Exclusive Interview | Ritwik Khare, Founder & CEO ELIVAAS
/“I wanted to create a platform that could connect people in meaningful ways while ensuring that both travelers and property owners had an exceptional experience.”
Ritwik, ELIVAAS has quickly emerged as a leader in the luxury villa vacation market in India. What inspired you to start this venture, and how has your extensive experience in the travel industry shaped its direction?
My inspiration for starting ELIVAAS stemmed from a deep-seated passion for travel and a desire to address an emerging gap I observed in the vacation rental market. While working as the Chief Operating Officer at MakeMyTrip, I realized that second homeowners often struggled to manage their properties effectively, lacking the kind of infrastructure and support that larger hotel chains had. My experience in building the hotel vertical from the ground up gave me the insight to understand how we could create a more personalized, seamless vacation experience for travelers while simultaneously offering property management solutions for homeowners.
ELIVAAS was born from this vision of bridging the gap between vacationers seeking memorable stays and homeowners needing comprehensive management support. Drawing from my experiences in the travel industry, I wanted to create a platform that could connect people in meaningful ways while ensuring that both travelers and property owners had an exceptional experience.
With over two decades of experience in various sectors, including travel, education, and finance, how did those different industries influence your approach to launching ELIVAAS in the hospitality space?
Each of the industries I have worked in has contributed a unique perspective to my approach at ELIVAAS. My time at CitiBank was foundational in shaping my business acumen, particularly in understanding strategic thinking and operational efficiency—skills that have been crucial in running a hospitality business. The rigorous training and exposure to financial products helped me establish a solid grounding in business fundamentals, which continues to guide our decisions at ELIVAAS. At MakeMyTrip, I learned the importance of innovation and personalization in the travel space, which directly influenced the way we design vacation experiences at ELIVAAS.
When I transitioned to Lead School, I was able to focus on adaptability and empowerment—two qualities that have proven essential when navigating challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These lessons are key to how we lead and innovate in the rapidly evolving vacation rental market. Ultimately, my diverse background has allowed me to take a holistic approach to creating ELIVAAS, combining operational efficiency, customer-centric innovation, and a deep understanding of the travel ecosystem to offer a unique experience for both travelers and homeowners.
ELIVAAS prides itself on delivering seamless and personalized vacation experiences. Could you share how you ensure that each guest's journey is tailored to meet their specific preferences?
At ELIVAAS, every vacation is transformed into a luxurious, personalized experience designed to suit the unique preferences of each guest. Specializing in curating exquisite villa stays across India’s most sought-after destinations, we focus on delivering comfort, privacy, curated experiences, and exclusivity.
We aim to provide an unparalleled 7-star experience, underpinned by our core philosophy of humane hospitality. We don’t view our relationships with guests as transactional; instead, we forge meaningful connections, taking full accountability for ensuring that their time with us is free of stress and full of rejuvenation. From the moment they book, we handle every detail, so their only focus is relaxation. This dedication to guest satisfaction is reflected in our 94% 5-star rating, an example of our commitment to happiness. At ELIVAAS, we embrace the ancient principle of ‘Athithi Devo Bhava,’ seeing every guest as our God, deserving of respect, care, and the finest experience possible.
One of ELIVAAS’ core offerings is providing homeowners with a comprehensive solution to monetize their properties. How do you balance the interests of homeowners and guests while maintaining high standards of service?
At ELIVAAS, we strike a balance by offering homeowners a comprehensive solution to monetize their properties while delivering an exceptional experience for guests. We manage every aspect of property maintenance, branding, and guest services, ensuring high standards of comfort, security, and hygiene. For guests, we provide a luxury experience with personalized service, including 24/7 concierge support, private pools, and curated local experiences. This ensures that homeowners achieve profitability, while guests enjoy seamless, high-end stays. Our focus on both quality property management and personalized guest care allows us to meet the needs of both parties while upholding our commitment to service excellence.
ELIVAAS’ tech-driven platform is built on the three pillars of success: Monitor, Monetize, and Maintain. Elaborate on this.
To support these pillars, ELIVAAS leverages intuitive apps and tech-driven operational audits and processes, ensuring a seamless experience for both homeowners and guests.
Homeowners gain real-time insights into their property’s performance, while guests enjoy a smooth and memorable stay experience—from browsing properties to booking their ideal vacation.
ELIVAAS empowers homeowners by offering dedicated services that highlight the unique charm of their properties. Their referral programs help foster lasting connections with guests, ensuring that every booking is an opportunity to exceed expectations. Through a transparent partnership model, both homeowners and guests benefit from a collaborative and rewarding experience.
Can you walk us through the evolution of ELIVAAS since its launch in July 2023? What have been some of the key milestones that you’re particularly proud of?
