Beyond Stays: The Soulful Journey of De Soul Santé
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1. The Soul Behind De Soul Santé: A Boutique Brand Born from Intentionality
De Soul Santé Hotels & Resorts was envisioned as more than a hospitality brand. It was founded by Mr. Sandeep Narvekar (Founder & CEO) and Mrs. Chetana Narvekar (Co Founder & CHRO) with a simple yet powerful belief; travel should nourish, not exhaust. In an industry saturated with noise, scale, and sameness, De Soul Santé offers an alternative.
The brand was created to fill a void in Indian hospitality; the absence of emotionally intelligent, boutique-driven spaces where guests could connect, reflect, and simply be. Most hotels today emphasize amenities. De Soul Santé emphasizes atmosphere. Where others offer rooms, Santé offers calm.
Its philosophy is built on three pillars: emotional intelligence, boutique soulfulness, and mindful design. Each Santé property is carefully curated, where the textures, colors, scents, and sounds are intentionally chosen to create immersive serenity. Hospitality here isn’t transactional; it’s intuitive.
Much of this intention is brought to life by a team that believes deeply in the brand’s mission. From designers and experienced managers to on-ground operations and digital teams, every team member carries the essence of Santé forward in their own way. They are not just employees; they are stewards of a philosophy. Whether it’s an F&B team perfecting a soulful brunch or a guest manager intuitively attending to a need, the team reflects the brand’s emotional intelligence in every interaction.
The roots of De Soul Santé trace back to a story as unique as the brand itself. Before it became a hospitality name, Mr. Sandeep Narvekar was already hosting the world in his own way, facilitating Russian chartered planes to Goa and welcoming travelers who returned year after year, trusting his name over any booking platform. What started as a logistical connection slowly turned into something more heartfelt. He built a space where these frequent guests felt at home, understood, and safe and that spirit became the blueprint for what would soon become De Soul Santé.
The founder’s journey began with La Perla, Morjim, a humble yet heartfelt university project that marked his entry into the hospitality world. This was followed by two deeply personal ventures; Artisan, a soulful beachside café, in Agonda and Nature’s Inn Villa, located in Morjim. These projects helped shape his understanding of experiential design and emotionally intelligent hospitality.
And then, standing tall with the clarity of purpose and the maturity of all those learnings, came De Soul Santé, Morjim; a boutique space that blended all that he had learned about people, place, and presence.
Amidst the changing tides of tourism, particularly when trust and familiarity became rare, Mr. Narvekar transformed a property in Morjim into a soulful sanctuary. Russian guests, in particular, found comfort in a familiar face and a thoughtfully created atmosphere. What was once just a home-away-from-home evolved into a full-fledged boutique hospitality brand.
From the start, Santé was never meant to be a chain. It was meant to be a movement; one where emotional intelligence defines luxury, and familiarity becomes its own form of comfort. Cheers to the Soul.
2. Rooted in Place, Guided by Purpose: The De Soul Santé Expansion Vision
At De Soul Santé Hotels & Resorts, expansion is not about replication. It is about resonance. Every location added to the brand portfolio is chosen with intent and care.
Founded in Morjim, Goa — a region known for its soulful energy and mindful travelers — De Soul Santé planted its roots in a space where calm and curiosity coexist. Now, with its second destination soon to open in Mahabaleshwar, the brand continues to expand its footprint, but only in places where the environment aligns with the soul of the brand.
According to Mr. Sandeep Narvekar, "We don’t chase volume. We pursue emotional relevance."
Future destinations will follow the same philosophy: rich in culture, surrounded by nature, and offering the opportunity to build intimate spaces. From lush hill stations to quiet coastal towns, the goal is to grow without losing the emotional identity that defines Santé.
This vision is being powered not only by leadership, but by a core team that understands the nuances of executing brand philosophy across diverse geographies. From property scouts and architects to storytellers and guest designers, the team brings expansion to life with agility and integrity. Their shared commitment is what ensures that each new Santé space still feels like Santé.
De Soul Santé’s expansion is both regional and aspirational. With plans to eventually scale across India’s boutique belt, the brand remains committed to rooted hospitality in a world of rapid replication.
Cheers to the Soul.
