Everything Nice at Fortune Miramar!

You know how you like your hotel to be a little bit of everything? Close to the beach, but also to some shopping. Convenient to get to, but also out of the city. Luxurious, but still affordable. Contemporary, but classy. Warm, but not overly friendly. Well, that is Fortune Miramar to the ‘T’.

The five-star resort, in what is almost Panjim’s ‘suburb’, is the latest venture by ITC, India’s second largest hotel chain. With more than 100 hotels, the company knows what works best and with Fortune Miramar, reaches out to clients who desire a certain kind of travel – something that’s easy-going and laidback, without the tamasha of overcrowded tourist spots.

There’s no cloying fuss with service and no pushiness to tempt guests into ancillaries. Fortune Miramar is simply as hospitable as you’d expect from an ITC venture, and a stay here leaves you joyously satisfied with its service.

Overview

Located at the end of the famous Dayanand Bandodkar Road of Panjim shaded by a canopy of rain trees, Fortune Miramar has joined the ranks of the transitory architecture in the neighbourhood. Decades-old buildings are being redeveloped or given a face-lift and swanky new restaurants and spas have sprouted nearby.

Behind its classy glass façade, the hotel hides a quiet space to unwind and gather your thoughts, either as a business traveller after a long day at work or a leisure visitor summing up a day of sightseeing.

Accommodation

Fortune Miramar houses 45 beautifully furnished rooms, all contemporary at its core, but touched subtly by a Goan vibe – blues and greens reminding you of the azure ocean and lush greenery, and warm wood of heritage interiors.

There are 32 Standard Rooms kitted with amenities expected of a five-star hotel – tea/coffee maker, safe, high speed internet, fruit platter, TV, the works. Upping the luxury quotient a little bit is its posh sibling, the Fortune Club Room, of which there are 11.

Finally, there are two suites featuring separate living areas, private work station and four-fixture bathrooms. The choice is yours!

Dining

Here too, the resort has kept things clean and simple. There are three food and beverage outlets – one multi-cuisine restaurant, one bar and lounge, and one café. Together, they satisfy every craving most judiciously, ensuring you never have to leave the hotel should you not want to.

Orchid is busiest at breakfast time, serving a sumptuous repast at its buffet. Many guests also avail of its tidy selection of à la carte offerings at lunch and dinner, choosing to sit indoors when it’s hot outside and al fresco when it’s cooler. Open round-the-clock, you’ll find this the perfect place to stave off midnight munchies or grab a bite after a night on the town.

For a relaxing night, head to Neptune for its thoughtful selection of spirits, wines and beers. It’s also got snacks, cold beverages and mocktails along with lively music to keep your spirits up.

The most tempting aromas, however, waft in from the Fortune Deli, a comfort food lover’s hideaway with its warm goodies straight from the oven. There are light snacks like puffs, sandwiches and quiches, as well as pastries, cakes, chocolates and breads.

Amenities & Services

Fortune Miramar offers a whole range of complimentary amenities for guests who stay there – from buffet breakfast and parking to tiny bits and bobs like babies bibs, diapers, dental kits, band aids and even a mobile phone charger. There’s a clear blue swimming pool up on the rooftop and a well-equipped gym.

For a fee, guests can avail of valet parking, airport transfers, baby-sitting services and in-house laundry. There’s a doctor on call as well, and a currency exchange desk.

Small business meets will find their perfect partner with the hotel, which has a fully equipped board room for conferences, discussions and brainstorming sessions for up to 10 guests. The hotel also offers Wi-Fi internet connectivity, professional services and other infrastructure for such events.

Experience

I’ve always been a fan of the Miramar stretch from Campal onwards with its beautiful colonial houses leading towards open spaces, public sports infrastructure, and finally the beach, all the while shaded by these giant rain trees that have been around since Portuguese times.

For a while now, the area has been adding fun hang-out spots from restaurants to spas, cafés to pubs, each bringing its own character to the area, but retaining its relaxed vibe. With ITC’s Fortune Miramar, we have an added element of luxury to the main stretch.

