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Curating Luxury Vacations: Who Plans Diljit Dosanjh, Tom Holland and Dua Lipa's Trips in India?
Helicopter landings, custom pillows, hidden suites, and no paparazzi allowed — welcome to the world of hyper-personalised celebrity travel, where discretion is the real luxury.
Chartered flights, helicopter landings, customised itineraries, signature pillows and elaborate entourages — this is travel for India’s A-list. It’s hyper-personalised, discreet and rarely left to conventional booking agents. Instead, luxury travel today is the domain of expert curators and five-star hospitality teams who tailor every trip to their clients’ tiniest whims.
“[Singer] Diljit Dosanjh is a regular guest of ours,” reveals Rathijit Dutta, general manager of The Oberoi Sukhvilas. “He stayed with us while he was on his India tour [in December 2024]. We have a helipad and can provide guests with helicopters that directly land inside the hotel. So, when Diljit’s show was in Ludhiana, he used that [service] because it was easier.”
But not every celebrity wants an over-the-top African safari or a Maldivian sea-facing villa. Sometimes, all they seek is peace. Yogi Shah of The Villa Escape, whose Mumbai-based consultancy has quietly engineered some of the most indulgent and intimate getaways for Bollywood stars, business magnates and athletes, says, “We planned a holiday for a very big celebrity, and she went to the Dolomites. All she did was cycle.”
Travel needs and preferences vary quite a bit, adds Harshvardhan Tanwar, cofounder of No Footprints, a boutique experience company that curated a private Mumbai tour for actors Tom Holland and Zendaya during their visit two years ago. “We designed something we called the ‘strange stories of the sea’ — a luxury yacht tour to get a glimpse of the city, but away from the crowd. They got to hear the stories of the city from the sea’s perspective.”
“Both Tom and Zendaya were incredibly sweet, soft-spoken, and among the most humble celebrities we’ve had the honour of welcoming,” said Meherzad Kajanwalla, co-owner of Blue Bay Marine, the yacht charter service they used. “Tom was especially attentive and protective of Zendaya, always keeping a watchful eye on her — truly the most adorable couple.”
But such curation begins weeks — sometimes months — in advance. In fact, the privet jet charters celebrities often use “may cost between ₹5–10 lakhs (approximately $6,000–$12,000 USD),” reveals a representative from Luxe Travel and Lifestyle Management, a travel agency. “However, the final price depends on the destination, client’s preferences regarding the type of aircraft and level of luxury.”
They add, “Empty leg flights on private jets are typically more cost-effective than booking the entire aircraft, as they are priced per seat and depend on the jet's scheduled movement from one point to another.” But there are no templates, no standard packages. Everything is built from the ground up, often based on mood boards, playlists, or candid comments picked up in casual discussions.
How Stars Go Off-Grid
When it comes to curating holidays for celebrities, Shah deems privacy and security to be top priorities, a sentiment Dutta shares. The Oberoi Sukhvilas GM adds that hotel staff is expected to maintain silence — with no selfies to be clicked.
Dutta continues, “When I spoke to Diljit, he said what he likes most about our hotel is that nobody gets to know when he’s here.” But in this age of paparazzi culture taking root in India, is that even possible?
“The room that he stays in has a private road leading to it. The presidential suites are in the forest block [of Oberoi Sukhvilas], which is a kilometre away from the main block.” He adds, “There is also heightened security when a celebrity is staying. The local government provides it, and [celebrities] bring their own private security as well.” He emphasises that both are stationed outside the hotel, at the main entrance. Having previously worked at the bustling Trident Hotel at Nariman Point, Mumbai, he deems this to be standard practice.
When international stars like Holland and Zendaya want to explore the city, however, security becomes even more advanced. “A security team came to recce the places one day before. Sometimes, they even come six to seven months before, depending on the kind of movement it is,” says Tanwar, adding that they typically also send a short profile of the guide to the celebrity’s security detail. Kajanwalla pointed out, “What truly stood out [about Holland and Zendaya] was how low-key they were — accompanied by just two security personnel, unlike many other celebrities of their stature who often arrive with a large entourage and an air of entitlement.”
Tanwar, however, understands that celebrities with strong recognition among the Indian diaspora require a different approach. “For instance, when we were doing a food tour with [writer] Nigella Lawson, people recognised her and came to take a photograph, but there wasn’t any hysteria. Hollywood celebrities get the most attention when they have security guards with them.”
And paparazzi, Tanwar says, are allowed to be present only if the guest is comfortable. “When [supermodel] Gigi Hadid was touring with us, some international tourists recognised her, and she obliged them for a photograph at the Gateway of India.” But if a guest says no, they double security and ask people to delete any images clicked.