3. Understanding the De Soul Santé Guest: Conscious, Curious, and Calm-Seeking
De Soul Santé was created for a new kind of traveler. Someone who values stillness over spectacle, connection over convenience, and experience over extravagance.
Our guests include conscious travelers, slow-living seekers, corporate professionals, and FITs (Free Independent Travelers) who seek personalized, emotionally resonant stays. Increasingly, the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) segment is also drawn to our boutique settings for their blend of intimacy and productivity. looking for boutique spaces that balance productivity and peace.
India's hospitality landscape is rapidly shifting. Travelers are more emotionally aware, digitally connected, and culturally curious. De Soul Santé is positioned perfectly within this evolution, offering personalized moments that can’t be templated. Whether it’s a handwritten welcome card or a curated in-room playlist, every guest touchpoint is layered with meaning.
Mrs. Chetana Narvekar, who leads the brand’s people and guest philosophy, notes, "We are not here to impress guests. We are here to understand them."
Delivering that understanding takes an emotionally tuned and passionate team. From guest relations to concierge, from backend systems to social media managers — everyone is trained and empowered to respond, not react. It is this depth of intuition within the team that allows De Soul Santé to build real connections with real people.
As boutique hospitality rises in India, De Soul Santé offers not just a stay, but a state of mind.
Cheers to the Soul.
4. Designed to Be Felt: How De Soul Santé Crafts Atmosphere Over Aesthetics
At De Soul Santé Hotels & Resorts, design is not decoration — it is the guest's first emotional impression. From the moment you walk through the door, the brand's philosophy of feeling-first spaces takes over.
Rather than chasing trends or replicating luxury templates, each Santé space is quietly curated to support pause, presence, and peace. The emphasis lies in natural textures, warm tones, intuitive flow, and moments of visual stillness. A hallway that glows with
natural light. A room that invites rest with soft corners. A garden where sound and scent ground the senses.
Mrs. Chetana Narvekar, Co-Founder & CHRO, leads this design sensibility. Her influence ensures that each element in a property has soul. From handcrafted tiles to upcycled wood and custom-scented linen, the brand curates an atmosphere the way one would compose music — not loud, but lingering.
This approach wouldn’t be possible without a cross-functional team that brings the design story to life. Architects, stylists, procurement leads, and in-house creatives collaborate across every touchpoint to ensure that the physical space aligns with emotional intent. The team's patience, creativity, and respect for the brand’s design values make every corner of Santé feel deliberate and alive.
For De Soul Santé, design is not a layer; it’s the language. One that speaks to the kind of guest who values space not just to stay, but to feel.
Cheers to the Soul.
5. Leading with Soul: The Visionaries Behind De Soul Santé
The story of De Soul Santé is deeply intertwined with the story of its founders. It is not a brand born from a boardroom; it is a vision shaped by life, emotion, and human need.
Mr. Sandeep Narvekar, Founder & CEO, built De Soul Santé from the ground up with a focus on clarity, scale-with-soul strategy, and authenticity. With a strong entrepreneurial background, his leadership has remained rooted in a core belief: growth must be graceful, never rushed. His approach to business marries structure with sincerity — a rare combination that defines the tone of the brand.
On the other hand, Mrs. Chetana Narvekar, Co-Founder & CHRO, is the heart of the brand. Her touch shapes everything from the staff culture to the guest rituals. She ensures that the brand doesn’t just operate efficiently but feels warm, understood, and emotionally present.
Her leadership is not in headlines but in gestures — the kind that guests carry back home with them.
But behind the vision of the founders stands a growing team that embodies the same resilience, care, and soulfulness that De Soul Santé represents. From front desk warmth to housekeeping precision, F&B creativity to digital storytelling — each individual plays a role in turning intention into experience.
The brand's journey is filled with stories of long nights, creative problem-solving, and quiet moments of triumph where the team chose values over shortcuts. Their commitment to detail, their ability to adapt with grace, and their unshakeable belief in the mission has laid the foundation for a culture that feels like family.
Together, they steer De Soul Santé not as executives and employees, but as guardians of experience. Their complementary roles reflect the brand's duality: part poetic, part pragmatic.
Cheers to the Soul.