Goa beach vacation |
In such a fabulous Indian state, the best hotels in North Goa are waiting for you. Each of them is filled with local color, joy and frantic fun. Goa is a place where absolutely every person is completely filled with happiness.
It is worth noting that most package tourists are accommodated in the area of the most popular tourist beaches: Baga, Calangute and Candolim. These places are the most densely populated.
In Goa, it is possible to rent any kind of real estate, as they say, for every taste and budget. There are different options, from a small room in an Arambol guesthouse (see the link for details of where I lived), to a house in a cottage village.
For longer stays, the best option would be to rent accommodation in a Goan family home. As a rule, this is a two-story house, the owners live on the first floor, and the second floor has an independent entrance and is rented out.
It is very popular to live in a bungalow, such housing can be very simple and unprepossessing, sometimes even amenities are located "in the yard". Recently, prices for such exotic have increased significantly, I do not understand this minimalism.
The cost of housing strongly depends on the seasonality and geographical location of the house, there are conditionally expensive areas (Baga, Calangute, Candolim), and cheaper ones. The farther from the sea, the lower the rental rates.
Image source: Swaminathan /Flickr |
Took during the trip to goa from Taj fort Aguada, India
Best hotels in North Goa
North Goa is not designed for a respectable vacation, for a more comfortable stay I can advise South Goa. However, here is a list of Best hotels in North Goa.
- Acron Waterfront Resort - a luxurious five-star hotel overlooking Baga Beach.
- Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel - a hotel with excellent service on the main street of Candolim.
- Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada - This luxury hotel is located in the old Fort Aguada.
Hotels on the map of North Goa
I consider it necessary and important to briefly talk about the areas of North Goa, their differences from each other and the availability of good hotels and infrastructure.
Hotels on the map of North Goa
- Kerim - Arambol - Mandrem - Ashvem - Morjim.
- Vagator - Anjuna.
- Baga - Calangute - Candolim - Sinkerim.
Pay attention to the map below, it shows that all the northern beaches can be divided into three groups. The watershed runs along large rivers that cannot be forded.
Accordingly, the beaches in each group can be walked either directly along the coast or along the road. It is better to move between different groups of beaches by transport, walking is too far there or water barriers in the form of rivers interfere. Be sure to check out my post about Goa buses.
There are a few exceptions:
- Kerim, located apart, there is a path to it through the hill from Arambol.
- The distance between Vagator and Anjuna, it is better to travel by transport.
- The most deserted beach of northern Goa is Coco Beach, very picturesque, but not very clean on it and located a little away from the rest of the beaches.
Next, I will briefly talk about each place A+ selection of hotels. The blog has a detailed article about all the beaches of Goa, be sure to study it.
Where to live in Kerim
In the very north of Goa, almost on the border with the neighboring state of Maharashtra, there is a quiet beach Kerim. You can come to Kerim for the whole day for a relaxing holiday, or look at the passage when traveling on your own to Paradise Beach.
There are no hotels on Kerim, especially good ones, here you can live either in guesthouses or in thatched bungalows.
Hotels in Arambol
Arambol is the last home of the hippie generation. It is on Arambol that every evening they colorfully see off the sun, with a fire show, juggling, and drumming (the atmosphere here is very unusual).
In Arambol, you can meet elderly hippies who, out of habit, still come to Goa for the whole season, it is here that hippie parties gather under a huge banyan tree. A visit to the banyan is included in the TOP Goan excursions, follow the link for more details.
There is a lot of housing in Arambol, most of which are either thatched huts on the seashore or modest guesthouses a two-minute walk from the sea ( look at the link for a similar guesthouse in Arambol ). Recently, package tourists have begun to settle on Arambol, but the level of hotels here is not the highest.
It is rare that people go to Arambol to sit in a hotel room, most vacationers choose a bungalow by the sea, a guesthouse or an entire floor of the house.
See also: Arambol Beach, Goa | Resorts, Hotels, How To Reach, Best Time & Tips
Bungalow by the sea
Samantha inns beach resort/ booking.com |
Arambol houses on the seashore are more like a cozy, colorful Indian village, and not at all like a standard hotel.
