When Manjusha and Kedar Ghaisas, 59, left Mumbai three years ago, they were not really chasing a tourism dream. Empty nesters, their parents had passed away, their son had moved to London for work, and even a nanny who had been part of their lives for 22 years passed away.
Manjusha and Kedar Ghaisas |
The search for a new phase of life together brought the couple, teenage sweethearts married for nearly four decades, to Alibaug.
The previous land-owner’s plan had been a villa for large groups, but the Ghaisas wanted peace, the ease of hosting small families and couples. The property thus became Tamarind Retreat, a nine-room, intimate space. “We named it after the 10–12 tamarind trees that shade the gorgeous property,” says Manjusha. Just a 20-minute drive from Mandwa jetty, the property has a pool room, garden room, even a machan suite.
The property reflects the Ghaisas’ desire for slow living. Guests mostly come to do very little: read, garden, play with pets. Tending to the vegetable patch is part of the daily rhythm—bottle gourd, methi, cucumbers, and whatever is seasonal. The papaya trees are much loved, and the fruit, with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts and spices, is always on the breakfast table.
Pet-friendliness emerged naturally. Resident dogs Sushi and Milo and a cat named Max are part of the experience.
With reliable Wi-Fi, the Tamarind Retreat has also begun attracting ‘workation’ travellers.
Durvesh Mogghe, founder of the Pune-based Chaitanya Group |
Durvesh Mogghe, founder of the Pune-based Chaitanya Group, says he has visited Tamarind three times over two years, drawn by Kedar and Manjusha’s warmth and personal touch. “They don’t view visitors from a commercial lens,” he says. “They are themselves always available, accommodating, and the ambience of the property is welcoming. It gives you the feel of a village and has excellent food, with something new always coming up.”
Neither Manjusha, a former marketing professional, nor Kedar, who once ran a travel business from home, had experience in hospitality, but both have since quit their previous careers. “We’ve grown into it,” Manjusha says. “Some of our repeat visitors are like family now.” For the Ghaisas, hospitality is not a business strategy, it is a quiet, generous way of rebuilding life.
