GUARDIANS OF CRAFT

Global hospitality brands are embracing cultural preservation beyond architecture. Reviving local arts and crafts can become a new frontier in authentic luxury experiences.

- CHANDREYI BANDYOPADHYAY

Beyond marble lobbies, ornate chandeliers and plush bedding, India's luxury hotels are embracing a profound new purpose-of becoming living museums where ancient crafts breathe and traditional artistry flourishes against contemporary backdrops. As globalisation threatens to homogenise cultural experiences, hotels today emerge as unexpected sanctuaries of heritage, where forgotten crafts find voice as skilled hands continue centuries-old traditions.

Once the exclusive domain of boutique properties, cultural stewardship flourished naturally within the intimate confines of Rajasthan's heritage havelis and Madhya Pradesh's wilderness retreats. Homegrown brands like CGH Earth, Brij Hotels, and Pugdundee Safaris established their identities through profound community connections, weaving local traditions into immersive guest experiences.

A remarkable transformation now ripples through the hospitality landscape. Luxury giants and international flagships-once defined by standardised opulence that could exist anywhere-are embracing regional authenticity with passion. This shift reflects more than shrewd business calculus capturing the experiential travel market, signalling a deeper awakening to their role as custodians of cultural bequest. Brands are increasingly recognising that true luxury lies not in isolation from their surroundings but in meaningful celebration of the cultural soil from which they rise-a responsibility to heritage that enriches both guest experience and community legacy.