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Goa Accommodation?
There are many options to choose from as far as accommodation in Goa is concerned
Goa Accommodation:
Accommodation is no problem for most part of the year in Goa. But there is a snag if you impulsively decide to visit Goa during the peak season between October and March. So, if you are planning to visit Goa during that period, make sure you have your bookings done well in advance.
Most Goa hotel prices are based on high, middle and low seasons.
Season Accommodation...
The high season covers the period from mid-December to late January (with the exception of the peak period between 22 December and 5 January).The middle seasons are from October to mid-December and February to June.
The low season is from July to September.
You will get discounts of 25% in the middle and up to 60% in the low season.
Peak Season...
If you turn up at a popular beach during peak season you may end up homeless or paying more than you want to. If you arrive early in the season there should be a healthy range of available rooms, giving you scope to shop around and bargain. The rule of thumb is that the longer you stay the cheaper it gets.
As peak season draws near, discuss the issue of pricing. Don’t assume it will remain the same; some prices suddenly skyrocket over Christmas, even if you’ve booked ahead. Try not to feel too hard done by during this period; remember that not all hoteliers are greedy, and for many the money they make in this period is what their families must live off when there is not tourism at all.
Prices vary according to demand, location (i.e. beachfront or out the back), duration of stay and the whims of management.
Bear in mind there’s a luxury tax of 8% on rooms over Rs. 500 and 12% for those over around Rs. 800. For most of the budget places, the prices quoted include this tax, but at midrange and top-end hotels you can expect tax to be added to the bill. Some hotels add a further 10% ‘service tax’. When you’re negotiating prices, clarify whether tax is included or not.
Budget, Mid-range & Top-class
Budget accommodation can be anything from a basic room with a shared cold-water bathroom to a bamboo hut right on the beach.
Midrange accommodation varies enormously. Basically you can expect a hotel with a fan, perhaps a TV and sometimes even a swimming pool.
Top-end hotels vary from modern boutique affairs to classic heritage hotels or generic beachside resorts replete with casinos, shopping arcades and swimming pools that rival the size of the Arabian Sea.
Accommodation is cheaper in towns like Panaji, Mapusa and Margao, which see fewer tourists. Unless stated otherwise, rooms reviewed have a bathroom.
Checkout time can vary enormously throughout Goa; some can be as early as 8am and others can be as casual as whenever. Make sure you know what time you're expected to leave - some hotels will demand an extra 50% if you're late.
Goa Accommodation options
Goa Hotels
Goa Accommodation - HotelsThere is a range of hotels in Goa; some are soulless buildings with a host of amenities but all the character of a shopping mall, while others dub themselves resorts in light of their proximity to the ocean and their pool. Either way, a hotel in Goa is much the same as a hotel anywhere else in the world; an organized establishment with a reception, room service, TVs, private bathrooms and sometimes minibars.
Resorts in Goa
Goa Accommodation - ResortsThere is no shortage of resorts in Goa. Some are more like mini-resorts, with facilities are spread over a smaller area than the larger resorts. These are often oriented towards the domestic market, and can be good value; a day bed by the swimming pool by the ocean is indulgent even if you’re paying rupees rather than US dollars. At the other end of the spectrum are the mass-scale, resort complexes that have their own golf course and casino, and are too big to cover on foot.
Villas in Goa
Goa Accommodation - VillasFrom old magnificent Portuguese style to modern luxurious style villas can be found in various parts of Goa. You will surely enjoy staying in these villas.
Guesthouses in Goa
Goa Accommodation - Guesthouses & Apartments
The most common form of budget accommodation is the guesthouse. These can be a dedicated building, a building out the back of a family home, or even rooms in the family home. The general rule is that the closer your sleeping quarters are to the host family, the cheaper the room. The diversity of choices and experiences is enormous. Staying in a family-run guesthouse can be a wonderful way to get an insight into Goa, and can sometimes be more comfortable and economical than staying in a coco hut.
Rental Accommodation in Goa
Goa Accommodation - Longterm RentalRenting houses by the month or longer is not an uncommon thing to do in Goa, particularly given the increasing number of Westerners who live in Goa for six or so months of every year.
There are real-estate agents who can help, but it’s easy enough to find your own home without them. Ask around, check out notice boards at foreigner hot spots, or simply select the area you would like to live and take note of phone numbers on the many ‘For Rent’ signs, some of which even specify ‘Foreigners Only’. Obviously, the closer you are to the coast, the more you will pay.
Bamboo Huts in Goa
Goa Accommodation - Huts and Tree housesThe quintessential Goan experience is the bamboo hut, known locally as cocohuts. These were originally constructed on stilts, using surrounding coconut trees as support, but nowadays bamboo huts have moved far beyond their primitive genesis. It’s not hard to tell a budget hut from a more expensive one; the better it looks, the more it costs.
Palolem is a good example of the range of huts available; the coast is still predominantly lined with flimsy huts on stilts, but between them are an increasing number of larger and more stylish versions; some huts are even double-storey affairs with spacious hot-water bathrooms. There are also more-linear but often roughly slapped together wooden huts constructed of plywood.
The decor in these kit-home jobs often accounts for price variations – a coat of paint and a few decorative cushions on a makeshift balcony can mean a difference of a few hundred rupees.
A real downside of the cocohut experience can be one’s proximity to the neighbours, whose nocturnal noises are often no more than a foot of air and flimsy sheet of bamboo away.
Camping in Goa
Goa Accommodation - CampingGiven the range of budget accommodation, few people travel with their own tent. An increasing phenomenon though (and a far cry from the triangular tents of yesteryear) is the organized camp of tepee-style tents, such as Bai Tereza Beach Camp at Coco Beach, where the guests gather around a bonfire at night.
Places such as Yoga Magic in Anjuna also have Rajasthani-style tents that have a strong eco-friendly ethos, while other hotels, such as Palolem Beach Resort, set up the occasional tent around their premises to squeeze a few more people in.
