The Holiday Inn still ranks a lot higher than equivalent ranked hotels in Spain etc. (and for that matter many in the U.K.) We honeymooned there and had the most fantastic honeymoon anyone could ever ask for

It's funny although the Leela looks lovely it is quite/very formal and for our honeymoon (and when we returned 6 months later) we were delighted (and preferred) to stay at the Holiday Inn which gave us everything we wanted and more in a more relaxed enviroment.

We are really happy with our choice of hotel, it looks lovely. Cant wait to try the south. My only concern is that it will eventually end up like Baga/Calangute.

minnie9, I'm sure you will enjoy it. Have a great time

Thankyou Goanmad Tony.
Its a long time off yet though. At the moment we are looking for somewhere to go for our summer holiday but wherever we go we cant muster the same enthusiasm as we do for Goa. Many times we say we wont go again to Goa because we have been to many times and we are fed up with it and we manage to stay away for a year or two. We do go to other places but Goa is like a magnet pulling you back!
I am sure other Goa lovers will know what I mean!

minnie9, as you say, there's something about Goa that makes it a magnet. In all the places in the world I've been to, nothing gripped me as much as Goa. It was the first place that I wanted to go back to after a holiday! I never bother about summer holidays since 1999, when I decided to go during our winter months when it's so cold and would rather spend 2 weeks in November and 3 weeks in February back home in Goa. Tony.

I've always been a northie but in December we went to visit friends who were staying in Cavelossim. We only planned staying 2 nights there but extended our stay to a week because we liked it so much. We stayed at Gaffinos Hotel, which I couldn't fault, and although there's no pool at Gaffinos you can use the pool at the Mobor beach which is the sister hotel just a couple of minutes walk away. I hired a push bike when I was down there and cycled up to Colva from Cavelossim and I wouldn't mind staying anywhere along that stretch it was lovely. What I intend to do on future visits is book a hotel in the north and spend my first week there. Ring Gaffinos from there to make sure they've got rooms available, hop on the train at Thivim, get down to Margoa and then a taxi to Cavelossim. Spend a week down there and explore surrounding areas and then back up north for my final week to say goodbyes to friends. Best of both worlds

Hi GoanMadTony
Im glad you said that the Varca Palms hotel was the worst. We stayed there in Feb this year and were supposed to have 21 nights there!!!

We got moved after 4 days as it was sooooo awful. my son cut himself in the pool, the staff on front desk were rude, hotel in a dire state of decor, broken windows.

The only saving grace was the stunning beach outside but that couldnt sustain a 6 year old for 3 weeks!

South is gorgeous if you want the 'shanti shanti'

Hi haddojetty We stayed there in Nov 2006 for 2 weeks, and boy was it bad We found EVERYTHING appalling with the place, as you say,staff were rude and unhelpful, the place looked like it was about to fall to bits, shower that only had 1 setting, COLD, hot water tap in sink didn't work, a room that smelt musty and couldn't swing a mouse in let alone a cat The list could go on and on, but we spent the least amount of time in that hell hole as we could. There was a young boy who got cut in the pool while we were there, nothing got done about it We never used the beach, we use Varca, a short walk along. As i said in a previous post, NO WAY WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS HOTEL TO ANYONE

Tony
care to give us a short review?
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/india/goa/varca/varca-palms-beach-resort-hotel/

Will do one shortly Fiona, I think it will involve lots of these

try and get a word in now and again as well . Seriously, writing a review when you've found a poor hotel is probably even more helpful to members. It can save a holiday

Goanmadtony, my son got cut in the hotel pool too, in the childrens pool of all places, sliced his back. Mind you, we managed to get £300 back off Travelpack when we got back to the UK as they sent us to Calangute to a cheaper hotel for the last 2 weeks of a 3 week hol, so I wrote and asked for the difference and I got it! The baby who cries loudest gets the most milk!!!!

HJ, glad you got a refund on your holiday. I've done a short review on the Varca hole Palms, if I went into every bad detail on the place it would have taken me days to write

Hi
anyone got info on 3 star hotels down south with a few bars and restaurants and beach shacks near it Don,t want it to be to quiet

Paul

Hi! paul
How about Dona Sylvia in Cavelossim, there are some reviews in the Hotel section, bear in mind that anywhere in the South is quieter than CCB up North.

Not a hotel but have a look at http://www.demfer.com and Luisa by The Sea they are in a great location in Cavelossim any question's just ask. Hotel-wise have a look at The Haathi in Cavelossim or Royal Palms in Benaulim just a couple of idea's

stayed at The Hatthi in Cavalossim and Royal Goan Beach Club
Benaulim ,both first class,not to keen on The Royal Palms moved
after 3 nights to the Beach Club went again last Dec.a small resort
with first class accomodation.
Ann

aaronde
who did you book the royal goan beach club with
thanks