One such incident took place when No Footprints hosted some Australian cricketers and people surrounded them. “It became a bit of a situation; we had to curtail the tour. We make those decisions on the spot,” admits Tanwar.
K. Mohanchandran, senior vice president (operations) of Taj Hotels, notes that most celebrities come with their own teams. “They manage crowd control, back-of-house access, and plan their entry or exit routes to avoid attention.”
But ultimately, discretion begins at the very first stage: with the planner. “You’ll never hear a planner talk about whose holiday they are planning or where they’re going. And they’ll never ask for social media posts.”
Down to the Details
Speaking of celebrities’ social media posts, what doesn’t show up on the Instagram feed are the hyper-personalised services behind the scenes. For instance, Mohanchandran notes that a “dedicated concierge, chef and valet” are always available. He adds that from high-end accommodation to private jets, luxury cars (and luggage that’s sent ahead), celebrity travel is “almost always bespoke”.
Tanwar attests to the fact that celebs rarely travel alone, when they attend his tours. “Generally, there are about two cars. They get their own private security, their designers, stylists or friends and business associates.” But Dutta notes when they travel to hotels like the Oberoi Sukhvilas, they tend to come alone, or with family. The representative from Luxe Travel and Lifestyle Management adds that from VIP services and concierge services, they cater to all their demands. “For instance, one of our esteemed clients requested to book an entire island in the Maldives for a family and friends gathering — just 30 days before travel. Despite the short notice, we managed all logistics and created an unforgettable experience,” they say, noting that this extends to last-minute access to sporting events, music concerts and even, sourcing requests for sold-out luxury brand watches and handbags.
The personalisation extends to curated experiences: from after-hours tours at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, to private yacht rides and exclusive high teas at the Taj Mahal Palace. Tanwar adds, “We once had the main priest at ISKCON come down to have a word with a guest. It entirely depends on what their interests are.”
For instance, [model] Ashley Graham wanted to see the Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya in Mumbai. “We reached out to the management team and asked if we could come in [after] hours. We try to get special access permissions,” he admits. Similarly, when Gigi Hadid visited, they went around the important historic sites in the city — a tour called “Jio” (live) Mumbai, a play on words since she came for the opening of the Jio Convention Centre.
How They’re Designed — And What They Cost
When curating a travel package for celebrities, nothing is left to chance. It all begins with a one-on-one conversation,” says Shah. “I understand what time of the year they are looking at, the number of days they have or if there’s an activity they want to do. Then we give them the entire plan. We also have a local team that takes care of them, in terms of privacy and security.”
“Another thing to note are the cancellation terms because their lives are [unpredictable]; plans should be easily cancellable. One schedule change and the entire thing goes for a toss,” he adds.
Tanwar starts by asking similar questions as well. From there, the team builds a flexible itinerary that includes must-sees and time-sensitive areas based on crowd flow. “We also have to be ready for last-minute changes, and the recce team brainstorms about that.”
Dutta also believes that a good host knows the guests well. However, they take it up a notch by sending a form to their guests ahead of the trip. It answers all questions regarding health and dietary requirements, preferences about the kind of books, movies and music they like, includes photographs, asks the time of day they’d like the room to be serviced at, even the kind of pillows, quilts and mattresses they use. Additionally, there’s a team that reviews and researches the guest profiles as well.
And as for who foots that bill? It’s tricky to have standard price cards for itineraries as bespoke as these. Tanwar notes they base it on a standard day rate, but costs vary depending on effort, planning time and flexibility. “If we do a recce before, we know the number of hours that are going into producing something that is not a standard itinerary.” And there’s a margin for that. They factor in delays, last-minute changes and extra time because flexibility is built in.
Sharing the hotel’s perspective, Dutta adds, “It can come from a third party — a brand, director, travel agent. But we get direct bookings as well. We are a luxury brand so [brands, tourism boards] are usually not willing to spend the amount it takes to book a suite here.”
Tanwar agrees. But for Holland, Zendaya and Hadid, they were contracted by an agency but “were aware that the team at Reliance were in charge. So, they generally tend to host it.” In most cases, it’s the host brand or organisation that reaches out. When it’s a personal holiday, the celebrity pays out of pocket.
Celebrity travel tastes are certainly evolving. Dua Lipa went to Gurdwara Bangla Sahib and the Elephanta caves, despite it being crowded. In a similar vein, Tanwar recalls creating a meaningful itinerary for Chris Martin’s father while the singer explored temples. “We took him through a very immersive experience in Mumbai. He loved it.”
Today’s celebrities arrive with suggestions from Indian friends and an appetite for authentic experiences. “They are no longer looking at luxury as something that’s accessible. And what’s not accessible to them are personal stories and immersive cultural conversations,” he notes. After all, one could sail on a yacht anywhere, but where else can they hear Mumbai’s story told from the sea?