My stay at the hotel reinforced the feeling that this hotel has everything one could want, as a business or leisure traveller. I see lots of potential in it becoming the next big thing for meetings with all its offerings available right there on the ground floor, along with valet parking.

I found the suite pretty luxurious and the spacious work area with desk and office supplies impressive. The living space had comfortable sofas, a large television set, and a massive bedroom. I was most taken in by the expansive bathroom and the inviting bath with the loveliest of toiletries. Nothing relaxes me more than a hot bath after a tiring day!

It’s also important for me to stay fit while I travel, for work or otherwise, so I was happy to have a gym with all the trimmings and a swimming pool as well. Plus, a four-kilometre long beach was barely 150 metres away for a morning run and some functional training on the sand.

Food was another highlight of my stay at Fortune Miramar. For lunch, the very talented Chef Pranay Mallick treated us to a smoked salmon cornet and a grilled snapper with garlic mash and roasted pepper coulis, followed by a decadent dark chocolate mousse. Dinner saw my partner and I share a Goan chowder, watermelon steak salad and a grilled pork chop with potato rosettes and thyme jus. It was finished off with baked cheese cake with brandy snap. Each dish was both innovative in taste and presentation, and flavourful.

The ITC Hotel Group is one of my favourites in India and I had no misgivings about the quality of hospitality at its latest addition. With its splendid location and easy accessibility, I see Fortune Miramar becoming one of my top meeting places for a business discussion or a quick coffee catch-up with a friend.

The Marbela White Beach Party: India’s Favourite Party Night with Falguni and Shane Peacock

On the virginal sands of Morjim, Marbela Beach Resort brings its long-awaited annual season opening party. An ode to the angelic wisps of the winter dusk, the bright shimmer of the azure Arabian Sea and the lightly floating swathes of haute couture, Marbela Beach’s White Party on December 11 marked the beginning of a season of revelry and music.

With Marbela Beach owners, Jaydeep and Sheetal Rajebhosale at the helm with refreshing cocktails, grilled delights and jaw-dropping entertainment took over the evening. Conceptualised in 2010, The White Party has become one the most anticipated parties of the season not only in Goa but celebrities for all over India comes especially for this dazzling evening.

Legendary Tel Aviv based DJ, Sarhar Z, a long-term veteran of the global house scene, headlines the night. The live sounds of the world famous drummers ‘Drums on Live’, this Spanish duo were also back by popular demand.

Backing them up at the White Party were WAtec, who also performed last year to the amazement of the crowd. Eager to show the revellers what they have in store for this season, Dj’s Cosmonaut, Tejas, Shaun Moses, Mohinesh with their new tricks and tracks up their sleeves.  As Marbela Beach regulars, these DJs have a loyal fan base and are known to make every party one to remember.

But it isn’t just music, entertainment and location that Marbela Beach is all about. What also sets this party venue apart is its attachment to fashion. This year, Marbela Beach hosted The Fashion Show with internationally renowned designers  Falguni & Shaun Peacock who showcased their latest collection & have now opened its store at this great new beachside location.

Falguni Shane Peacocks resort wear statements feature bright, bold colours, as well as floral and tropical patterns, to suit every mood and occasion in the holiday season. The collection mixes bright colours, lightweight fabrics and a play of patterns in a carefree style. It comes in a warm palette of blue, purple, aqua and orange that is rich in colour and texture White is a popular shade this year, along with blues perfect for the easy breezy mood. A Bohemian look with a more casual and playful feel incorporates with interesting and international silhouettes.

Speaking about this new venture Falguni Peacock said- “Resort is the best excuse to get a head start on revamping your spring wardrobe. And because it’s a narrow season and sells out quickly, you can make a quick style statement via this new collection. The looks are comfortable and travel well. The collection is sophisticated, stylish, yet simple, and comfortable for a relaxed yet chic lifestyle”.

The Marbela Beach White Party isn’t just a night of dancing and fun on the beach. It’s a celebration of lifestyle but also a tribute to fashionable revelry and class.

