Goa With A Twist

Innovative dining, well-curated high-teas, offbeat local trails, and unparalleled hospitality—Hilton Goa Resort crafts a world far removed from the Goa to which we are accustomed. By Adila Matra

It is not often that you envisage a vacation on the top of a hill in Goa. That is just the first of many singularities of a stay at Hilton Goa Resort, the brand’s third property in the Sunshine State. Set in the quaint neighbourhood of Saipem, close to Candolim Beach, the property is a departure from the typical seaside resorts of Goa. On the weekend that I arrive, the weather is balmy and the people, warm and friendly.

Out of the four blocks named after different forts in Goa, my room is housed on the second floor of Cabo de Rama. The King Deluxe Riverview Room flaunts contemporary Indo-Portuguese design elements and generous use of wood. I pull the wooden blinds and slide open the glass door of the balcony to see River Nerul and tracts of salt pans in the distance, gleaming under the afternoon sun. Closer to the eye, the property’s palms and frangipani flowers sway in the breeze.

Since the resort is designed like a fort, there are no elevators to ferry you across the floors. This makes the scenic sundowner— with views of the backwaters of Goa and the hypnotic waters of the infinity pool—set in the private balcony of the Presidential Suite on the top floor, a well-earned reward.