The bungalows are located on the seafront and a little away from the main Arambol life, you can walk to the main street of Arambol in 15 minutes. Under the main street I mean the street leading to the sea and the famous "Coconut" shacks with live music, fresh seafood and cold beer.
What tourists say about staying in a bungalow
Positively:
Everything was great! If we return to India, we will definitely live on a beresha, or rather, in our cozy house near the sea. You quickly forget about household trifles and all the inconveniences, and the general impression of the rest and the goodwill of the locals will remain, I think, for a long time. The bungalows have an excellent location, they are 100 meters from the sea and from there there is a constant breeze, a very comfortable temperature throughout the day and night. It's not hot at night to sleep. A wonderful restaurant and hotel manager Madu, who organized a transfer for us, SIM cards and delving into all our problems and difficulties.
In the form of advertising: next to the bungalow, in this part of Arambol, a lot of nudists or just beautiful young girls are sunbathing topless (i.e. without bras), this perfectly cheers up and tone. :)
Negative:
The furnishings of the room and bathroom are too ascetic; there is no air conditioning and a refrigerator in the houses. Finding the entrance is very difficult, you need to look for it (we called the hotel, we were met). The hotel is located far from the whole Arambol movement, which takes about 20 minutes to walk along the beach, and at night it is very uncomfortable, as it is dark.
Hotel on Mandrem
Our compatriots love to visit Mandrem. basically for the whole season. It is quiet, calm and has everything you need for wintering by the warm sea. If you are going to Goa with a child for the whole season, then Mandrem is the best place.
In Mandrem, travelers rent entire houses, or one floor of a house, so it is much more profitable if you rent housing for a long time. There is no abundance of good hotels on Mandrem, this is the secret of local tranquility.
If you are going to Mandrem for a couple of weeks, then the best place for your stay is one of the hotels on the seashore, just don't consider another option.
See also: Mandrem - a beach in Goa, which you really want to return to
Beach Street Resort Hotel
Beach Street Eco Resort & Spa image from booking.com |
Those who have ever been to Mandrem will definitely remember the snow-white building, like a Catholic church, with a long pedestrian bridge to the sea - this is the Beach Street Resort hotel.
The Beach Street Resort is a wonderful place on the shores of the Arabian Sea with cozy houses, good service, an impeccable overpriced restaurant and incredibly beautiful sunsets.
Tourists about Mandrem hotels
Positively:
Mandrem is wonderful in every way! Clean houses right on the seashore, the absence of mosquitoes both in the rooms and in the open air, the incredible beauty of the sunsets, friendly staff, clean dishes in the restaurant.
The room is cleaned every day, including the change of towels. Free towels, delicious cocktails and food. The cleanliness of the dishes in the restaurant is surprising, huge portions that justify the inflated cost of dishes.
Negative:
Terrible WiFi, or rather its complete absence, food prices are too high. Living in a bungalow is certainly great, but the price-quality is not correct.
Choosing a hotel on Ashvem beach
A small village near the Ashvem beach is able to give you true peace and complete unity with Goan nature. It is much quieter here than on Mandrem, but the cost of living is much higher, there is also no abundance of hotels in Ashvem.
The choice of hotels in Ashvem is even smaller than in Morjim, but pay attention to a small hotel in a shady palm grove - this is Leela Cottages
Leela Cottages Hotel
Hotel Leela Cottages Ashvem beach. Photo from the hotel website |
Leela Cottages consists of cozy bungalows in a quiet palm grove, everything looks like in a fairy tale from the outside. Inside the cottages there is everything you need for a relaxing holiday, and the exquisite wooden furniture of the Columbus era adds a special charm.
Leela Cottages is an ideal place for a honeymoon, but it’s worth booking a room (house) well in advance of your trip, the houses in this hotel are in demand.
Vacationers about Leela Cottages
Positively:
I liked the hotel, it is infinitely beautiful and cozy! Rested in this hotel with a young man, both delighted! Leela Cottages in a quiet palm grove right on the shores of the Arabian Sea. The hotel grounds are beautiful and themed in the Indian epic style. Each house has rare furniture (very similar to furniture from the time of the Portuguese colonization). Each house has its own hammock and its own small space. Delicious breakfasts with a perfect sea view.