Top 5 Offbeat Wedding Venues In Goa

Goa has been high on destination wedding lists for years. Goa weddings have evolved from simple, casual, just-thrown-together ceremonies on the beach to meticulously planned events whether they’re earthy, boho celebrations or opulent, elaborate events.

As a much-desired destination, it can sometimes be a scramble to get a venue in Goa that is perfect for you. Sinéad McManus makes a handy list of five locations, each with a little special something about them, that would be perfect for an intimate ceremony or an absolutely rocking party.

Casa Colvale, Colvale
Distance from the Airport: 1 hour
No of Rooms: 12
Celebration Spaces: The hotel has played host to couples from across the globe who have delighted guests with cocktail parties at the Riverview Bar and rehearsal dinners at the Riverside Restaurant. There’s an added thrill; the groom or bride can arrive at the venue on the hotel’s speedboat! Casa Colvale is perfect for intimate gatherings where the lush lawn can also be transformed into a picturesque reception area.
About the hotel: Casa Colvale is privacy redefined. Hidden away on the still pristine backwaters of the River Chapora in North Goa, you will find beauty and serenity in the sweeping views of lush tropical landscapes, flowing water, magical little islands and an understated and luxurious hospitality. Long lazy days and peaceful nights at this exclusive private resort will determine the rhythm of your holiday.

Marbela Beach Hotel, Morjim
Distance from the Airport: 2 hours
No of Rooms: 23 
Celebration Spaces: With dedicated spaces ideal for wedding ceremonies like the mehendi, sangeet, baraat etc, Marbela also offers you the option of having a wedding on the beach and the hotel provides ultra luxury accommodation.
About the hotel: A brushstroke of green lawn, a broad canvas of golden beach and you have the perfect palette for an intimate destination wedding. Whether you want a beach celebration against the sunset or a prayerful ceremony at dawn, this sensational property, with its 6 Spanish villas, 14 luxury tents and 3 master tents will accommodate up to 60 guests. The staff will work with you to create bespoke décor and menus as part of your theme. The hotel even has an in-house Club M to take the party into the wee hours.

Planet Hollywood Goa, Utorda
Distance from the Airport: 25 mins
No of Rooms: 130
Celebration Spaces: If you want to add the glitzy celebrity quotient to your wedding, then Planet Hollywood is for you. Maximus, the outdoor event area, features sand, lawn and wooden decking that can be dressed up or down for formal or casual wedding events. The sea-facing beach lawns are a flawless ‘I do’ backdrop. The hotel also offers additional services including a full bar, valet, catering and specialized wedding cakes
About the hotel: Located 15 kms south of the Goa International Airport, this resort brings Bollywood and Hollywood together in style. Its Cinema Paradiso ballroom accommodates up to 320 guests, with 130 rooms, suites and seasonal tents to enhance the destinationwedding experience.

Mayfair Hideaway Spa Resort, Betul
Distance from the Airport: 1 hour
No of Rooms: 30
Celebration Spaces: This venue is equipped to host 120 guests at an informal setting and more than twice as many with a generous guest list. Its poolside is perfect for a chic cocktail party.
About the hotel: This undiscovered gem, is an accessible 41 kilometres from Goa International Airport but far away enough to be secluded and private. It has 29 rooms and a very quiet, uber luxurious suite for kickstart your honeymoon at your wedding itself!

The Tamarind, Anjuna
Distance from the Airport: 1 hour 20 mins
No of Rooms: 26
Celebration Spaces: An intimate boutique space, pre-wedding dinners are very popular at this hotel. The management offers great flexibility in order to accommodate your dream celebrations.
About the hotel: Right in the heart of Goa’s vibrant Anjuna, an hour away from the international airport, the Tamarind is built to be a cocoon away from the bustle. The exposed stone and wood architecture is meant to evoke a quiet European manor and it is the ideal place to host an intimate, earthy wedding celebration.

