When we travel, it is often the space itself that lingers in memory. The way sunlight filters through a courtyard, the curve of a staircase, or the openness of a lawn can stay with us long after we’ve left. Service and amenities matter, but it is architecture that quietly sets the tone of an experience, shaping how we feel in ways we may not even notice.
Some spaces speak of heritage and grandeur. In Rajasthan, the tradition of expansive courtyards and sprawling lawns lives on, designed to encourage gathering and connection. SaffronStays Raj Reverie carries forward this spirit. Its openness and scale create a sense of quiet royalty—not through lavish ornamentation, but through the dignity of proportion and the generosity of space.
Others are designed to draw us closer to nature. Saffronstays Glasshouse Celeste was envisioned as a way of living with the elements. Its transparent walls and open decks erase the boundary between inside and outside, making the sky, the breeze, and the landscape part of daily life. Here, calm comes not from what is added, but from what is revealed.
Then there are spaces born from imagination. SaffronStays Eagle’s Span, shaped like an eagle in flight, feels less like a house and more like a vision suspended above the hillside. SaffronStays AsanjA Dragonfly, its whimscialy designed architecture enchants guests with its earthen courtyards and storybook charm. And SaffronStays Amarah, once a science museum, is a castle-like residence, standing at the crossroads of past and present, its walls carrying echoes of both knowledge and wonder.
What ties these places together is intent. Architecture in hospitality isn’t only about aesthetics, it shapes movement, guides emotions, and frames experiences. A courtyard can bring people together. A pathway can slow the pace of life. A window can turn a fleeting view into a lasting memory.
In the end, these thoughtful spaces remind us that architecture is more than design, it is the silent host. It guides our experiences, creates moments of reflection or wonder, and leaves behind stories that travelers carry with them long after they leave.
SaffronStays Kosha Villas, perched on the edge of Pawna Lake, offers yet another kind of architectural poetry. Its design channels Santorini-inspired elegance, whitewashed walls, arched facades, and blue-toned accents that echo the hues of sky and water. The infinity pool seems to dissolve into the lake, creating the illusion of boundless horizons. Minimalist yet soulful, the villa’s architecture balances openness with intimacy, turning every corner into a postcard-worthy frame. It’s not just a retreat but a Mediterranean dreamscape, transported to the hills near Lonavala.
Everybody has dreamed of being a part of royalty and living a royal life. It is time to turn that dream into reality at affordable prices! Welcome to SaffronStays Jaipura Garh. This royal heritage home is built on the land gifted by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I of Jaipur to Sardar Singh. The calming experience is experienced because the home being located 40 kms from the hustling bustling city of Jaipur. Furthermore this haveli dates back to two centuries and more. Additionally one can experience the life of a royal in a modern yet traditional style.
Restored with great love and care, this 6 bedroom home offers guests a true Rajasthani royal experience. The ancestral artefacts in every corner of the house shed light on the home’s rich lineage. Hand painted Rajasthani traditional artwork adorns each door of the home. A well stocked library is also present for knowledge hungry guests. Guests can indulge in activities like pottery making workshop, traditional Rajasthani folk dance, camel cart rides, bird watching, cook along sessions etc. The in-house lac bangle stall ensures you take a piece of Jaipuri culture back home with you. In addition to these, guests can go up on the rooftops and star gaze in the night sky while a life sized chessboard installation keeps the young and old busy. To conclude the end of a fun day, savour lip smacking Rajasthani delicacies served in the house.
So leave your worries behind and come spend some time with your loved ones. Jaipur Garh is waiting for you!
Living through a pandemic has taught us many lessons. The importance of good health- both physical and mental became a talking point in the year gone by. As work cultures switched from cubicles to homes, employees had their fair share of challenges to deal with, which in turn took a toll on their productivity, for better or worse? Has work from home culture raised the expectations vs performance bar? Let’s understand in more detail how working from home impacts productivity.
Understanding History of Work From Home
A majority of Indians (the senior working force) may have been introduced to the work-from-home routine due to the lockdown, remote working has not been a novel concept abroad. Working from home or ‘remote working’ is decades old, but the conversation about productivity becomes more relevant today, as a majority of people globally function from home, irrespective of their choice.