Great owners of the hotel, who are ready to help in any situation! Ashvem Beach is deserted, but probably because we were out of season. For couples, this is the perfect place in Goa.
Negative:
Bathrooms are terrible in all rooms. In one cottage there was no towel rack and the drain did not work, the water was ankle-deep. In our second room, all the sockets near the bed did not work, and the air conditioner was not regulated. The Internet in our house did not catch.
Choosing a hotel in Morjim
Morjim is considered a “Russian village”, and indeed there are enough of our compatriots in Morjim, which allows local residents to keep a higher price tag for everything.
You can live in Morjim both in a comfortable hotel (the choice of good hotels is extremely scarce), and in simpler and cheaper guesthouses, or bungalows, which are enough here.
Finding a good hotel in Morjim during the high season is very, very difficult, you should know that there are quite a few of them, and there are many who want it, so it’s better to book accommodation in advance.
Red Fox Hotel, formerly Treebo Turtle Beach Resort
Red Fox Hotel, Morjim, Goa |
Red Fox Hotel is located within walking distance of an unusual beach. Turtles come here every year and consider the beach their home. If you rent a moped (which everyone does), then the sea is no more than 5 minutes.
I can’t say that the hotel is very good, but this is perhaps the most hotel-like place in Morjim and the surrounding area, all other hotels have less comfort and more real Indian exoticism. The choice is yours.
What tourists say about this hotel
Positively:
Excellent rooms with everything you need, the common area is clean and fully consistent with the status of the hotel, the bed is large and it was comfortable to sleep on it. The hotel staff are very friendly and always helpful. The main tourist area of Morjim is five minutes by moped. I liked the hotel, I will return next season.
Negative:
Poor breakfasts, which is unacceptable for such a hotel price, the lack of an elevator in the main building is annoying. Too far to the tourist area, you have to take a taxi. There is no sound insulation in the rooms, you will not be able to sleep.
Hotels on Vagator
Vagator is the birthplace of the famous goa-trance music genre and noisy open-air parties that lasted non-stop for several days in a row.
Now there are no noisy parties in Vagator (Goa has a law on silence), illegal drug trafficking is completely under the control of the police. It is in Vagator that there is the maximum concentration of Israelis, sometimes the beach is called Tel Aviv Beach.
There are no luxury hotels on the first line, but you can find very budget accommodation and use the entire tourist infrastructure.
Where to live in Anjuna
Anjuna in the 60s of the last century was a haven of hippies, it was here that the "Children of Flowers" came from all over the world, and in harmony with nature and their inner world, they spent their time carelessly.
Some of the iconic things and activities in Anjuna still remind of a bygone era. One of the local legends is a flea market where hippies traded in the hope of scraping together money for a return ticket home. The Anjuna Flea Market is still open today.
No major chain hotels have been seen in Anjuna, but standard guesthouses and bungalows are plentiful. All the necessary tourist infrastructure fully covers the needs of local vacationers, but the choice of entertainment and restaurants is scarce.
Hotels in Baga
On Baga, there are already much more expensive hotels and expensive guesthouses (the quality of guesthouses may not be superb) than on the above beaches, there are also budget accommodation designed for Indian tourists.
There are both hotels for package tourists on Baga (there are a lot of package tourists on Baga), and places to stay for “winters”. But still, Baga is more suitable for a couple of weeks than for the whole season, it hurts noisy here. The whole beach is strewn with shekami (cafes) for every taste and budget, so you won’t stay hungry here.
The main vacationers on Baga are package travelers and local tourists; for the latter, a basstand (bus station) was arranged at the very end of Baga. So now it has become very convenient for Indians living in neighboring villages to get not only to Calangute, but also to Baga.
Holidays on Baga are more “proletarian”, on Baga they gather the appropriate contingent for recreation, most vacationers are package tourists and a small part of local tourists, there are not many particularly outstanding hotels in Baga.