Sinéad McManus, a hospitality and spa columnist, has lived and worked in Goa for more than a decade. She consults in media and PR, fashion, lifestyle and high-society entertainment and her passions include health & beauty, travel and fashion. Get in touch at sineadythelady@gmail.com

http://weddingsutra.com/blog/index.php/2016/06/12/top-5-offbeat-wedding-venues-in-goa/

Goa’s Hidden Hospitality Gems

Offering spectacular views and hand-picked locations, the Casa Boutique Hotel Group provides guests a wonderful introduction to the best of Goa

 

It has the literal translation for ‘house’ in Spanish but emanates the universally recognised warmth that comes with being ‘at home’. The Casa Boutique Hotel group is a collection of quirky and eclectic individual guesthouses spread across North Goa, each touched by nature and creativity.

The group has villas scattered in Britona, Colvale, Baga, Anjuna and Vagator, with Colvale the first of the five hotels which has seen a motley line up of Bollywood stars and jet-set personalities walk its corridors and lounge around its pool. Each offers a unique experience by way of its location and amenities.

It is pertinent to note that none of the Casa Boutique Hotels have infringed upon the old idea of Goa – they have all saved the beautiful high ceilinged-warm wooden-clay tiled abode and swaddled it with lush local vegetation, no matter the location.

Overviews

Each hotel is handpicked for location, giving singular views to guests or pockets of serenity. Casa Anjuna is a colonial mansion interlaced with manicured lawns just 200 metres from the beach. At Baga, you’ll find an art deco inspired house sharing close ties with the ragtag shopping and frenzied club culture of Goa’s hedonistic north.

Britona is makes inroads into Goa’s village life, with a 300-year-old home that has stood the rest of time. Seemingly miles away from civilisation, Colvale is the manifestation of hinterland luxury with meandering backwaters and dirt roads. And finally Vagator reveals the jewel in the Casa crown teetering on the edge of laterite bluffs overlooking a sparkling Arabian Sea.

The Accommodation

Casa Anjuna, Casa Baga and Casa Vagator all offer 24 rooms each, but with styles of their own. The first features grand four poster beds with unique en-suite bathrooms that reflect Anjuna’s hippy past. At Casa Baga, there’s a touch from Asia’s other beach-side getaway – Bali, thanks to creative use of bamboo, coconut, teak wood and stone. The rooms are lavish and ideal to steal a quiet romantic moment in the middle of Goa’s party belt. With a view that steals hearts, Casa Vagator offers choices that are hard to make. 

The most secluded of the lot, Casa Colvale has 12 rooms that marry south-East Asia with Goa through natural materials and handmade fabric, and original works of art by local artists. Each room features a sit out or terrace looking out across Goa’s under rated waterways spotted with distant islands that glow against a setting sun.

Casa Britona is the smallest with only eight rooms and two studios. It is perfect for single room rents or the whole villa for getaways with the family or a close-knit group of friends. Set against the river, it opens out into the quiet sleepy eponymous village only a furlong from the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.

Dining

Keeping with the Goan theme, each of the Casa Boutique Hotels ensures that guests have sumptuous local delicacies for the taking. Ingredients are mostly sourced locally and seafood – the craving that filters through unanimously among guests – is often caught by the village fisherman.

At Casa Anjuna, breakfasts at the pool-side café are the perfect way to begin the day. Baga has a more hip, savvy feel, bringing in global style and popular trends. There’s the Lotus Pond restaurant covered by Balinese pagodas for candlelit dinners offering Goan seafood, Indian and international cuisine. For a more laid-back atmosphere, head to the Casa Baga Bar for yummy cocktails and chilled beer to keep everyone happy.

It’s easy to feel lazy at Casa Britona and simply keep the dining to those gorgeous wooden tables in the balcony. Local women dish up their secret recipes of fish curry rice to the sound of bird song and the gentle rustle of palm fronds. It’s enough to make Goan cuisine everyone’s favourite. Down by the shade of the trees, wrought iron tables and chairs are lovingly caught between the blue free form pool and thick foliage of mangroves bordering the river.