Coping Up With the Changes
Working from home (Credits: Pexels)
Back in March 2020, when people cocooned in their homes and worked, there were reports of working from home improving productivity. By May 2020, exactly three months into the lockdown, Prodoscore, a leading productivity intelligence tool revealed a 47% increase in efficiency of people working from home. Employees were saving their travel time, they could work in their pyjamas, meetings were either cancelled or virtual, you could munch while you work. The idea of working from home was new for many and seemed a great start.
Technological Barriers
Technological errors (Credits: Pixabay)
For the millennials and the seniors experienced with WFH setting, the transition of shifting from desks/cubicles was not difficult. But for others, the challenges began from dealing with all technical problems on their own. From something, as basic as, inability to connect to an internet connection or complex tasks of scheduling/attending Zoom meetings, the non tech-savvy populace faced the brunt. “You’re on Mute” can be called the key phrase of this pandemic-induced working culture.
Extended Work Hours
Work stress (Credits: Pixabay)
One of the greatest disadvantages of working from home is the inability to disconnect. Not everyone is able to demarcate between work and personal life. Working hours stretched beyond stipulated 8 to 9-hour shifts. Employees were spending more time in front of their laptops, than their families, despite constantly being under the same roof. You are not alone if you are feeling worked up; over 3 million people share the same sentiment! As per a research by Harvard Business School, an employee’s average workday increased by 8.2%, i.e. an extra 48.5 minutes each day. The study analysed emails and meeting times of 3.1 million people across 16 global cities.
The immediate effects were seen on mental health issues. Mental health experts saw a spike in cases where people complained of work stress, and anxiety fuelled by work pressure. Productivity was naturally seeing a downward slope, even though the graph of working hours steeped.
How Do We Exactly Measure Productivity
Productivity can be called an umbrella that covers – efficiency, timeliness, consistency, promptness, tackling crises to deliver the work. So how do we collectively measure these metrics? Productivity of a person is the amount of time he/she takes to finish a task. It is quite possible that out of an 8-hour shift, a person is productive only 4 hours, and the other 4 are spent contemplating about it. It also depends on an individual’s skill sets, nature of work, their resources to get work done in an expected time-frame. But considering all these factors were favourable, were employees still feeling productive? The perceived ‘benefits’ of WFH were evaporating towards the end of 2020. A report by 451, S&P Global Market Intelligence affiliate states only 11% of employees felt productive and engaged during this work from home. This report dug deep into the quiet opposing findings of another study by Boston Consulting Group, that stated 75% of employees were able to strike the balance and perform well. Know some ways to increase productivity while working from home.
The Counter Perspective
Working from home desk (Credits: Pexels)
To every research, there could be 5 more with diverse findings. So while some part of the workforce longs to go back to the office, another comfortably set-up their work-desk aesthetic at home. Some of the biggest IT companies have experienced a surge in productivity of their employees, so much so, they decided to implement a permanent WFH policy. Indian IT majors like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL, Tech Mahindra and Microsoft believe in WFH model even after the pandemic is over as the teams are now used to the shift and saw an increase in productivity. Gartner CFO Survey revealed that 74% of CFOs and Finance leaders intend to move at least 5% of their staff to permanently work remotely. Search giant Google has already emailed their staff to work from home till September 2021. The company is testing a ‘flexible workweek’ where employees attend three days a week from office and remaining days from home. Twitter and Square have announced permanent WFH.
Steps to Improve
A break from office (Credits: Pixabay)
The findings of increase or decrease in workforce productivity differ industry-wise. But as things are slowly getting back on track, employees do need a break more than ever. Things look brighter with COVID-19 vaccinations being rolled out, a sense of relief is washing over, and that has to be celebrated. Fixed day offs or a little breather to go on a getaway, to step out of home and explore what we missed will instill a positive sense to get back to work again. A corporate offsite could work wonders as an appreciation to those who showed their productivity, or enhance those who were too fatigued of working hours. A little gesture of appreciation can go a long way to fuel one’s motivation to work. And a motivated task force will drive your business to success.