Acron Waterfront Resort
Acron Waterfront Resort Baga |
The Acron Waterfront Resort is located a little away from the noisy Baga (right across the river), there are very few of our compatriots and Indian tourists in the hotel either, this is the secret of the charm of this hotel.
This small five-star hotel (it has only 29 rooms) is part of the Fortune Hotels hotel chain and fully corresponds to the declared stars. The convenient location of the hotel allows you to diversify a relaxing hotel holiday with trips to the neighboring "crazy" Baga beach, which can be reached in 10 minutes.
Vacationers about Acron Waterfront Resort
Positively:
Amazingly friendly staff, you just thought, and they have already fulfilled your request. Charmingly beautiful location of the hotel, which allows you to relax and plunge into the beauty of the local nature. Comfortable rooms are simply beyond praise, and a gorgeous swimming pool with a panoramic view makes you forget that there is a sea nearby. The breakfasts were worthy of a hotel, everything was at a high level.
Negative:
The hotel does not meet the stated 5 stars, well, a maximum of 4 and then with a stretch. WiFi is terrible, it is impossible to surf the Internet, be aware of this. It is far to go to Baga beach, and the road is not picturesque.
Calangute Hotels
Calangute is a continuation of Baga beach, walk along the sea to go no more than 30 minutes. In the high season, it resembles the domestic resort of Sochi, a huge number of vacationers (local and foreign tourists), it is very noisy here (music yells from every shek day and night), it is expensive here (food prices are sometimes more expensive than in South Goa, especially in the menu on Russian language).
There are some really good hotels in Calangute, they are located far from the sea (15 minutes walk). There are simple hotels near the sea, but the price tag in them can “bite”, so if you want to relax on the first line, then the best option would be to stay in South Goa.
You can live in Calangute in very budget guesthouses, but they are more suitable for Indian tourists, Europeans are contraindicated to live in them.
In the high season, Calangute is overcrowded and finding free accommodation is not easy, so it is advisable to book accommodation in advance. Not always the search for “legs” will lead to success, but you will spend a lot of time, nerves and gasoline.
Tourist Calangute is overpopulated with hotels, but it’s not easy to find a really decent hotel in Calangute. Unfortunately, most of the hotels located near the beach cannot boast of good service and ideal living conditions, here everyone must make a choice for themselves either to enjoy the proximity of the sea and non-working air conditioning or the remoteness of the sea, quality rooms and a high level of service.
Novotel Goa Candolim Hotel
Novotel Goa Candolim |
The Novotel Goa Hotel is one of the best hotels in Candolim, the hotel has a European level of service and a very high quality of the room stock, which is rare for India.
The only disadvantage of the hotel is the remoteness from the city beach, the hotel is located on the main street of Candolim, about 500 meters from the sea, the hotel shuttle runs regularly. The hotel has everything you need, including a luxurious swimming pool and several spa salons.
See also: Calangute Beach - Things to do, How to get there, Where to stay & Where to eat
Vacationers about Calangute hotels
PositivelyIn March, my husband and I and another couple from Russia were in this hotel. When we bought a ticket to the Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel, we did not find any reviews and relied on the big name NOVOTEL. When we drove from Dabolim airport and took tourists to hotels, we were in real shock from those hotels in which tourists were accommodated and were afraid in advance that our hotel would be the same. When we saw the Novotel Goa Hotel, we immediately liked it.
The hotel is beautiful and importantly new, we had a spacious room with a balcony and air conditioning. All furniture and fixtures in the room are new. A very funny wall between the bathroom and the room - it is made of glass, which is covered with a curtain, and from the bathroom you can press a button and the curtain will rise.
The room was cleaned every day. All toiletries were replenished regularly or at lightning speed on call (if something runs out).
We only had breakfasts, everything was very tasty: vegetables, meat dishes, various side dishes, scrambled eggs, and much more. There were also fruits: watermelon, melon, pineapple, apples, some other exotic fruits (I don’t know their names), various nuts and raisins. Freshly squeezed juices and lots of different pastries.
In the courtyard there is a swimming pool with sun loungers. The whole area is beautiful and well maintained. There are many restaurants, shops and exchange offices near the hotel. We had to walk to the sea, about 600-800 meters (no longer than 10 minutes), but in principle it didn’t bother us much.
