Boutique Eco-Tourism Retreat & Wellness Spa
Raising the bar for hospitality developments in Nagaland, this retreat is designed from first principles to be a high quality property with luxury appeal.
The peaceful site is in a rural setting and surrounded by farmland, it has spectacular panoramic views of the dramatic mountainous terrain that characterises Nagaland. It is a wonderful place where time gently slows and different, natural rhythms take over. However, thanks the newly constructed highway only a few kilometers away, this retreat will have excellent transport links to the airport and train station in Dimapur, and by road to Kohima or the neighbouring state of Assam.
The retreat is aimed at the premium segment of the region’s tourist market. This will include foreign tourists from Europe, the US and Asia, as well as the mid-to-upper segments of the domestic tourist market. To meet the needs of this target market, the development is designed to achieve a sufficiently refined level of quality and finish that will be in-keeping with market expectations.
project details:
- Location: Dimapur, Nagaland, India
- Client: Private Client
“The design celebrates locally available materials, such as natural stone, bamboo and the client’s own small-scale commercially grown Teak.”.
It is common for hospitality developments to be designed in a pastiche style that references traditional Naga huts – Machangs or Morungs. Whilst this perhaps has its own certain charm, we were determined to elevate the aesthetic, making subtle references to Naga heritage and focusing on truthful articulation of materials and achieving a sophisticated, elegant result.
The design celebrates locally available materials, such as natural stone, bamboo and the client’s own small-scale commercially grown Teak. Trees felled during preparation of the site are to be seasoned, then processed at the nearby sawmill for use in the building structure.
The site area a compact 1.44 Acres / 62900 sq.ft, but careful attention has been paid to arranging the site, ensuring that all amenities and utilities can be accommodated, while creating an intimate, secluded environment for the retreat’s guests.
Scalable and Adaptable
Tourism in Nagaland is now established, although it is still very young. There are existing hospitality developments that cater for the generic needs of any visitor, however Nagaland’s own unique tourist appeal is still emerging. With this in mind, Hemstock Design has also helped the client to define a development strategy that allows them future flexibility and scalability. As Nagaland’s tourism identity grows, so can this retreat…