Corporate offsites are a great way to inculcate team bonding within your work culture. Working from home has made most employees miss out on their daily informal interactions with their colleagues or ‘work friends’. As things slowly come back on track, it would be a great way to welcome your team to an offsite. After conversing in terms of work targets, strategies, to-do lists, everyone would long for a refreshingly good break. If you are wondering how to plan a successful corporate offsite trip for your team, we have some tips for you.
Status Update: Out of Office
Bond offline with your colleagues. (Credits: Pexels)
Break out from the virtual meetings, go offline and bond offsite. Returning to office will be a reunion of sorts but the real bonds between colleagues will flourish when they are off their laptops chattering about things other than work. Change the status updates from ‘At Work’ to ‘Out of Office’ and transform the mood from run-down to rejuvenation.
Decide Your Objective
An objective of what you want to achieve is crucial for planning a corporate offsite. A clear intent makes it easier to plan things ahead – like booking of a conference room, arranging team-bonding activities or mapping the itinerary. But you can get hassle-free booking and secure stay, if you opt for a private villa like SaffronStays Summer Salt, a 6-bedroom stunning villa on Akshi Beach in Alibaug. Hold your brainstorming sessions under the canopy of coconut plantations, a palpable setting to come up with fresh ideas. Post the session, you can chill in the pool or swing away your worries in the hammock with a seaview. Your entire team will be catered with healthy home-cooked meals by our trained chefs on site, so everyone goes back satiated, be it stomach or the mind.
Discuss With The Group
Ensure everyone is on the same page about their expectations of this offsite trip. Plan it in a way to make everyone feel comfortable. Have elements involving the less expressive or newly-joined members. If there are adventure activities, check the number of employees open to participate. It is not financially feasible to make bookings for a large group when only a cluster of them turn out.
Choose a Place That Matches The Vibe
SaffronStays Constellations Orion
One of the most striking attributes of planning a corporate offsite trip is deciding upon a location. ‘What will be your location’, ‘will it fit in the budget’, ‘how to reach there’ are some of the many branches to the location mindmap. An interesting place will also tickle the excitement of your employees.
One of the wisest options to have an undisturbed team outing is choosing private villas, with the whole property to yourself. There’s no worry of somebody hearing on your team secrets, weaknesses and successes being heartily discussed. SaffronStays Constellations, a private villa complex in Khandala will leave your team spoilt for choice! A set of 3 villas with 5 bedrooms each have enough scope to bond on several activities. Spend time lounging by the spacious pools or play team games in the lush lawns. The barbecue set-up right by the pool, or an outdoor bar setting, there are plenty of euphoric spots to cheer on. Your group pictures clicked outside these expansive villas will make your friends jealous of having such a wonderful work-fam to fall back on!
Socialize Offline
Socialize with your colleagues offline
If your corporate offsite is meant for team bonding, let everyone unwind at their own pace. Have activities that fuel more conversations among the team. Be an anchor to the members who need to improve, socialize in a way that the guards of hierarchy are dissolved for a while. Choose a spacious site that accommodates everyone physically while unknowingly developing their emotional bonds. SaffronStays Kenzen in Alibaugis a 7-bedroom villa with an ample outdoor area and a pool that serves as the best meeting point a team could ask for. The outdoor space can be utilised to play games, organise matches and cultivate team spirit.
Take Feedback
Feedback is Important (Credits: Pixabay)
Hosting an offsite drives an impetus to improve the productivity of your employees. It would take a little while to know how successfully yours worked. Once everyone returns to check their emails, don’t forget to take feedback about what could have been better, what more they would’ve liked, did it help them know the team better. With an affirmation to whether they look forward to more such outings, you know you have been off to a great start, outdoors. Check out SaffronStays Corporates to know more about our campaign and the perfect places to host your corporate offsite trips.
Come February and there’s an ambience of romance everywhere for Valentine’s Day. This time, take a Valentine’s Day Getaway as a celebration of love, of not just couples, but a reiteration of an endearment shared between families. The ties of love connect us differently with every member of the family, but how often do we talk about celebrating them? On Valentine’s Day, explore the idea of love within families – with grandparents, cousins, kids, BFFs, pet companions and of course, your significant other with a feeling of togetherness!
