I arrived at Irada in December, when the red Maharashtrian earth feels especially vivid — burnt, textured and endless. The drive itself sets the tone; it is a long, palm-lined approach that builds anticipation before revealing what feels less like a hotel and more like a mirage. At the end, a mansion rises in the middle of a working vineyard — unexpected, cinematic — somewhere between rural India and the countryside of Spain or Portugal. At the end of the driveway, a sweeping staircase flanked by lion sculptures leads up to a deck that feels almost theatrical in scale. From here, the estate unfolds: vineyards in neat lines, forest closing in at the edges and beyond that, a 4,000 hectare grassland safari where chinkara and deer move through the landscape. The architecture is unapologetically grand. A neoclassical silhouette anchors the building with its columns, proportion and a certain old-world formality that contrasts sharply with its remote, almost wild setting. Restored by founders Mohammed Afnan and Arun Shekar of the Calicut-based studio, Humming Tree, the interiors temper that grandeur with a midcentury modern language shaped by natural woods, tactile finishes and custom furniture designed for the property.
In my Collector’s Suite, the design felt both composed and richly sensorial. Walls finished in clay plaster absorbed the light in a way that felt almost meditative. A 1960s French chandelier hung overhead. A freestanding burgundy bathtub sat confidently within the glass-walled bathroom; midcentury modern furniture and aged brass fittings grounded the room, alongside stripe tiling and monolithic vanities carved from Indian stone.
"At Irada, inspiration comes from across the world, but the soul lies in India’s craftsmanship. We’ve eschewed big brands for creations that feel personal, original and distinctly our own"