Negative
I put a solid triple for accommodation in this hotel, as we were placed in a room without a balcony (for a room with a balcony, they offered to pay $ 60 per day). With the fan and air conditioner running, I had to open the door wide open several times a day and ventilate. Our things dried for several days, but my swimsuit did not dry at all and flew wet to Russia. There can be no question of smoking in the room (the exhaust fan in the toilet practically does not work).
Eating at the hotel: this is the real problem of the hotel. We only had breakfast and always left hungry. Yes, my husband and I love to eat deliciously, but what they offer at breakfast is a laughing matter for chickens. I had to have an extra breakfast in shek.
Candolim Hotels
Immediately after Calangute, Candolim begins (you can walk along the coast). Even the locals do not know where the border between the two villages passes.Candolim is quieter and more "European", there are more expensive hotels and decent houses for rent. Prices in Candolim are not significant, but higher than in Kalangut, there are objective reasons for this.
The abundance of expensive, comfortable hotels in Candolim can be envied even by South Goa, but there are only a few truly worthy hotels, and only one outstanding one.
Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada Hotel
Hotel Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada |
Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada is a five-star luxury hotel of the famous Taj hotel chain, which manages the most luxurious hotels in India. The Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada hotel is built in the old Indo-Portuguese fort Aguada, perhaps in Candolim there are hotels with a higher quality of service than this hotel, but they are surrounded by cheaper hotels, and around the Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada hotel there is only the boundless Arabian Sea and the walls of an ancient, impregnable fort.
Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada offers accommodation in the main building or freestanding cottages overlooking the Arabian Sea. The total area of the hotel territory is approximately 30 hectares. which has several restaurants, spas, a swimming pool, mini-golf and tennis fields.
The rooms are stylized under the times of the Portuguese rule in Goa, all the furniture is made of wood and is very in harmony with the Portuguese era in Goa.
Tourists about the hotel Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada
Positively:We booked this hotel on our own and long before our trip. Vivanta by Taj Fort Aguada provides a free airport pick-up, which is very convenient. Email mail is sent in advance with a flight specification and arrival time - this is such a concern for the client.
The service and the level of security (all entering cars are strictly inspected) on the territory of the hotel are at their best, but check-in is only at 14:00.
All rooms overlook the endless sea. Every morning (except Tuesday) there is a free yoga class at a very high level, English is required. A very worthy audience rests in the hotel, few compatriots. Many Indians come on New Year's holidays, but the Indians come well-to-do and well-mannered. On the last day of our vacation, a Russian family settled in the next room, compatriots drunkenly drank and cackled until 3 am on the veranda. We didn't hear any other neighbors at all, as if there were no one there.
The second part of the holiday we lived in a "five-star" hotel in the south of GOA and really missed the level of service of Taj Fort Aguada and the price level of the area in which it is located.
Negative:
check-in - you can move into the room only from two in the afternoon, such are their rules, or you need to pay an additional $ 150 and check in earlier;
food - there is no all-inclusive in this hotel, there are only breakfasts, then the restaurant works according to the a la carte system, which is inconvenient;
guests - there are few Europeans in the hotel - 10 percent of the total. Russians, one might say, do not exist at all. Most vacationers are the local population who come for 2-3 days to drink and relax;
territory - a lot of crows on the territory - they yell almost around the clock and interfere with sleep. In a restaurant, food is dragged from plates, it’s worth at least a little distraction. There is a small pool, which corresponds to a 3- Star hotel.
Where to live in Sinkerim
Sinkerim Beach is located at the foot of Fort Aguada and belongs to one of the most expensive places in North Goa. The beach itself is small and there is nothing remarkable in it, and hotel guests do not visit it so often, choosing a more comfortable environment by the pools of their luxury hotels.
In the Sinquerim area, the choice of housing is minimal, there are several premium hotels and several expensive guesthouses, and that's it. The area near the beach is more suitable for a respectable, comfortable stay. Nearby there are several shops with designer clothes, a public heliport (in the old fort of Aguada) and a casino.