As the grey clouds gloomed over, the trees looked irrepressibly greener and all we could think about was how delightful a monsoon vacation by the beach can be. A little unconventional probably, but when we arrived in Goa with rain lashing on our car window and the thunder roaring above, we knew it was going to be an exciting experience staying in one of the most luxurious hotels in North Goa and enjoying the soulful weather.
Driving through the deserted roads and muddy lanes, we arrived at The Westin Goa hotel in Anjuna. Located around three kilometers from the beach, this property by the Marriott Bonvoy group put the luxury element into our mini vacation. High-rise ceiling, contemporary interiors, a well-thought-out and scenic lounge, and a refreshing glass of cocktail welcomed us as we began the check-in process – which surprisingly didn’t take long.
As we entered the room, the first thing that caught our attention was the comfy-looking ‘heavenly’ bed that made it feel like you were sleeping on a fluffy cloud and drifting off to La La Land. Apart from that, the room had all the ingredients it needed to whip up a premium experience, including ample storage space, a feature-rich bathroom with a bathtub large enough to float a few duckies along with a bubble bath, and floor-to-ceiling windows that opens up to a mid-sized swimming pool. However, one downside was that we had to keep the curtains drawn for the sake of privacy when other guests were using the pool, especially during the day. However, focusing on the positives - most importantly, the Wi-Fi worked!
Room for more?
The most memorable part of the stay was the food, no doubt. The hotel has four on-site dining options, each with a different scenic view, offering a variety of cuisines including Indian, Asian, European and Continental.
The highlight of this three-day trip was the delectable ‘Eat Well Concept’ colourful platter at The Market. Focusing on health, the platter consisted of Avocado on Toast which was so soft that it could melt in your mouth, Mango Chia Bowl, Trail Mix, Mezze, Zaatar Croissant, and Exotic Fruit Platter. Since the hotel is focused on sustainability and a zero-waste policy, it is recommended to order only what you can eat or you will have to pay for the leftovers!
Now, before another session of devouring delicious food, we headed to their ‘Heavenly Spa’ for an hour-long massage. The dim-lit interiors, in-suite treatments, and private steam rooms made the entire experience more invigorating.
With relaxed and droopy eyes we headed for The Market again for a delicious Asian lunch curated by Chef Rajeev Kumar. Avocado made the showstopper here as well in the form of Avocado Cream Cheese Sushi paired with Lotus Root Fritters, Edamame Truffle Noodles and Dimsum, and Po Piah Tod. On the verge of over-eating, we had to take the leftovers in the hotel’s version of bento boxes.
Out of all, our favourite, however, was the European and Continental dinner at Thyme and Ash starring Wild Mushroom soup. Coming from someone who is not a big fan of mushrooms, the soup had the potential to make me question my own choices. Other highlights of the night were Mushroom lasagna, Wasabi Asparagus, and Thyme and Ash special pizza.
Paired with colourful and on-the-spot created cocktails like the Popcorn-flavored Cosmo, we can safely say that The Westin Goa indeed has a young and inspired team of mixologists who not only use all home-grown ingredients but also bring a delightful personal touch to all the drinks.
Get artsy
We concluded our staycation by visiting the Mario Gallery dedicated to the work of artist Mario de Miranda. Run by architect Gerard da Cunha, the gallery showcases Mario’s lifeworks by integrating them into different products like mugs, lamps, shirts, and bookmarks, among others. Following this, we had a little painting session ourselves in the hotel, recreating Mario’s drawing on a tile, which made a perfect souvenir to take home.
Nearest airport: Goa International Airport, Dabolim
Distance from the airport: approximately 48 km
Cost: INR 12,740 onwards per night