3 Luxurious Spas That Inspired Murder Mystery Death In The Air

Ram Murali’s debut novel, Death in the Air, is a gripping murder mystery – and an incredibly glamorous one, too. Set at Samsara, a world-class spa nestled in the Himalayas, we follow Ro Krishna, an Oxford-educated charmer who recently left his job under suspicious circumstances. Seeking much-needed R&R, he romps around the wonderland that is Samsara with its yoga classes, guided meditation sessions and wellness treatments galore – but all goes awry when a fellow guest is found dead…

When writing his novel, Ram was inspired by a handful of real places. Here he tells us more…

Ram Murali: 3 Spas That Inspired Death In The Air

My debut novel, Death in the Air, is primarily set at a spa in the Indian Himalayas: Samsara. Somerset Maugham famously called the French Riviera ‘a sunny place for shady people’. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what he would call a spa, in particular the sort of destination spa where you spend a week or two forgetting that the outside world exists. A relaxing place for selfish people, perhaps?

But, you know, I actually think that such a categorization would be unfair. Spas are so much more than that. And the psychology of the average spa guest is a lot more interesting than you might assume at first glance. Of course, in general we are dealing with people who have a lot of privilege, and generally, with a lot of privilege comes a lot of entitlement.

But spa psychology is more – dare I even say, more profound – than that. People at five-star resorts might just be there to get some sun, occasionally have a few too many cocktails at lunch, play some tennis maybe. People at five-star hotels in cities tend to have loftier aims.  Museum exhibitions, perhaps, or new types of cuisine, or dance, or the opera. (I think the day I knew I had hit middle age was the day I became an associate member of Glyndebourne.)

But people go to spas… To transform.

I’ve been to a few spas in my time – not as many as others have, but a few, anyway. A few of them are listed at the end of this article, and Samsara is influenced by all of them. This is what they have in common. Everyone who goes to a spa like Samsara goes with a secret hope that they’re going to leave a better person in some way. Better spiritually, or in better shape, or better looking. A better version of themselves. People go to spas in order to find a deeper connection to the universe. To find a higher power, even. One character describes Samsara as ‘10 days to a new you,’ and I do think that’s what everyone at a spa is, in their heart of hearts, wishing for. A new them.

And what better place to set an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery than somewhere where everyone wishes to be a new them? Because, sometimes, becoming a new you might necessitate getting rid of someone else.

Death in the Air began with nothing more than a sense of atmosphere – an atmosphere of stillness, of potential growth, of the yearning for interior calm, and with the desire to juxtapose that atmosphere with the tension and anxiety typically found in a murder mystery. And, more than anything, I hope that Ro Krishna, the main character in the book, learned something about himself, despite his vacation being caught up in a murder investigation. Maybe he even found inner peace. Maybe.

Three spa hotels to recommend:

The Original Mayr Medical Resort, Austria

The Original Mayr is set on the shores of the pristine Wörthersee in Austria, a lake so clean you can apparently drink the water, two hours from the nearest airport. It’s absolutely amazing – sort of like The Sound of Music meets Stalag-17. The Mayr clinic vows to improve your gut health from the ground up, and it does so by starving you. You learn to chew your food 40 times before swallowing – and you’re happy to, because that way you make your rations last longer. There are a couple of different Mayr clinics on the Wörthersee and they have very different atmospheres (and clientèle). I much prefer the Original’s après-ski vibe to Vivamayr’s Russian oligarch discothèque vibes, but feel free to choose your own adventure.  I left feeling light as a feather. Also a bit dizzy. original-mayr.com

Ananda in the Himalayas, India

Ananda is an incredible place. Located in the hills above Rishikesh in India, it’s been named the best spa in the world several years by Conde Nast Traveler. If you’re actually looking for inner peace, this might be your best chance of finding it. Your fellow guests will be rich Indian people of all ages, bankers and lawyers who are mid-burnout, and the occasional movie star sticking out because he or she is wearing sunglasses indoors. Maybe the best massages I’ve ever had. Pack light, because all you’ll be wearing is Ananda-provided cotton pyjamas. anandaspa.com

The Sanctuary, Thailand

The Sanctuary is hilarious. Far less luxurious but more vibey than the two spas mentioned above, it has delicious food and a number of treehouse-style bungalows on a hillside overlooking one of the best beaches in Koh Phangan. The scene is set when you arrive by boat from the main harbour. The atmosphere can best be described as trustafarian meets sleepaway theatre camp. I made one friend there. We spent the entire time we were there eavesdropping on other people’s childhood traumas and running away from cacao ceremonies. We are still in touch. thesanctuarythailand.com

Find more of the world’s most luxurious destination spas here.

Death in the Air by Ram Murali is out now. Hardback, £16.99, bookshop.org