Who needs a boo when you have your babes? Valentine’s Day is essentially for the couples, but what’s a better combination than your girl gang clinking glasses of mimosas? Honour the truest friendships you share with your girl friends with a Galentine’s Day outing. Make it riveting by setting a theme or planning a pamper sesh for all of you together.
Roselle, a 3-bedroom private villa in Lonavala is a perfect place to ring in this celebration. The floral-themed cushion covers spark a refreshing elegance while the bright-yellow plush couch is an exquisite backdrop for your ‘girl squad’ pictures. Make the blooming bougainvillea your photo-booth setting as you hug your best-friends for always being there. You don’t have to worry about the food too, as the trained chef will serve you some authentic dishes. The villa exudes a motherly comfort, just as the care you have for your girl gang right beside you!
If you are a hopeless romantic and advocate of clichés, eternalize your love with a getaway with your partner this Valentine’s Day. Take the run-of-the-mill candle-light dinner date, and add a gentle sea breeze caressing you while you dig into the best hand-crafted spread of your vacation dreams? The perfect way to end the evening? A stroll on an almost-private beachside, long conversations in the lawns or a movie night under the stars – you pick!
At SaffronStays Little Paradise, 3 beachfront chalets in Murud, you can watch the sun set into the horizon as you cuddle with a cuppa in hand, or catch the sunrise from the white wooden swing in the courtyard. Rekindle your romance by giving all your undivided attention to the love of your life, while we pamper you on your holiday.
We never acknowledge the fact that our siblings and cousins are the first friends we make in life. This Valentine’s Day, plan a long drive with your cousins and celebrate the bond of this underestimated familial love. Having your own private villa to unwind without the prying eyes of the ‘elders’ is a luxury not many of us grew up with, but you can certainly enjoy it now on your getaway.
Visit SaffronStays Mega Farms by the River in Igatpuri, a modern villa overlooking a placid river. Sit out in the verdant lawns and forget the problems back home as nature’s tranquil presents itself as a solution you need right now. Some bonds run deep and you will only strengthen them as you share your stories with the ‘big brother/sister’.
Speak, Read and Learn Love With Children
SaffronStays Aranya Vilaas, Kamshet
Valentine’s Day may not have anything to do with children, but it is to do with love, an emotion that children need to learn, reflect and grow with. Envisage the curiosity of your little ones by spending a day out, speaking in the language of love, understanding what they like, and teaching them how to communicate it.
If you are thinking of kid-friendly places with a host of activities, SaffronStays Aranya Vilaas in Kamshet is an ideal spot for both day trips or an overnight stay. The children can enjoy swings by the fish pond or splash around in the shared infinity pool. There’s an option to play a cricket match on the lush green lawns here, or enjoy a game of cards with the view of Sahyadri valley from the balcony. Alternatively, you can also go out on a trek to Visapur fort, bond over lessons of history and fuel up an interest for more such getaways. Sounds like an ideal getaway for the full fam!
Do you recall the last time your whole family sat together and gave uninterrupted time to each other? 2020 may have taken that away from our festive celebrations too, but picture this – a whole resort to yourself, grandparents watching their grandkids running around the lawns, brothers sitting in gazebos, turning pages of their childhood diaries, the ladies not worrying about what’s to be cooked.
It is not a description of a typical famjam from the Barjatya movies, but something that you can enjoy at SaffronStays Foresta by The Lake. An expansive villa in Kamshet spanning across 70-acres has everything you would ask for on a private family vacation. Be it playing board games, soaking in the pool or taking a stroll by the picturesque Andre lake, instill the strength of love and bonding of togetherness shared by a family. Watch elderly members smile heartily as everyone comes together to celebrate. Aren’t their smiles, we strive for? Sounds like a Happy Valentine’s Day getaway to us.
Talking of love, how can we miss out on the unconditional one that comes in the form of our four-legged companions. Take your pooches along on a vacation this Valentine’s Day weekend and watch their tails wag non-stop.
