A long weekend does not always mean you need to pack bags, book flight tickets or travel to an international destination or a hurried checklist filled with tourist attractions. It can simply mean a satisfying escape where you check into a beautiful hotel or resort, put the work notifications on mute, and let the next few days unfold. As short breaks are becoming increasingly valuable, staycations offer travellers a reason to take a break from the city and work life and come for a pause with in-house experiences and activities to unwind and explore the beauty of the destination without ticking off an overfilled itinerary of crowded tourist destinations.
Long Weekend Escapes Across India
From grand palace hotels, secluded wildlife resorts to elegant city addresses and expansive luxury or wellness retreats, stays across India offer stays built around good meals, hospitality, beautiful surroundings and time. Here are some staycation ideas you cannot miss this weekend for a perfect family, me, or couple time without doing much.
Ananta Spa & Resort Jaipur
As the October weather begins to turn more comfortable, the Gandhi Jayanti long weekend is a good excuse for Delhi-NCR travellers to get back on the highway. Ananta Spa & Resort Jaipur works particularly well for a short, driveable escape where the resort itself is the destination.
Its rooms include expansive suites and private-pool options, while Zen-inspired gardens, pools, a spa, vegetarian dining and a two-storey Kids Zone make it easy for families to spend the weekend without packing the itinerary.
Marari Beach Resort, Mararikulam, Kerala
Walk barefoot on the soft sands at dawn, watching the fishermen haul in their morning catch. Spend your days lounging in the shade of palm trees that lay between your cottage and the sea, listening only to the waves—an exercise in simplicity and mindfulness. Or dipping into the gorgeous pool or the vast Arabian Sea.
Evenings are ideal for sipping fresh coconut water and reflecting on the sheer beauty around you. Marari Beach Resort is Malabar’s tropical paradise, offering an authentic Kerala experience- simple, elegant, and deeply rooted in local life with CGH Earth service, local cuisine, earthy beauty, conscious living, and village insights as highlights.
Amrit Bhawan, Haridwar
Haridwar needn’t always mean a hurried pilgrimage. For the Gandhi Jayanti long weekend, Amrit Bhawan, an eight-room heritage home by the Ganga, makes a case for experiencing the city at a gentler pace. Mornings can begin at its private ghat, followed by walks through old Haridwar, regional Uttarakhand food, or a sunrise visit to a nearby rose farm.
Those with more time can head into Pauri Garhwal for a glimpse of village life in the hills. With Shraddh beginning over the weekend, it is also a thoughtful base for families travelling to Haridwar for rituals, while allowing the journey to extend into a few unhurried days together.
WelcomHeritage Bal Samand Lake Palace, Jodhpur
At WelcomHeritage Bal Samand Lake Palace in Jodhpur, guests wake up to the golden hues of the Blue City, where royal courtyards and lakeside charm come together for a regal long-weekend escape. A must-add place to your bucket list for all the Delhi travellers, Jodhpur can be a less crowded and easy-to-explore destination within a short drive.
Golden Tusk, Jim Corbett
With two long weekends on the calendar this October, around Gandhi Jayanti and, separately, Dussehra, travellers looking to make the most of a short break don't need to look far. At The Golden Tusk, set on 10 acres beside the reserve forest and along the banks of the Dhela River, the resort has built an experience designed to fill every hour of a stay, whether or not a guest steps into a safari jeep at all.
True to its own philosophy, “Never a Dull Moment,” it makes an easy, complete choice for either long weekend ahead.