Holiday Inn Reviews

Goa is paradise on earth. We had a wonderful two week stay at The Holiday Inn, where the staff are friendly and cannot do enough.

We went Bed and Breakfast following advice from other travellers. This is the best way to fully experience Goa. We had heard all the usual horror stories about the food, but it was excellent quality in all the restaurants we went to. The shacks really are just restaurants on the beach. We went to Sam's shack and Mike's shack which are two minutes away from the hotel and both were good. The best food was probably at the Fish grill which is owned by Holiday Inn and is on the hotel grounds, but strangely not available to all inclusive guests. This in particular upset those guests who had to pay 1500 rupees (about £18) for the Monday night all you can eat lobster party.

All the hotel restaurants are excellent but it is well worth trying Betty's place and the Fisherman's Wharf which are a stone's throw from the hotel. A typical 3 course meal costs £10 for two although it will be more if you order wine.

The best thing about Goa is the wonderful beach and beautifully warm Arabian sea. Watching the sunset each night whilst Dolphins are jumping in and out of the water is spectacular. The hotel employ beach stewards who spend the day keeping the guests happy. Most are happy to talk for hours on end about their culture and keep you supplied with beer (34 rupees for a Kingfisher - about 45p). Say hi to Dalston for us if you meet him.

The people are extremely friendly and all will be interested on where you are from. At the same time be wary of the question ";is this your first time in Goa?"; when you are in a shop as if you say 'yes' prices will inevitably increase. Bartering is a way of life and always halve the shop keeper's first offer. He will look aghast but never-the-less once you have walked out of his shop he will always call you back and accept your price.

Nearby Cavellossim town is the best place for bargains. You can get surprising good quality immitation clothing, sarees, jewellry etc. Most of the shopowners are not Goan but Kashmiri. All speak good English and will try it on with the prices so knock them down!

The one essential trip is to the Dughsagar waterfall. It is spectacular and the jeep ride through the jungle is fun. You can also feed the monkeys. Do this by hiring a taxi for the day which will cost around £18 and ask the driver to stop by the Spice planatation on the way back where you can ride an elephant for great photo opportunities.

The only negative thing about the holiday was arriving at Dabolim airport. The initial noise and commotion of this period is overwhelming. Your luggage will be taken from you and whisked away to your connection coach. You will then be asked for a £1 coin. It is up to you whether or not you tip, but you will be asked for more whatever you give. Just be firm with them.

Before you go buy the Lonely Planet book on Goa to read on the plane. Remember your mosquito repellent and most importantly avoid the temptation to stay in the confines of the hotel complex for the whole holiday. There is so much to do and see, you will love it we promise.

The Holiday Inn Mobor Beach is an excellent hotel with superb facilities. The staff are the nicest I have ever come across any where in the world.

Accomodation is excellent, air-conditioning is brill, food good, beer excellent, staff tremendous, entertainment is poor but you do get all the live English and Spanish footie.

Now the good stuff is over I must advise against booking with Thomas Cook. Their flights are an absolute disgrace. The legroom and width of the seat are appalling. We had more leg room flying to London than any of the two 10 hour flights to Goa.

The airline staff were dreadful, the service and food were awful and several of the TV monitors did not work. If you are used to flying scheduled you will be horrified. We paid an extra £50 for the emergency exit seats and they were still shocking. The only way around this is to pay £200 extra for the upgrade.

Goa, what a fantastic place to visit. I really had very little idea what to expect, using just our Lonely planet book as a guide. On leaving the airport your first impression is of entering a massive building site, but suddenly you're in the countryside surrounded by coconut trees, the smell of spices and a multitude of vibrant buildings of all shapes and degrees of repair!! The Holiday Inn was beautiful from the very minute we set foot on the entrance steps we were treated with the utmost respect and warmth.

Our room was large and comfortable and airy, cleaned daily by polite staff with fresh towels and bed linen every day.
The food was superb especially the Mardi Gras. Initially we weren't keen on trying the buffett service, but soon realised that the freshly cooked barbequed seafish, and mixture of both western and indian cuisine was devine!
However, we must admit that most days we could be found on the beach enjoying the menu at the beach shacks, which despite dire health warnings from the hotels (displayed on cards in your room) were delicious and never once caused us any illness. Their chinese soup ranges are the best I've ever tasted and I bought a few recipes home with me. Wednesdays nights at Sam's Shack on the beach are a riot with fireworks, bonfire, mini hot air baloons - fantastic to watch especially when they come so close to setting fire to the neighbouring beach shacks! The music is a bit dodgy as they try to please all the clients, but far surpassed the Hotel's attempts at entertainment which consisted of an two guys belting out 60's and 70's music in a style that would fit right in to a British Leigon night! Goa's take on Chas and Dave...

Anyway we had a wonderful holiday, despite warnings over the beach sellers, we made quite a few friends and will definitley go back soon, hopefully with our children.