Oleander Farms, Karjat

With my father off pursuing mountain trails, the city seemed to exhale into an unusual stillness. My mother, my husband, and I decided to follow suit—not to the peaks, but just far enough to leave the city’s hum behind. Guided half by whim and half by intent, our compass led us to Oleander Farms. We had imagined a simple escape from the ordinary; what we discovered, however, was far richer.

The view we woke up to. Image credit: Oleander Farms.

In Room 406, timber floors ran underfoot, and at the centre stood a four-poster bed in dark bamboo, fitted with gold hardware. Hand-spun rugs in tones drawn from water and soil completed the setting. In the morning, we woke to the lake before us—unarranged, yet picture-perfect: a mirror of the sky, stirred by the slow march of clouds. Foliage leaned into itself, its leaves tipped with colour as if brushed by a god. What had begun in the hush of the 2020 lockdown—holidays meant to distract, to soothe, to hide—had since grown into a 200-acre choreography of earth and sky.

Oleander Farms, true to its name, is very much a working estate. Its fields cultivate an array of fruits, vegetables, and spices—mangoes, chikoos, avocados, dates, basil, turmeric, and black pepper—alongside Indian staples such as bitter gourd, pumpkin, bottle gourd, radish, and, of course, rice. The rice grown here is pressed into the estate’s signature rice lager, a subtle reminder of the direct link between soil and table. Each dining space on the estate carries its own character. Saltt, the flagship restaurant and bar, has earned a reputation for its broad menu of European, Asian, and Indian comfort food, accompanied by farm-fresh cocktails. The ambience strikes a balance between rustic charm and understated sophistication: glass walls, wooden furniture, lush greenery, and ponds punctuated by ducks.

Saltt is beautiful inside and out. Image credits: Oleander Farms

Lamb chops, dal makhani and tandoori prawns at Saltt. Image credits: Oleander Farms

A short walk away, Common House—Karjat’s first craft microbrewery—seats 136 and offers six signature brews alongside pan-Asian, Italian, and Indian fare: a space where craft and meticulous attention converge. The Tea Ceremony presents more than a hundred rare blends, guiding guests through a curated survey of global teas, while the Vintage Wine Store, overseen by sommeliers, hosts tastings that evoke the unhurried elegance of a Tuscan enoteca.

Tea ceremony and Common House, image credits: Oleander Farms

Kensho is the estate’s nursery and plant boutique, where more than a hundred varieties of indoor and outdoor flora are cultivated. A DIY potting bar and plant-styling services offer visitors the chance to engage directly with the greenery—to take a piece of the estate home, or simply unwind among the leaves.

For those seeking a different kind of alignment, the estate also offers yoga, guided meditation, sound therapy, art workshops, and nature trails that thread through its 200 acres. Sohum Spa is where the principles of Indian Ayurveda are harmonised with international wellness philosophies. Yet not all the pleasures here are serene. The Entertainment Zone—housing table tennis, bowling, and vintage arcade games—thrums with a different energy. Animal lovers can meander through a small Zoo, home to iguanas, exotic birds, a koi pond, chickens, rabbits, tortoises, and more. Car enthusiasts, too, have a dedicated space: the Vintage Car Collection, which features classics such as the Morris 8, Volkswagen Beetle Type 1, Chevrolet Deluxe, and Mercedes-Benz 170V.

Behind the scenes, nearly 800 people—chefs, staff, gardeners, and crew—keep Oleander Farms thriving.