There’s more than one place to lounge around and enjoy a cuppa at Casa Colvale, but its two main dining areas are generally a hit. At the Riverview Bar, wickerwork sofas and chic seating entice guests to try innovative sundowners and cocktails, interspersed with succulent barbeque or continental hors de œuvres. And then there’s the Riverside Restaurant laid out informally on a wooden deck that serves a range of Italian, Chinese and Indian fine dining.

Casa Vagator offers the most stunning dining location of all thanks to a 180-degree view of the azure Arabian Sea. Just above the small cove that is Little Vagator beach sits the Open Air Seaside Deck that simply begs for intimate dinners with special people or even a soul-searching solo meal. There’s Asian, Goan and European cuisine to pick from, not to mention classic sundowners and cocktails with the view thrown open before you. If it rains, Casa Vagator has covered seating across the lawn too. No matter where you are, you’ll still be able to enjoy your meal with a hefty side of ‘view’.

Amenities

All the hotels offer television with cable networks, swimming pool, free Wi-Fi in select areas and laundry facilities, besides arranging for taxi and scooter hires as well as sightseeing tours to monuments, spice farms, jungle treks, forts and other places. Casa Britona is only a short drive away from Goa’s world-famous heritage sites in Panaji and Old Goa, and in the other direction the beautiful coastal belt. On the other hand, Casa Vagator shares approach lane space with the well-known Nine Bar club and dozens of shops selling curios, clothes and knick knacks.

Guests at Casa Colvale typically take advantage of the luxurious massages available or a yoga class on deck. The management also offers equipment for fishing or bird-watching, activities one can spend hours doing without an inkling of the passage of time. With the inland waterways at close hand, there’s also the chance of heading to your favourite beaches by speed boat, or enjoying a sunset cruise.

Conferences & Meetings

The facilities and space available coupled with a serene setting, make Casa Anjuna an off-beat location for conferencing and banqueting. It has a purpose-built air-conditioned facility that converts beautifully for meetings, weddings and parties. Guests can spill out onto the lawns and children can frolic in the wide open spaces. It’s a place any invitee will remember for its unpretentious hospitality and quirky locale.

The Experience

It took me a leisurely two years to experience all five properties under the Casa Group umbrella. Only later did I have the pleasure of meeting the lady who dedicated 10 years to making these fabulous properties the gems they are today. I found Sheila to be a very dynamic woman with a keen eye for detail, warmth and hospitality. It is evident that her qualities brim over into each of the Casa hotels.

They are all beautiful – inside and out – and her talent for creating exquisite interiors turns each hotel so unique, with every room different from the next, and always a view to die for. No other hotel group I know of can offer such diversity from property to property, and yet each pick on the uniqueness of the best of what Goa can offer.

The dedicated staff at each hotel also ensures a very home-like service, making it virtually impossible to leave.

Each of her five boutique babies have been tended to with care. Sheila Dhody’s group of hotels offers stays and experiences that feature different facets of Goa’s bounty. The Casa Boutique Hotels bring out the best in Goa.

Sinéad McManus is a premier hospitality and spa columnist, consulting additionally in media and PR, fashion, lifestyle and high-society entertainment. Sinead has lived and worked in Goa for more than a decade. Her passions include health & beauty, travel and fashion. Get in touch at sineadythelady@gmail.com.

Whispering Palms – A Call To Ultimate Hospitality

From nearly being written off from the tourism industry to now making its way across states, Whispering Palms Beach Resort has cooked up the perfect success story

You know how you sometimes feel you can never get away? With so much work to be done, the “tourist season” quivering on the edge and Calangute awaiting overdrive mode, the pent up energy literally crackled the air. Strangely, right there in the heart of this sizzling village, I found a cosy little corner to soothe my senses.

The Whispering Palms Beach Resort is literally a stalwart in the hotel scene in Calangute, having been around for years in a place where resorts appear like flies around a bottle of jam. Jacob John, the charming vice president of operations who earlier had a major role to play in starting a Russian charter business to Goa, has turned the fortunes of the resort into a raging success.

