Csm Colonia Santa Maria Reviews

Travel Date: February 07

Submitted in March 2007 by: Paul Pattenden Notts

Operator: First Choice

We stayed at this hotel as I had read so many excellent reports on this site.

We upgraded on First Choice but you don't need to as there is plenty of room without paying for that. We had a fantastic 2 weeks at Baga Beach. We did not eat at the hotel ...

Travel Date: February 07

Submitted in March 2007 by: Paul Pattenden Notts

Operator: First Choice

We stayed at this hotel as I had read so many excellent reports on this site.

We upgraded on First Choice but you don't need to as there is plenty of room without paying for that. We had a fantastic 2 weeks at Baga Beach. We did not eat at the hotel for the whole time we were there as it is so cheap to eat out. We did most of our eating in the evening at Cafe Lazy Days which is opposite the hotel entrance. The food and service was brilliant. On the beach we spent all our time using Bobees Beach Shack which is is the first shack if you take the left hand path down to the beach. The four of us would spend all day on the beach and for drinks lunch water and whatever took our fancy including cocktails at sunset the bill for the whole day would be between £15-£20 the sunbeds are free if you get your food and drinks at the shack. Don't let the word shack put you of as they are anything but shacks as we know them.

We used the same taxi driver all the time we were there Hiru and he was brill. He would take us wherever we wanted and stay with us all day if we wanted for about £20. Must do trips are the waterfalls to swim in freezing water and feed the monkeys and the markets.
At this moment we are trying to sort out dates to go back next year.

All in all a fantastic holiday

Travel Date: March 06

Submitted in March 2006 by: Joanne and Francis - Birmingham

Operator: Other

Anyone worrying about going to this hotel - DONT!!! It has in my opinion the best location in Baga / Calangute. It is set in kind of a holiday villages with cottages on either side which lead right down to the beach. All the rooms are clean and have very go...

Travel Date: March 06

Submitted in March 2006 by: Joanne and Francis - Birmingham

Operator: Other

Anyone worrying about going to this hotel - DONT!!! It has in my opinion the best location in Baga / Calangute. It is set in kind of a holiday villages with cottages on either side which lead right down to the beach. All the rooms are clean and have very good air con. I particularly liked the fact that you could sit on your balcony of a night time and wouldn't have any other balcony rooms over looking you.

I didn't really eat in the restaurant as we wanted to eat out. Many good restaurants to eat out in. O'Pescador, Kim Faa (chinese, Brittos (good english grub. My favourite has got to be All Spice which is located in Arpora, it has inpectable service and the food is to die for! I highly recommend it! The head waiter Vinny is such a doll! He asked me what sort of thing i liked, went off and came back with fantastic food. Lobster was gorgeous!!
We used Bosco's beach shack which was great - all the lads who work there are great!
The only culture shock i would say that i experienced was, there are no pavements! Its just a matter of walking alongside the road in single file. There are no ";rules of the road"; in Goa, so be prepared for motorbikes, cars etc.. beeping down the roads.

We managed to go down to Palolem in South Goa and stay in tree huts for the night which was a good experience.
Please note that if it is your first time in Goa it is not un usual to hate it at first - give it a few days, you will love it!
We are already planning next years visit - can't wait! There is only one place where i will be staying and that's the CSM!!!!

Travel Date: January 06

Submitted in December 2006 by: Pete Gill 58 - Essex Nov 2006

Operator: First Choice

Second time to Baga and planing a third, my wife and I love it here, we stayed at the C.S.M. this time, did not go much on the buffet style meals very tasty but not much choice, but as it is so cheap to eat out it did not seem to matter much. The apartments...

Travel Date: January 06

Submitted in December 2006 by: Pete Gill 58 - Essex Nov 2006

Operator: First Choice

Second time to Baga and planing a third, my wife and I love it here, we stayed at the C.S.M. this time, did not go much on the buffet style meals very tasty but not much choice, but as it is so cheap to eat out it did not seem to matter much. The apartments were cleaned every day and clean sheets and towels, we had a bedroom with a/c and a fan and free safe deposit box, the staff were all very friendly and helpful, the complex was next to the beach so not far to walk.

The beach has shacks as far as the eye can see, don't be afraid to use them the food is great, we ate there sometimes of a night, listening to the lapping of the waves while eating your meal great. we used a shack called Lucky Star a bit further down the beach but worth the walk the boys all remembered us from last year which was a great feeling, have a drink there and the sunbeds are free.there are plenty of hawkers but just take them in your stride say a firm no thank you and they normaly go away Baga itself is a busy resort with lots of bars and places to eat but mind the road no pavements and lots of traffic. Taxis are very cheap but get a price first. lots of places to see and various trips to go on.

