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WHERE TO STAY

North Goa offers a wide range of accommodations, but we’ve handpicked those that afford a sense of exclusivity and are more likely to satisfy any craving for tranquillity or an experience other than the mass-market humdrum defined by package tourism. Perhaps the finest place in all-Goa is Nilaya Hermitage, where aesthetic splendor wrestles with a sublime, untouched location for poll position as its top selling point. At Goa’s very northernmost point is the rather remote enclave of Tiracol, where the owners of Nilaya Hermitage have restored seven rooms in the old headland fort. If you’re design conscious, want to be relatively close to the beach and in the heart of the tourist zone—yet keen on a boutique “nonhotel” experience, another top option is Pousada Tauma (reviewed below). If you’re looking for something more midrange, head for Siolim House or Panchavatti (reviewed below), or one of the Casa properties, a small chain of boutique hotels. But if you’re here to be left alone to simply enjoy the beach with as few intrusions as possible, you’ll definitely want to check out the selection of top villa-style stay in our round-up.

Villas, Goan-Style

Goa’s reemergence as a more fashionable, suddenly trendy Arabian Sea hangout has much to do with the launch of world-class villas such as Ajai Lakhanpal’s awesome Aashyana Lakhanpal (Escrivao Vaddo, Candolim; 0832/248-9225 or -9276. www.aashyanalakhanpal.com; Rs 199,500–Rs 622,650 per week), a haven of impeccable style and sophistication that attracts utterly savvy world travelers, aristocrats, and their favorite dinnertime companions. Ajai one of a few savvy beach lovers who’s turned a piece of prime Goan real estate into a luxurious hideaway, providing the ultimate getaway for the fortunate few. The gorgeous five-bedroom villa has every imaginable luxury—beautiful pool, romantic sleeping quarters, elegant furnishings, and decor that’s a careful mix of antique and modern—all in a setting that is both tropical idyll and luxurious mansion. Rates include breakfast, airport transfers, and a private staff. Ajai also has two more villas: Aashyana Casinhas, which consists of three cottages, each with two bedrooms (Rs 45,500–Rs 144,500 per week), and Villa Venus, a three-bedroom villa (Rs 174,300–Rs 249,900 per week).

If you’d rather forgo the sophistication, and don’t really need all that space anyway, preferring to leave your friends at home, then you need to head farther up the coast to the extreme north, between Asvem and Arambol, where you’ll find tranquillity on the beach at Elsewhere . . ., a simple, paradisiacal kind of place that’s right on the sand, far from the touristy throng, and shot through with a lovely sense of the past. Fashion photographer Denzil Sequeira considers his ancestral property the biggest secret in Goa, but given how long you need to book in advance, word is definitely out. Away from the crowds, it has an absolutely stunning beach, several lovely, simple houses to stay in, and great food. It’s one of the most idyllic boutique properties in Goa, found at the end of a road and reached by crossing a bamboo footbridge through thick green groves—like all good hideaways, finding it nigh impossible, and once there you’ll seldom have the urge or inclination to leave. You won’t find chic interiors or heavy themed designs here: The two- and three-bedroom villas are filled with relics from the past—original tiles, collections of old altars, antique furniture, and planter’s chairs and deck beds on verandas and porches overlooking a distinctly tropical beach scene. In place of the obligatory pool you have the entire Arabian Sea to swim in, al fresco showers, and hammocks strung between the trees. Two of the villas, the Piggery and the Bakery, are air-conditioned, while the Priest’s House (where Denzil’s uncle once lived), and 125-year-old Captain’s House (where Brad Pitt and Angelina recently stayed) are more about the breeze. Coming here has a