The hotel highlights its easy-on-the-eye décor with contemporary amenities, housed within a frame of light Goan accents. Cosy and comfortable is what the resort aims for, and nails it. It has properties in Goa and Jaipur, with an addition in Bangalore coming up soon.

Only a furlong from Calangute beach, the staff, location, food and service always receive rave reviews from visitors.

The Accommodation

With 106 rooms, Whispering Palms Beach Resort manages to give each guest its attention. Choosing between the luxurious Studio Suite, spacious Terrace Rooms and Mediterranean-styled Balcony Rooms is all part of the excitement.

The sprawling Studio Suite offering private lawns and large balconies is done in warm tones, while the Terrace Rooms ooze a minimalist yet chic demeanour. The Balcony Room, as suggested, wins you over with its cosy little outdoor nook and comes in both twin and double options. Most rooms have views of the Arabian Sea.

Dining

Meals at Whispering Palms Beach Resort are something to look forward to. Overlooking the swimming pool milling with frolicking children and lounging adults is the Sun & Palms, a multi-cuisine patio restaurant. It is truly refreshing to sit here sipping a tall glass of juice after an early morning swim. With dishes spanning Continental, Indian, Chinese and Goan cuisines, the Sun & Palms has something for everyone’s palette.

I would suggest a definite visit to the resort’s authentic Indian experience at Aahaata. Styled with inspiration from a typical Indian village, this theme restaurant sends enticing aromas from its barbeque around the vicinity. Mouth-watering kebabs and grills, and a variety of exquisite Indian offerings are some of the pickings.

If it’s a snack you want or you’re feeling like you’ve done too much food sampling on your vacation, head to Lanai instead. Light meals, snacks and drinks are what the eatery does best, and its location right next to the pool means you can even sidle up in the middle of your tanning session to indulge in some refreshments. Lanai features a revolving menu designed for post workout meals or simple laze outs in the sun.

And when the heat of the day has dissipated and the stars come twinkling out, it’s time to head to Crossroads to meet familiar faces or make new friends. Even though it’s open all day and one can sit back and enjoy a tipple whenever one feels fit, the ambience comes to life in the evenings. Its bartenders are privy to lip-smacking recipes for both straight and exotic cocktails. Unlike other pubs, Crossroads plays soft music in the background and its comfortable seating means you won’t be moving anywhere else soon.

Spa

A long day of vacationing can only be upped by the invigorating hands of a trained masseur/euse. The resort’s in-house Tatva Spa offers a range of treatments made very popular among guests thanks to the spa’s qualified staff. On its menu one can find therapies from around the world. Internationally renowned treatments such as Aroma Therapy and Swedish Therapy are as much a favourite as ayurvedic options such as Abhyangam Therapy.

Guests can also rejuvenate with special massages, body scrubs and envelopes or reflexology. Tatva Spa also provides regular salon services.

Other amenities

The Whispering Palms Beach Resort is an ideal location for business houses and corporates to hold meetings and events. The management has ensured that the resort stays up-to-date with modern technology, and caters for groups from as small as five to as many as 200.

With its scenic sea-view locale, intuitive staff and thoughtful amenities, the resort almost provides an excuse to hold meetings, conferences or banquets. It houses a 1,500 square metre conference room and additional board rooms, with a pre-function space, video conferencing services and audio-visual equipment.

High-speed internet access is ensured in all meeting areas, and guests can access wi-fi from the lobby lounge through the meeting areas to the gardens and the beach.

The staff is happy to oblige with any further requests visitors might have.

The experience

It’s no secret that Calangute-Candolim is the busiest stretch of sand in Goa (possibly in India!), but Whispering Palms Beach Resort has found a way to slow the clocks. Everything is about the guest experience, and while patrons were lounging and having a good time, there was a bustle among staff readying for an evening of great music and food as I walked in.

