larger narratives, condensed episodes of myth and folklore, not through 30-second videos but through scrolls of hand-painted cloth.
At Shahpura Bagh, Bhilwara, this age-old tradition continues to flourish. Since welcoming guests in 2007, the heritage estate offers visitors a unique opportunity to witness Phad paintings up close. Guests can meet the artists, observe the preparation of natural pigments from roots, herbs, and stones, and watch as scrolls are painted by hand using techniques passed down through generations. Jai Singh Sisodia, owner of Shahpura Bagh, nurtures artists like Vijay Joshi, who carries forward the legacy of the Joshi family of Bhilwara. With support from the property, Vijay now participates in international exhibitions and brings these timeless stories to global audiences.
Laalee, a boutique hotel tucked away in a posh neighbourhood of Jaipur, is a perfect example of how the hospitality sector can weave the maximalist art narrative to create visual luxury. At Laalee, the art in question is one of India’s most visually intricate traditions: Pichwai. Like most art forms with royal or religious origins, Pichwai is a centuries-old textile tradition used in temple sanctums, especially for Lord Krishna. The motifs come from his life journey, both sacred and full of vitality. Whether it’s lotus blooms, sacred cows or scenes from Krishna’s life, people back then were so drawn to owning a piece of Pichwai that it soon moved beyond its devotional roots.
Today, Pichwais appear as wallpapers, murals, paintings, even jewellery and upholstery. But the tradition faces modern threats. “Cheaper printed versions risk erasing the handmade legacy,” says Shan Bhatnagar, the artist and founder of Laalee. “Helping people see, feel and experience different kinds of Pichwais is key to keeping the tradition alive,” he says. At Laalee, Shan brings the art-inspired stories straight onto architectural surfaces, be it walls, ceilings, and doors, creating an immersive, almost four-dimensional experience of living inside the art.
The rooms are like celebratory occasions, named and designed in the same way. The Padma Room is where hand-painted lotuses bloom across every surface. The Diwali Room sparkles with intricate mirror work, twinkling like Diwali lights in a sheesh mahal. The beauty of Laalee is that it never loses its way in the storytelling. Across rooms, pool, coffee shop, restaurant upholstery, linens and even crockery, it’s Pichwai all the way!
This is a rarefied hotel that flips the script on what boutique luxury can be. While ultra-luxury is often loud and flashy, tied to big-name brands, Aramness feels personal, grounded and deeply thoughtful. Yet, it is also one of the most coveted luxury wilderness properties in the country. If a six-figure price tag does not flinch you, you get to stay deep in the heart of the Gir Forest, in a location so surreal it almost feels criminal to be there. Asiatic lions roar in the background, jackals cross your dirt road approach, and the stillness settles in like a secret.
Aramness doesn’t show off. It lies low, just as a true wilderness retreat should. Everything here is made from recycled materials, local crafts and traditional art, all sourced from nearby villages. It is a passion project by Jimmy Patel, a wildlife conservationist who brought his experience in South African safari design to India, looking at Indian craft with new eyes and deep respect.
“True luxury,” says Jimmy, “isn’t about imported opulence. It’s about authenticity.”
At Aramness Gir, there is so much of Gujarati craft under one roof, that it almost is an exhibition without feeling like it. Wooden blocks, once used for hand block printing, have been turned into counters. The carved doors to each kothi (room) are reused from old havelis, so each one is unique. A red post box adds a hint of nostalgia. Tribal beads and necklaces rest in giant stone urns as décor. The jali screens are sculptural centrepieces, carved by local masons and inspired by dried sal leaves from the forest. Inside, alcoves glow with Kutchi lippan work, a traditional mud-relief art done by Kutch women, using clay and mirror in warm, earthy tones.
Every corner has an intention, brass door handles shaped like native animals, marble lion gargoyles perched above water troughs, saffron-hued textiles on cushions, charpoys and parasols. The embroidery, mirror work and motifs celebrate the soul of Gujarat.