Since launching in July 2023, ELIVAAS has reached several significant milestones. We introduced a tech-driven platform designed to seamlessly monitor, monetize, and maintain properties, ensuring an elevated experience for both homeowners and guests. Our approach to luxury vacation rentals was further validated when ELIVAAS was recognized at the MMT India’s Favorite Homestays Awards 2024.
We were nominated in four prestigious categories and won the ‘Villa of The Year’ award—an achievement that underscores our commitment to excellence.
In addition, we launched Privé, an exclusive collection of ultra-luxurious villas in Goa, catering to discerning travelers seeking high-end, personalized stays. On the growth front, securing early investments has played a crucial role in expanding our portfolio, enhancing our technology, and strengthening our leadership team.
Looking ahead, we are focused on expanding into new destinations and further refining our platform to offer unparalleled value to both homeowners and guests. ELIVAAS is just getting started, and we are excited about what’s to come.
As a leader, how do you manage a fast-growing company like ELIVAAS while ensuring operational excellence and top-tier client experiences?
Managing a fast-growing company like ELIVAAS requires a balance of strategic vision, operational efficiency, and an unwavering commitment to guest and homeowner satisfaction. At ELIVAAS, we prioritize people, processes, and technology to ensure seamless operations. Our tech-driven platform streamlines property management, offering real-time insights for homeowners and a frictionless experience for guests. We maintain a high-touch service approach, ensuring every stay is personalized and meets our luxury standards.
A strong leadership team is crucial—we’ve built a culture of accountability and agility, allowing us to adapt quickly while maintaining excellence. Additionally, 24/7 guest support and rigorous quality checks ensure consistency across all properties. As we scale, we remain focused on expanding thoughtfully, maintaining our service excellence, and continuing to innovate in the luxury vacation rental space.
The luxury vacation rental market has seen a lot of growth recently. What sets ELIVAAS apart from other players in the space, and how do you foresee the market evolving in the coming years?
What sets ELIVAAS apart is our unique blend of humane hospitality and tech-driven operations, ensuring exceptional service for both homeowners and travelers. Unlike many platforms that focus purely on volume, we prioritize quality by curating a selection of properties that meet our high standards for comfort, design, and maintenance. Our team, with deep experience in the hospitality industry, ensures that each property is managed with attention to detail and a personalized approach.
Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the overwhelming love of our customers, with approximately 94% of our reviews being 5-star ratings. This is a testament to the personalized service and unforgettable experiences we deliver. We leverage technology at every stage, from property management to guest bookings, creating an efficient, seamless experience for homeowners and travelers alike. Homeowners benefit from a robust app that enables easy control over their listings, while our tech-driven operations optimize property maintenance and guest engagement. For travelers, our platform makes booking and discovering unique accommodations effortless while offering a level of service that goes beyond the ordinary.
At ELIVAAS, we aim to provide not just a place to stay but a memorable experience, backed by expert hospitality and cutting-edge technology, ensuring both sides of the equation are taken care of with the highest standards.
Sustainability and eco-conscious travel are becoming increasingly important. How is ELIVAAS integrating these principles into its offerings for both homeowners and travelers?
ELIVAAS is deeply committed to integrating sustainability into luxury travel, ensuring that both homeowners and guests can enjoy premium experiences while being mindful of the environment. As part of this vision, we are launching Amayah, Goa’s first sustainable luxury villa project. Located in Assagao, Amayah by ELIVAAS is a private community of 10 exclusive villas designed with eco-consciousness at its core. These villas blend Indo-Portuguese architecture with sustainable construction methods, featuring handcrafted furnishings, teakwood finishes, and energy-efficient designs.
To promote responsible tourism, ELIVAAS has also adopted eco-friendly amenities across its properties, including glass bottles, jute slippers, and organic toiletries like bamboo toothbrushes.
With your background in scaling businesses, what are some of the strategies you’ve employed to rapidly grow ELIVAAS while maintaining the high level of personalized service that the brand is known for?
At ELIVAAS, we scale rapidly while maintaining personalized luxury by leveraging tech-driven efficiency, ensuring seamless property management through monitoring, monetization, and maintenance. Our dedicated villa teams and 24/7 concierge service create bespoke guest experiences, while strategic partnerships and key launches like Privé and Amayah. By blending technology, personalization, and strategic growth, ELIVAAS continues to redefine luxury hospitality.
Looking ahead, what are your long-term plans for ELIVAAS? Are there any exciting developments or innovations in the pipeline for the brand?
ELIVAAS is poised for rapid expansion, both in India and globally. Domestically, we are strengthening our presence in key destinations like Goa and Himachal Pradesh with plans to enter emerging travel hotspots and even off-beat destinations. We also aim to expand into international destinations like Dubai, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Bali, tapping into high-growth
luxury travel markets. A major milestone has been the launch of Privé, our ultra-luxurious villa collection in Goa, which sets new standards in bespoke hospitality. Looking ahead, we continue to innovate, integrating sustainability, technology, and hyper-personalized service to elevate luxury stays worldwide.
