• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1972 0

two bathrooms; a balcao (balcony); and a private garden. Interiors are luxurious and include all modern amenities; request a villa near Sunset Point, where cocktails are served while the sun descends over the Arabian Sea. It’s quite a stiff climb between the cottages and the hotel lobby (shared with the Beach Resort) and if you’re feeling lazy, there are courtesy vehicles for the short transfer. Sharing the facilities is the more informal Taj Holiday Village (from Rs 13,250), fronted by Sinquerim Beach, with cottages and villas in reds, pinks, blues, and yellows scattered among towering coconut trees and lush vegetation. Accommodations at this resort vary considerably, ranging from lavish sea-facing villas to less desirable suites in clusters or duplex cottages. Although its facilities make it immensely popular with families, it wouldn’t be your first choice if you’re looking for peace and quiet. Facilities, as you can well imagine, are extensive, with every imaginable watersport and distraction laid on, including a spa and some of the finest restaurants in Goa; the head chef, Urbano de Rego, is widely acknowledged as the world’s greatest Goan chef, having created the restaurant versions of many classic local dishes.

If you prefer a resort with a fresher look, do investigate the brand-new O Hotel (opening in late-2009), aiming to provide some modern-era competition to the Taj from its location at Dando on Candolim Beach ( 0832/304-7000;www.ohotelsindia.com); for some idea of what to expect (albeit in a city context), read our review of the O Hotel in Pune . There will be 75 rooms and, if the Pune version is anything to go by, a truly luxurious, state-of-the-art spa, not to mention a frenzy of unbridled designer-crafted fun throughout.

Nilaya Hermitage Ex-Parisian fashion stylist Claudia Derain and her Indian husband, Hari Ajwani, started this exclusive hillside resort when they fell in love with Goa during a vacation from Europe. Together with Goan architect Dean D’Cruz, they have created something out of Arabian Nights, with 12 cosmic-themed guest suites featuring vibrant colors, terrazzo flooring, and minimalist decor. Giant mosquito nets hang from high-beamed ceilings, and sweeping archways lead off to open-plan bathrooms with views of the tropical garden. Like a chic harem, the split-level, saffron-colored “Music Room” is where guests unwind on sprawling mattresses or meditate while soothing music plays beneath a high, blue-domed ceiling. Overlooking paddy fields and coconut palm groves, the setting is romantic and classy, and although not on the beachfront, Nilaya is Goa’s most celebrated getaway, as its extensive celebrity guest list (Kate Moss, Peter Lindbergh, Philippe Starck) indicates.

Arpora Bhati, Goa 403 518. 0832/227-6793, -6794, -5187, or -5188. Fax 0832/227-6792. www.nilaya.com. 11 units. Oct–Dec 19 and Jan 11–Apr: 320€ double; Dec 20–Jan 10: 490€ double; May and Aug–Sept rates may be discounted. Rates include breakfast, dinner, taxes, and airport transfers. AE, MC, V. Closed June–July. Amenities: Restaurant; breakfast area; lounge; bar; free airport transfers; Ayurvedic center; cultural performances; fitness room; large outdoor pool; room service; spa; tennis court; yoga pavilion and meditation room. In room: A/C, TV/DVD (on request), hair dryer, Wi-Fi (planned for 2010).

Pousada Tauma Of the upmarket boutique resorts in north Goa, this one stands out for its distinctive local character, thanks in no small part to the fastidious attentions of Neville Proenca, the charming owner-manager, who worked with award-winning architect Dean D’Cruz to create his magical retreat. Even though it’s located in the heart of a bustling tourist center (a 10-min. walk from overpopulated Calangute Beach), it is sheltered from the high-season madness by thick, verdant vegetation and feels like a beautiful fortress against the outside world. Fashioned entirely out of Goan laterite stone and set around a beautiful pool with cascading water, each suite is uniquely styled and themed with eccentric Goan antiques (a cradle-turned-table;