At the edge of Bandhavgarh National Park—where the forest still feels sovereign and the possibility of a tiger sighting hangs quietly in the air—a new safari retreat is reimagining how luxury sits within the wild. The Oberoi Vindhyavilas, designed by New Delhi–based Studio Lotus, unfolds across 21 acres of undulating terrain in Madhya Pradesh, positioning itself not merely as a base for wildlife excursions, but as an immersive landscape experience shaped by craft, climate and context.
Unlike the conventional safari lodge that stages the wilderness as spectacle, Vindhyavilas attempts something more measured. Its design draws from the region’s tribal traditions and the memory of colonial-era hunting lodges, yet filters both through a contemporary, site-responsive lens. The result is a property that feels rooted rather than themed—where the forest is not backdrop but protagonist. As Ankur Choksi, Co-Founding Principal at Studio Lotus, explains, “The gestures draw on familiar archetypes, yet their contemporary articulation ensures the project feels evocative without becoming sentimental.”