Standing out in a crowd of brands that do the same thing as you do is a bit tough. The spa industry is growing at such a fast pace that it is really important for the brands to move forward with the changing times. In a conversation with Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Founder and Chairman, Jupiter Capital, for our Indian Salon and Wellness Yearbook 2017, he tells us about his brand, the vision his brand shares and the journey he has covered with his brand.
Kindly give us a brief about your brand, Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra.
As one of the few resorts in India that are lined with peaceful beaches, The Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra, Kovalam is a collection of just 23 heritage cottages. It has been awarded World Spa Award for the Best Wellness Retreat 2016, under the aegis of World Travel Events. 'Niraamaya' lives up to its meaning, ‘a sense of well-being’, in Sanskrit and has taken painstaking effort to draw from natural therapeutic traditions across the world to reinvigorate, rejuvenate and restore the body, mind and soul. As a member of Relais & Chateaux (a global fellowship of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants), it offers a unique convergence of distinctive hospitality and luxury wellness.
Let us know about your entrepreneurial journey.
Jupiter Capital brought Surya Samudra under its wing in 2007. This was one of its significant additions to its bouquet of hospitality properties as it ventured into this business, thereafter. Founded in 2005, known amongst other things for pioneering private investments into Indian Telecom sector, Jupiter Capital is a leading Investment and financial services firm headquartered in Bangalore, with a presence in 9 countries. It prides in its investments in the hospitality business, apart from its expertise in global public and private investments through acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, direct investments into recapitalization transactions, joint ventures and restructuring and exposure to areas like technology, aerospace, media, music and entertainment. Some of its brands include Asianet and its subsidiaries, Suvarna News, indigo 91.9FM, Cades, etc.
What services can the customers expect from your brand?
One of the main focuses of the retreat is to give you a complete rejuvenation experience- starting from tailor-made stress relieve packages to access and pleasure of wonderfully-situated yoga pavilion where you can soak up the ocean views as you join the resident yogi in an early morning session. Ayurvedic treatments are based on Panchakarma and Rasayana chikitsa that go along with Yoga, pranayama kriya and meditation. These therapies will have a long-term preventive benefit on an individual. Ayurvedic methods are used purposely to enhance body balance progressively raising the overall level of inner contentment. This will be supplemented with a specialized food regime and rejuvenation routine as a part of the whole experience.
How has the brand incorporated its vision in its infrastructure?
At the heart of the Niraamaya Surya Samudra is not only its beautifully done old tharawads (traditional Kerala Houses) dating back to 1982, when Klaus Schleusener roped in Karl Damschen, an architect from Switzerland to give us what we see today, but a serious desire to create an ethos of health and wellness, to create the opportunity to reawaken and rejuvenate. A conscious focus is on the four essential dimensions of health and wellness: Rest, Nourishment, Movement and Mindfulness, what is fondly called the “Essence of Niraamaya”.
