What happens when two people realise India isn’t lacking luxury, but starving for togetherness?

They walked away from stable careers and built a ₹120 CR hospitality brand that proves ‘luxury’ isn’t always required to succeed!

In this episode of The Barbershop, Shantanu sits down with Deven Parulekar (Founder of SaffronStays), who built his brand on one simple belief: where families bond. From a honeymoon dream many years ago to a reality in 2015, this vision has expanded into a network of 425 villas, each designed to bring people closer.

But here’s the part that sets this story apart: SaffronStays refuses the ‘luxury’ tag. Its heart lies in homes that feel welcoming, with villas kept ready for every moment without anyone stepping in uninvited.

An unexpected call about a 130-year-old heritage home changed everything, opening the door to a vision that would one day aim to become the Taj of homestays in India. And through the years, the brand has quietly reshaped how India thinks about travel, belonging, and human connection.

What you’ll discover:

- Why the brand refuses to be ‘the largest’, but strives to be ‘the finest’, with a mission to combat loneliness.

- How human bonds spark real business growth

- How hardships during COVID-19 opened the door to unexpected success

- How one historic villa changed the company’s direction

- The three values that build lasting brands.

If you’ve ever experienced the joy of bonding with your people, watch how a villa brand reimagined Indian hospitality by focusing on bonds, over luxury.

Navigate your way through the chapters

00:00 Coming Up

01:44 Introduction

03:28 How Deven Built SaffronStays

05:42 How Hospitality Has Changed

08:27 What Makes Villa Stays Special

12:27 Growing and Understanding Guests

16:00 How SaffronStays Stands Out

19:05 How Travel Trends Affect Hotels

26:14 What SaffronStays Promises Guests

31:18 Villas Today and Why “Luxury” Feels Overused

35:26 The First Home and Brand Journey

39:44 Where Most Bookings Come From

41:48 Meeting Post-COVID Guest Needs

47:57 The Philosophy Behind Caretaking

50:25 Using Instagram to Connect

53:11 “Where Families Bond” in Action

55:19 Favourite Villas and Top Picks

59:22 Do Guests Come Back?

1:03:25 Making Marketing Meaningful

1:08:27 Advice from Shantanu

1:14:02 Why They Chose the Blue Ocean

1:20:40 Understanding Valuation

1:24:53 How Travel Is Changing

1:26:45 Closing Thoughts