The vice president of operations Jacob John showed me around, pointing out various upgrades made over the last seven years that he has been running the show. It was interesting to hear his story – from the charter business with E M Najeeb and The Great Indian Tour Company (now ATE Air Travel Enterprises to taking over the Whispering Palms when the owner was near exiting the industry and turning it into a success story that doubled its revenue for three consecutive years. The team opened a hotel in Jaipur in 2011, the owner of which is a Delhi-based industrialist.

He regaled me with anecdotes over a sumptuous lunch which included hummus, salad, cream of mushroom soup, grilled fish and prawns with cilantro and panfried chicken with red wine. The mouth-watering food was followed by a yummy strawberry pannacotta all prepared by executive chef Vincent Gomez.

It was an impressive start to a wonderful stay, and as I walked to my room I knew from the buzzing atmosphere that the hotel’s contagious ‘feel-good’ energy would surely pass on to me.

Quote

Stepping stones to success is to face the reality and for every success there has to be a vision combined with an intrinsic understanding of one’s strengths & weaknesses applied for a mutual betterment

–          Jacob John, vice president – operations

A Romantic Idyll – Marbella Guest House

Marbella Guest House effortlessly takes you into the realm of peaceful dreams.

Set in a charming Portuguese villa in Sinquerim with resplendent panoramas, Marbella Guest House is your best bet for that perfect getaway with your loved one.

With the monsoon now in its full glory, there are certain places here in Goa that capture the essence of this dramatic time of year.

Although some vacation spots are on a high throughout the year, they experience a stunning transformation during the rains. At the end of a laid-back lane in Sinquerim village, below Fort Aguada is one such destination.

Marbella Guest House is a magnificently restored 16th century Portuguese colonial mansion, which, by taking a few creative liberties, forms a rare blend of poetic architecture.

Surrounded by coconut palms and bougainvilleas, the Arabian Sea and the Mandovi River, the area is ideally suited for walks and bird watching. Guests could also be tempted to explore Fort Aguada, only a 10-minute stroll up the hill or head to the nearest beach, a short distance away.

On a recent visit to Marbella, I was welcomed by the friendly proprietors Dian and Susan Singh Rarewala,
an English-Indo/German couple, who have created a home-away-from-home experience, a peaceful haven for guests. And true to their word, I immediately settled in.

The Penthouse Suite instantly makes you feel at home.

The Penthouse Suite is undoubtedly the best suite in the house and is designed to instantly feel at home. The suite consists of a large living room, small dining room, large bedroom with en-suite bathroom and shower and a large sunny terrace – ideally suited for sun bathing – with a great view of the lush greenery.

However, as the Penthouse Suite was, unsurprisingly, occupied, I was offered The Garden Room, a beautifully furnished double room on the upper floor with a garden view. The superb Garden Room is fitted with en-suite bathroom and shower, and has a very comfortable sitting area and cable TV. The room looks out onto the splendid garden, open hills and palms trees.

Also on offer are three other categories of rooms and suites. The Rajasthani Suite is a spacious split level room with a definite Indian flair; attached is a royal bathroom with a large size sunken bath – an all encompassing relaxation haven. The Moghul Suite is a spacious split level room with classical flair situated on the ground floor opening out onto the courtyard. Finally, the Bougainvillea Rooms share the same nicely shaded terrace due to the mature Bougainvillea that grows just outside. Both rooms are spacious and outstandingly comfortable.

Unlike many guest houses in Goa, Marbella is open all year round and attracts as many people during the summer as it does in the monsoons. To visit at this time of the year makes for a breathtaking coastal retreat, free from the hustle and bustle the high season brings.

Guests can also spend time with three resident dogs, all living in different quarters of the house. Most enjoy the two dogs Rupert and Ruby who have been known to escort and guide visitors to the lighthouse situated at the top of the hill. In fact, many guests have commented on how the animals have made them feel at home.

With a charm of old world elegance, Marbella is a romantic hideaway and refuge for couples seeking a lover’s paradise or some peace and quiet from the cut ‘n’ thrust of 21st century tourism. It offers an alternative to the typical tourist guest house experience. As one guest puts it, “it is to be appreciated”.

(Published in The Navhind Times on July 6, 2012)