Lonavala Holiday Inn Resort Opening In 2027

Holiday Inn Resort Lonavala opening along the NH 48 corridor in 2027 will add a 100 room branded resort to one of West India's busiest weekend getaways between Mumbai and Pune. Under a new management agreement between IHG Hotels & Resorts and Emproy Hospitality LLP, the property is being positioned as a full service escape for leisure guests, wedding parties, and corporate offsites that want a recognizable brand close to Mumbai and Pune but in cooler hill country. Travelers who rely on familiar chains for consistency and loyalty points will gain another option in a market that has traditionally leaned on independent resorts and villas.

In practical terms, the Holiday Inn Resort Lonavala opening means that by 2027 there should be a midscale, family friendly, internationally branded resort sitting on the main highway link between Mumbai, Maharashtra, and Pune, Maharashtra, with straightforward access from both cities. For planners, that creates a new anchor option for two or three night hill station breaks, as well as a potential base for short meetings and incentive trips that avoid downtown congestion yet stay within driving distance of major airports.

IHG's latest announcement confirms that the resort will have 100 rooms, three distinct dining outlets, and a set of classic resort amenities, including a swimming pool, spa, and fitness facilities, all under the Holiday Inn flag. Company statements frame the project as part of IHG's essentials category expansion, aimed at meeting growing demand for leisure, social, and corporate retreats along the Mumbai Pune corridor, where traffic and income growth have already driven a wave of new hotels and second homes.

Lonavala itself is a long established hill station in the Pune district of Maharashtra, known for its cooler temperatures, forested slopes, and monsoon season viewpoints in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats. Indian tourism authorities describe Lonavala and neighboring Khandala as twin hill towns that sit just off the Mumbai Pune Expressway and NH 48, making them a natural weekend escape for city residents. That road positioning is a central part of the resort story, because IHG has confirmed that the property will be located directly along the expressway corridor, giving it drive by visibility to the substantial car traffic that moves between Mumbai and Pune on weekends and holidays.

For travelers, the NH 48 frontage should simplify logistics. Most guests coming from Mumbai or Pune are likely to arrive by road, either in private cars or hired vehicles, and the six lane expressway is already regarded as the quickest and most scenic route into the hills, with forested slopes and mountain views signaling the transition from city to countryside. Recent safety work on the old Mumbai Pune section of NH 48, including engineering fixes at high risk crash points and stepped up enforcement, has also cut fatalities, which should make self drive or chauffeured transfers more predictable than in earlier years, even if weekend congestion and monsoon rain still demand conservative timing.

On property, Holiday Inn Resort Lonavala is being designed to hit a broad mix of use cases rather than one narrow niche. The 100 room scale is large enough to handle mid sized weddings and residential conferences while still feeling manageable for family breaks. The three dining options should give a mix of all day casual, bar or lounge, and one higher touch venue, which is typical of the brand in leisure destinations and allows groups to stay on site rather than shuttling into town for every meal. The pool and spa components, combined with the greenery and hillside air that Lonavala is known for, are likely to be marketed as part of a wellness and relaxation pitch to overloaded city travelers.

From a portfolio perspective, IHG is using this signing to reinforce its essentials category in India, which it defines around brands like Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts that focus on reliable, midscale stays rather than luxury. Company data shows that IHG currently has 51 open hotels across six brands in India and a pipeline of 72 more properties expected to open over the next three to five years. Lonavala joins a list of secondary and tertiary markets where international chains are moving beyond metros to capture domestic leisure demand, including business city spillover destinations and emerging resort clusters in states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand.

For trip planning, the resort's 2027 target opening means that it will not affect near term bookings, but it is already relevant for travelers and advisors sketching out itineraries for late 2027 and 2028. Weekend demand from Mumbai and Pune is likely to be strong, especially in the cooler season from roughly October through March when hill stations are at their most comfortable and skies are clearer. During the monsoon window, typically June through September, Lonavala is famous for dramatic rain and mist, which appeals to some guests but can complicate driving and outdoor activities, so a resort with on site restaurants and a spa may have an advantage for travelers who prefer to stay sheltered for part of their stay.

Because the resort is not tied directly to an airport or railhead, onward travel planning will still revolve around surface connections. Lonavala is already served by a railway station on the busy Mumbai Pune line, and there are frequent train and bus links that allow guests to arrive car free and then transfer to resorts by taxi or hotel shuttle. Once Holiday Inn Resort Lonavala opens, it will likely be added to standard transfer offerings from Mumbai and Pune, and it may become a default stop for visitors who want to combine a hill station break with city nights at chain hotels in either metro as part of one Loyalty focused itinerary.

Pricing and competitive positioning will depend on how aggressively IHG and its partner decide to enter the local market. Lonavala already has a wide range of independent stays, from simple guesthouses to high end villas and boutique resorts, so the Holiday Inn flag will compete less on being the only quality option and more on the reassurance of global standards, reward earning and redemption, and standardized meeting packages. For some corporate buyers and wedding planners, the combination of brand recognition, expressway access, and a self contained resort layout may be decisive when comparing venues.

In the run up to opening, travelers who want to use the resort should concentrate on a few practical steps. First, monitor IHG's official channels for updates on construction progress, booking windows, and any introductory offers tied to IHG One Rewards. Second, when sketching itineraries that include Lonavala, build in generous drive times for the NH 48 section, particularly on Friday afternoons, Saturday mornings, and Sunday evenings, when weekend traffic between Mumbai and Pune is at its heaviest and when rain or fog can slow the hill approach. Third, think about seasonality, deciding whether the cool, dry months or the more atmospheric, rain heavy monsoon better fits the intended trip.

As with any long lead hotel opening, timelines can shift. The resort is currently described as "slated to open in 2027," but the exact month has not been specified, and handover dates can move forward or back with construction milestones and regulatory approvals. Travelers and advisors should treat 2027 as a working target, not a guaranteed date, until room inventory is loaded and bookable in IHG's systems. Once those bookings go live, Holiday Inn Resort Lonavala is positioned to become a familiar stop on India itineraries that thread together big city nights, hill station downtime, and wider explorations of Maharashtra.

Sources

• IHG Hotels & Resorts signs new Holiday Inn Resort in picturesque Lonavala
• IHG continues to grow essentials portfolio with Holiday Inn Express & Suites Gwalior
• IHG Hotels and Resorts Signs New Management Deal to Open Holiday Inn Resort Lonavala in 2027
• Lonavala and Khandala, Mumbai's Scenic Hill Stations
• Lonavala, Maharashtra, India
• 2026 Travel Guide for Lonavala
• Safety upgrade for 15 black spots on NH 48, accidents dip