Indian Hotels Company has converted Sariska Manor in Rajasthan into a Tree of Life property, marking another step in the Tata Group hospitality company’s push to scale its boutique leisure brand to 100 properties by 2030. The 26-room resort near Sariska Tiger Reserve joins a portfolio that has expanded rapidly since IHCL acquired majority control in November 2024.
The conversion, announced 23 January, brings Tree of Life into one of northern India’s most accessible wildlife destinations. Sariska Tiger Reserve lies roughly 200 kilometres from Delhi and 107 kilometres from Jaipur, positioning the property for weekend leisure traffic from two major metropolitan centres.
Deepika Rao, Executive Vice President for New Businesses and Hotel Openings at IHCL, framed the signing within the brand’s broader positioning. Sariska, nestled in the lap of nature, offers guests an accessible getaway to experience the relaxed pace of life, she said. The resort embodies the brand ethos, with a design that harmonises seamlessly with its natural surroundings and the rich cultural fabric of the region.
Wildlife destination gains branded accommodation
Sariska Tiger Reserve spans over 800 square kilometres of Aravalli hill terrain, encompassing grasslands, dry deciduous forests and rocky landscapes. The reserve became a Project Tiger site in 1979 and underwent high-profile tiger reintroductions after local populations were decimated by poaching in the mid-2000s.
The destination attracts wildlife enthusiasts and photographers seeking Bengal tigers, leopards, jungle cats and diverse birdlife. However, branded hotel supply has remained limited compared to better-developed wildlife circuits like Ranthambore, creating an opportunity gap that IHCL’s conversion addresses.
Tree of Life Sariska Manor features three food and beverage outlets: Antler’s, an indoor multi-cuisine restaurant; The Sparrows, an open-air venue; and Leopard’s Lair, a lounge for evening drinks. Recreational programming includes a swimming pool, spa, cycling trails and nature walks, alongside excursions to nearby cultural sites.
The property’s location in Tehla village places it at the natural entry point to Sariska’s diverse ecological zones, offering guests proximity to safari departures while maintaining distance from the reserve’s more trafficked areas.
Tree of Life acquisition fuels IHCL brandscape expansion
IHCL’s majority stake acquisition in Tree of Life, completed in January 2026 for approximately 176.6 million Indian rupees ($2 million), converted what began as a marketing alliance into full operational integration. The company acquired roughly 55% of Rajscape Hotels, the operating company, from the Ambuja Neotia Group – a Kolkata-based developer with whom IHCL already partners on seven hotel and resort projects.
Tree of Life launched in 2009 and had grown to 19 properties across 15 Indian destinations before the IHCL acquisition. The brand specialises in tranquil escapes in offbeat locations including Dared, Dehradun, Varanasi, Binsar, Kumaon and Udaipurwati – tier II and III destinations that fall outside conventional tourism circuits.
The acquisition aligns with IHCL’s “Accelerate 2030” strategy, which targets a portfolio of more than 700 hotels by decade’s end, up from 570 hotels as of September 2025. The company has earmarked 50 billion Indian rupees ($590 million) in capital expenditure over five years to support this expansion.
CEO Puneet Chhatwal has positioned Tree of Life as a response to structural shifts in Indian travel demand. With India’s growing economic prominence, the income pyramid is witnessing a structural shift, and demand for experiential leisure is at an all-time high, he said at the acquisition announcement. The brand addresses emerging formats in India’s fast-evolving hospitality landscape.
Capital-light model drives portfolio growth
IHCL’s expansion strategy relies heavily on management contracts and operating leases rather than asset ownership. Managed inventory has increased from 26% of the portfolio in 2017 to 43% in 2024, reducing capital intensity while accelerating growth velocity.
For smaller brands like Tree of Life and the lean-luxe Ginger chain, IHCL pursues fully fitted operating leases and selective management contracts. The Sariska Manor conversion follows this template – converting an existing property rather than building new.
The company set new growth benchmarks in 2024 with 85 signings and 40 openings, followed by 74 signings and 26 openings in the first three quarters of fiscal 2026. Q2 2026 marked the fourteenth consecutive quarter of record financial performance, with consolidated revenue reaching 21.24 billion Indian rupees ($250 million) and management fee income growing 21%.
IHCL’s brand portfolio now spans multiple segments: Taj for luxury; Claridges Collection for boutique luxury (launched in 2025 through a partnership with the iconic Delhi hotel’s owners); SeleQtions for named-collection properties; Vivanta for upscale; Gateway for full-service; Ginger for lean-luxe; and Tree of Life for boutique leisure. Each addresses distinct market positioning while feeding the Taj InnerCircle loyalty programme’s 10 million-plus members.
Workforce implications for experiential hospitality
Tree of Life’s expansion into wildlife destinations like Sariska creates specific workforce requirements that differ from urban hotel operations. Properties in natural settings require staff with local knowledge, wildlife interpretation capabilities and the flexibility to deliver personalised experiences in smaller-scale environments.
IHCL has reported creating approximately 10,000 direct jobs over the past five years, with similar numbers projected through 2030. The company’s partnership with Ambuja Neotia will add 15 hotels across northeastern India and West Bengal, bringing an estimated 1,000 additional rooms to an existing 1,500-room partnership portfolio.
For HR leaders in the hospitality sector, IHCL’s Tree of Life strategy signals growing demand for talent suited to boutique and experiential formats rather than standardised full-service operations. The brand’s emphasis on authentic Indian hospitality and connection to local community and culture suggests recruitment strategies that prioritise regional knowledge over conventional hospitality credentials.
Bookings for Tree of Life Sariska Manor are available through IHCL’s website at treeofliferesorts.com
