India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (101 page)

Panchavatti
If you’re looking for a little peace and quiet in a soul-stirring setting and don’t care too much for phones, air conditioners, bathtubs, and the like, then Isla (Loulou) Van Damme’s place is the ultimate refuge from the frenzy of India. Most people come to Goa for the beaches, but Loulou’s guesthouse (also her home), with its stunning location on a hill on Corjuem Island, is where you come to put your feet up and relax, take a dip or yoga instruction, or contemplate life. Meals are to die for, served on the large open colonnaded balcony that overlooks the valley. In Loulou’s inimitable style, there are no latches or locks on any of the doors and bathrooms are curtained off from the bedrooms by thin cotton saris. Book one of the four rooms that open onto the large balcony (the rest overlook a central courtyard and garden). The pool is fabulously placed—on the edge of a hill. When you want to experience the beach, however, you’ll have to hire a taxi for the 30-minute schlep there. Or use the bicycles to explore the island.

Collomuddi, Corjuem Island, Aldonna, Bardez, Goa 403 508.
98-2258-0632
or 0832/395-2946.
http://islaingoa.com
. [email protected]. 7 units. Dec–Jan Rs 9,000 double; Mid-Oct–Nov and Feb–May Rs 8,000 double. Rates include all meals and soft drinks. No credit cards. Closed June to mid-Oct except for yoga workshops.
Amenities:
Dining area, music room with library; Ayurvedic massage; babysitting; bicycles; outdoor pool; limited room service; yoga and meditation. In room: Fan, hair dryer on request.

Moderate

There are quite a number of soulless places in the midrange category; many cater specifically to package tourists who fly in to bronze their neon-white skin and overindulge on cheap liquor. We assume you’ve got other plans, so the places we’ve reviewed below generally have a bit of character. Of these,
Siolim House
is the most authentic option, set in a beautifully restored Portuguese villa that once belonged to the Governor of Macau; and
Wildernest
is an inland eco-resort that offers a complete alternative to the beach holiday most people associate with Goa. In addition to these, you can also go in for the totally intimate and very private atmosphere of the two rooms attached to the seasonal restaurant,
Ku
(
93-2612-3570;
[email protected]; $110–$175 double), run by a European couple, but decorated in a Balinese-cum-Japanese style that works amazingly well when surrounded by rice paddies and a lovely water garden. The slick design cleverly blurs the line between outdoor and indoor living—perfect for Goa’s sultry, tropical atmosphere. If you like the sound of
Casa Vagator
and
Casa Britona
(both reviewed below), then you might also appreciate the classy styling of
Casa Colvale
(
93-7308-1973;
www.casaboutiquehotels.com
), a snazzy 12-room contemporary hotel with a pretty setting on the Chapora River. It’s several kilometers inland from Anjuna, so not the first choice if the beach and hippie vibe is important to you, but it has a fabulous infinity pool and superb deck straddling the water’s edge; there’s also a speedboat on hand to get you where you need to go. The intimate spa here is also a big highlight. Doubles run Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000; much higher during the Christmas/New Year period, and lower during the monsoon. This is likely to be a hip place to meet savvy, sophisticated vacationers from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru

Take It Easy, Take It Slow

It’s hardly worth the effort warning you of potentially slow service in many of Goa’s small hotels and restaurants. It’s the Goan way to take things easy, and waiting a few extra minutes for your meal really isn’t going to spoil your vacation. You’ll do far better to simply ease into the mellower way of life and savor the chef’s efforts when they finally reach you. As they say in these parts: Sossegud—Take it easy!

Casa Anjuna
A very slick little operation in the center of Anjuna village, but tucked away from the crowds in a quiet neighborhood, this is a lovely old Portuguese bungalow with annexes, plenty of greenery, comfortably decorated rooms, a lovely garden for candlelit dinners, and a rooftop restaurant for lazy morning breakfasts. It offers atmosphere, style (albeit with reproduction antiques mixed in with originals), and good cuisine, although the service is a little slow. Upstairs units are more private—choose one of the luxury rooms (no. 11 or 10) up here for a bigger space furnished with a magnificently carved bed and antique armoire, a fabulous built-in shower area, and real “lord of the manor” views. For a completely different feel, the penthouse has a modern, chic aesthetic with plasma TV, awesome mosaic shower and cushy seating nook. Although the setting feels almost as if you’re in a tree-filled grove in the middle of nowhere, staff do occasionally crank up the music flooding the pool area with reggae beats.