SaffronStays Sanskriti located in Kashid will give your doggos enough space to run about the lawns, lie lazy in the mud and ask for more belly rubs. This 4-bedroom villa boasts of the finest antique collection, that will give you a south-Indian vibe right in Kashid. This home will be a perfect haven for a pet-friendly outing, paw-someness or unlimited licks by your happy pet, guaranteed.
Don’t we all have a tiny bit of guilt within us on missing out precious moments of our life with our families by our side? In spite of the pressing urge to enjoy peaceful family time, duty calls always trump our priorities.. While daily work must continue, short and frequent family vacations can ensure a stronger bond between the family.
It is now time to stop ruminating over whether or not you and your family need a break, and to let the wave of bliss wash over your relationships while you vacation! Numerous researches have stood affirmative to the fact that vacations concord to a lifetime of memories, and satisfied and healthy relations. To list down a few reasons, here’s why a family that vacays together, stays together:
Embrace familial bonds on a Family Vacation
You can’t just sit and expect to have a strong bonding with your family. A strong family bond is anchored in quality time spent together. When was the last time you and your family had a good chat and some hearty laughter? You could be with your family for the entire day but still not have a meaningful conversation! A good vacation allows you to revitalize your relationships and not let them fall off the edge. Vacationing with your family will give your familial bonds a fun boost and make you embrace the purest form of these relationships.
There are numerous quotes online that read ‘Close ones stay close to you no matter what’ and ‘You don’t need to try holding on to people. They will stay if they love you’. What you need to do, however, is this – spend as much time with every kind of family that surrounds you... Quality time spent together with people of different views and opinions, but the same values, gives you and them a chance to broaden your circle of ‘family’.
Rekindle romance with your partner
Do you feel the carefree conversations between you and your partner have vanished, or atleast dwindled? Balancing a professional life sometimes means that we take our personal lives for granted. How often do we turn to tell our partners that we love them, and or appreciate the things they do for you?
Take a vacation, walk the same old paths once again, roam the fields, kiss the mountains or do a backpack adventure to rekindle your romance.
Family Vacations across generations
When was the last time you were able to squeeze in some time for your little ones? The last time when you sat with your parents to have a candid conversation? There are umpteen tasks to handle and a multitude of relations to look after! Keeping all relationships supremely healthy is no cakewalk. A vacation with your entire family offers the space and time to connect with all the generations in your family and experience ‘family life’ the right way.
Mundanity in life makes relationships feeble. A vacation changes the tone and mood of the vacationers. It cleanses the soul and lightens the head. Family vacations are therapeutic! A family vacation every now and then will allow you to get back to your hectic work life, guilt-free. Vacations help keep your family life healthy and add harmony to your relationships.
When you drive behind a truck, it’s good to be weary. They are pretty much like elephants on wheels that can rip through your car. When you’re over taking a truck on the highway in India, it is perhaps a good idea to blare out your horn.
While it makes sense to write ‘Horn Please’ behind the truck, ever wondered where that Ok came from?
The First Theory
The ‘Ok’ part came from Tata. Today you’ll find many trucks like Bharat Benz, AMW, Mahindra on the road. However, before India opened up its economy, most of the trucks were manufactured by Tata. It was around this time that Tata Oil Mills Ltd. Co (TOMCO) came up with a detergent new brand called OK. Hence, their marketing team thought of an ‘amazing idea’. They decided that trucks would be a superb way to spread awareness about this detergent brand called OK. Since the brand had a symbol of the Lotus, the Lotus was painted above OK.
This strategy carried on for a few years and eventually, truck drivers adopted it themselves.
The Other Theory
When dealing with vague and interesting history, you can’t help but find ‘the other theory’. This other theory dates back to World War II. Petrol was on short supply and trucks resorted to using kerosene. Kerosene is not the ideal fuel you want to pour in your tank. It is unstable and there are possibilities of a truck exploding into a ball of fire. Hence, truck drivers wrote ‘Horn Please, On Kerosene’ on their trucks. Gradually, it turned to ‘Horn Ok Please’.
So next time you’re on a highway and blaring your horn at a truck, remember this quirky piece of history!
