Hotel Santiago Reviews

This was our first time in Goa and first impressions on leaving the airport was my god what have we come too. There is a lot of poverty as you will see travelling from the airport and rubbish is just thrown on to the streets, but the country is beautiful as are the people.

We stayed at the Santiago which is a all-inclusive hotel just of the Baga road 10 mins walk too the beach and 10 mins walk too Calangutes main shopping centre. The Santiago it self was basic but very clean and the staff are fantastic thay really look after you and nothing is too much trouble for them. The food is good there is Indian, Chinese and English with entertainment most nights. We did not go on any of the organised trips instead we used the taxis outside the hotel which are cheaper plus thay will take you anywere all for a few hundred rupees. We used a guy named Neil he was lovely and will tell you the best things too see and the nicest beaches too visit.

We had a fantastic time in Goa all thanks too the Goan people and will defiantly go back too Goa and the Santiago as there is a lot more we would like too see. JohnandAmanda

Just returned from fab 2 weeks, and have booked today to return next year, back to the Santiago again.
The Rooms are kept spotlessly clean and the linen changed every other day. The boys that do the cleaning are lovely,and if you're lucky when you return to your room will have made wonderful things with the towels, we had swans, boats,lillies and palm trees. The only minor problem is that the rooms are a little dark.
All the staff are very friendly and helpful,Paulo,Sandeep,Dave and Janet just to name a few. Nothing was too much trouble.

The reception provide mosquito coils to burn, free of charge, very handy when having a late drink on the balcony.
Buy your repellent when you get there, i spent a fortune on jungle formula which DID NOT WORK, go to the local chemist in Calengute (Johnny's) and buy the local stuff, i used REPEL which worked very well, you can also get all the tummy tablets/antihistimines there too.

Baga Beach is hectic avoid if you don't fancy a bit of (constant) friendly interuption to your sunbathing.
Ashwem Beach is quiet only 3 sellers, none of which bothered us more than once. The sea is great to go body boarding.We had lunch at the golden goa, very good shark and King prawns. They do charge for the use of sunbeds.
Turtle Beach is our favorite, no sellers. We ate at the 'Hard Rock Cafe' Very good food and free sunbeds.
Don't bother with the tour operators trips, get a taxi(£10 approx ALL day) and do it yourself,it will cost a fraction of their prices and will be more enjoyble too.
Our driver Mohan was great, we visited his home and had a wonderful lunch.

The local stall holders are very persistant,but a polite no thankyou will work, Most of the time. Don't say that you will return to any stalls if you have no intention of doing so, they WILL remember you and WILL hassle you everytime they see you, until you return.

Apora night market on a sat is very good, but prices are just as cheap if not cheaper in resort, HAGGLE HARD.
Goa is a wonderful place everyone wants to be your friend and help you. I would advise going sooner rather than later as it seems that it's getting more commercialized as time goes on.

The hotel is rated 2 star+ but the service i have to say far exceeds this.Staff (bar,reception, room service and security)ensure your stay is totally hassle free and management consult you in person to ensure this. pool is cleaned regularly and repaired immediately, while staying a pool tile was cracked and within a couple of hours was replaced.

This is a 2 star hotel so the rooms are plain, king size double bed, settee bed for our third person, refridgerator with water,soft drinks and beer.Bed linen in good clean condition and changed at regular intervals, no air/cond but cooled by ceiling fans which were adequate. Hot water available at all times for showering and wash. Room tidied daily when we were out. We did'nt use the hotel security facility for valuables, pure laziness i suppose, nothing ever went astray so staff integrity was never in doubt.

Food was superb (were A/Incl)indian,thai/chinese,european (if you wanted english),and waited on.Breakfast was ok fresh fruit(bananas never tasted so good)tea/coffee, english b/fast not a bad effort. Midday snacks were good, and afternoon tea (tiffin???) a mixture of savoury snacks cake and biscuits. And after all that, westayed a week, no tummy problems.If you are looking for a hotel from hell do not come here!Great hotel and great staff, incidentally, all wear name badges.

I have to mention a tailors shop immediately outside the hotel, called jewelry and tailor, he will make up a suit for you (mens ladies)during your stay for a very reasonable price about £40 so you could get a wardrobe of made to measure suits and shirts at a very reasonable amount.My daughter had hers made for £36 and was well pleased, next trip i will go prepared.

If you are coming to india for the first time like us, be prepared for a culture shock. Everyone wants to sell to you, which means you are able to haggle hard, but this means you will be approached every step of the way down the high street, by all manner of market stall holders, it is a nuisance but say if you are not interested and eventually they will go.if you say you will come back later they will remember.They all speak fluent english.And they generally ask your name (i made up mine).

Baga beach is great although lots of hawkers, some beggars and the occasional ox. drink shacks have sunbeds and shades for free use if you buy their drinks and snacks from them which are not overpriced.
If you are looking for a quiet beach, get this, manderhem beach white sand a couple of shacks serving drinks and sunbeds virtually no hawkers. From the hotel about 15 miles, take a taxi. We hired a taxi (Rupee was the driver) to the beach he waited at the beach for 3 hours while we sunbathed had a meal and returned us. For 750 rupees about £8.50. gave a tip as well.hire a scooter if you are brave, just make sure the horn works,roundabouts still have'nt figured who has right of way, and traffic lights do not exist.

This was our first trip got sunburnt, weather was hot, food exceptional and the people were superb. (oh you should know they will ask you, where you are from, your name, what you do and virtually your life story, up to you what you tell them)
Anyway graeat place i and my family are looking forward to returning soon, it is so cheap (you can easily survive on £10 a day)