All in all a very enjoyable holiday

Travel Date: December 05

Submitted in January 2006 by: Gail Smith - Wakefield

Operator: Other

Arriving at the airport was quite frightening, very busy with lots of local boys wanting to carry your bags to the coaches or taxi. We arrived at the Colonia Santa Maria after a journey of about 1hour 30 minutes. We were dropped off at the end of the road a...

Travel Date: December 05

Submitted in January 2006 by: Gail Smith - Wakefield

Operator: Other

Arriving at the airport was quite frightening, very busy with lots of local boys wanting to carry your bags to the coaches or taxi. We arrived at the Colonia Santa Maria after a journey of about 1hour 30 minutes. We were dropped off at the end of the road and had to walk up to reception, it takes about 5 minutes.The apartments were very clean, very well maintained. They were cleaned every day, and clean towells left every day too.There was a sitting area, small but adequate shower/toilet area and king size bed.Fans on the ceiling were adequate but air conditioning was available at a cost.Plenty of drawers and wardrobe space.

We had half board, evening meal was buffet style. 8 or 9 different choices. Always soup,not a lot of choice for sweet.Different menu was available at extra cost but still very cheap.Plenty of restaurants locally.Bernards catered for anyone wishing to eat ";English"; ie steak, shepherds pie, fish chip etc, had steak there one evening it was excellant. Very cheap too (£5 each with beer). Plenty of others on the main Baga Road, Chinese and Indian.Tito's cafe at the end of the road (where you will be dropped off)has all your needs phone, water, beer.Lovely people too. Great for sitting with a beer in the afternoon under the trees out of the sun. Lots of other bars open all day for drinks and food.

Try some of the trips, cheaper if booked outside the hotel.Although each hotel has their own taxi drivers all wanting your custom. Good booking office - when you get to Tito's turn left and walk about 5 minutes. On the left side of the road (opposite the school) there are a row of shops the first one is a small booking office, we used them for the crocodile trip. 995 rupees each, set off at 9am in taxi to a boat, 4 hours on the boat lunch and drinks provided, saw 9 crocs, we were very lucky some only see about 1 or 2.Back home about 3pm. Great day out.Also try catching the bus from Calangute roundabout to Panjim, about 45 minute journey cost 9 rupees(10p).Mapusa market on Fridays is well worth seeing.You can also catch a boat from Baga beach on Wednesdays to Anjuna they have a market there.You can also come back by taxi if you don't fancy the boat again.

There are plenty of beach shacks to have lunch too. They don't charge for sun beds, but it is only fair to either have lunch or order drinks there so not to take advantage. Sunsets are spectacular on the beach, it sets about 6pm so get your Kingfisher beer and relax. We used one called Inspirations. The Colonia Santa Maria is right on the beach too but it has a small swimming pool with only about15 sunbeds around, it looks out onto scrubland on the back and is quiet. No loud disco music. Although the beach can be loud at times. You can walk for miles to the left on the beach down to a ship wreck at Candolim.

We had a fantastic time there, hope you do too.

Travel Date: December 05

Submitted in January 2006 by: Lloyd Foster -Wakefield (all 50+)

Operator: Other

Just back from a month in CSM hotel in Baga, Goa. Once again we enjoyed our stay and I cannot fault our hotel again, stayed there last year, and now its had a bit of a refurb and a lick of paint its even better.

They have started doing the meals buff...

Travel Date: December 05

Submitted in January 2006 by: Lloyd Foster -Wakefield (all 50+)

Operator: Other

Just back from a month in CSM hotel in Baga, Goa. Once again we enjoyed our stay and I cannot fault our hotel again, stayed there last year, and now its had a bit of a refurb and a lick of paint its even better.

They have started doing the meals buffet style though and I felt that it had lost the personal touch it had before. The staff as usual were brilliant and nothing is to much trouble for them and it was sad to say bye to them, and I think it will be bye, because having been four times in the past ten years I have to say my love affair with Baga/Calangute is over. It is now so polluted,crowded,busy that its not the place I remember so fondly. The hawkers on the beach are a pest and trying to walk down the road past the shops is just as bad. We booked into a beach hut at Mandrem Beach for a few days just for some peace and thats how Goa used to be.

Cannot fault CSM but think my days as a Goaholic are over.