Casa Colvale

We didn’t want to stay in a big hotel chain, neither did we want to stay in beach shacks or risk an unknown place. Casa Colvale was a great discovery based on Trip Advisor reviews. Located far away from the hustle & bustle of Goa, Casa Colvale is set in idyllic surroundings, on the bank of the Chapora river. Designed more like a huge bungalow, rather than a hotel, it has large open areas on each floor for sitting & dining, large verandahs, terrace and large spacious rooms & bathrooms with all modern amenities. The décor & furniture is quite elaborate, distinctive & antique looking. We stayed in room no 6 in the lower block & had a great view of the river & the bank across. The views from the upper block are restricted. It was so tranquil, even the birds seem to be aware of it & chirped gently & sparingly. We had a very relaxing & restful stay.Breakfast was sumptuous & served on the deck overlooking the river. We had lunch just once – tasty Goan food. There was other Indian food on the menu too. The pool too is lovely & decent sized, right out there on the deck. On the down side, it is quite inland & and therefore a long drive to the beaches / forts / towns. The nearest town is Mapusa.

A wonderful peaceful location situated on the banks of the river. Good for bird watching and watching the water buffalos crossing the river daily. All bedrooms are furnished with style, fabulous furniture and wall art. The menu was very limited and only half the menu was available on the 3 nights we stayed. The hotel is in a remote area so you will need to take a cab to the nearest restaurant

The hotel is built with love and care. BUT quite honestly, the hotel is in the middle of no where. No facilities, restaurants anywhere, no ATMs etc. The entrance through the hotel feels like the scene out of a scary movie. No sign boards. Google Maps is the only way to find it. Once you get in, the hotel looks great. Good well maintained but you have the feeling that there are not too many visitors. It is a boutique hotel and suitable for a large group to go there. I would not recommend for a couple. We were there for 3 days and nothing happened but it is a little creepy since the hotel looks empty. Maybe we just came at a time when there was limited crowd. The food menu is limited but the food itself is good. They don't have a few things on the menu but they are flexible to make some things based on request. I was there for 3 days and they did not have soda to go with the whiskey. The kitchen closes early so if you arrive late at this hotel, you may have to go hungry or really travel far (4-5 kms) to get food. So if you think of arriving on a late flight or after driving from another city, watch out. The staff tries hard and are nice. Om Prakash the manager tries hard but there are some limitations due to the location. We booked through Expedia and we had billing issues (higher room tariff) caused by wrong info passed from HQs to the hotel staff on location. Was resolved at the end but surprised us in the end. Had a mini argument with the manager who later apologized.

Earlier I thought that this would be a shabby place; but I was totally surprised when I reached there. So here is the story…. The Hotel is located on the riverfront of the peaceful site ‘Colvale Villege’, Bardez the old town. We requested for an early check-in, it was approved, we request for a late check-out, it was approved also, even on a off season time, some hotel would not have approved it. We were given river view room. The room was specious for three of us. The maintenance was up to the mark specially the cleanliness and temperature. The Best Part---, on our request the hotel staff has arranged a nice candle light dinner with soothing music at our balcony; they really made our evening more than awesome. We enjoyed everything right from its swimming pool, river cruise, Persian library (some must read books / autobiographies and novels) comfortable sofas and reclining chairs. The reception personnel (Mr. Lohiya – OP and Upendra – we call him dharmendar) were very helpful in advise on what to see / visit; which we have never explored in Goa. Breakfast was good, will fresh fruits and juices, choice of eggs, paratha and everything you would want for breakfast. To conclude I recommend this hotel for its unparallel peace and comfort.

Casa Colvale is a peaceful location offering great views over the river and glimpses of the local wildlife. The rooms are of excellent quality, the food just as good and service efficient and friendly. Its location might deter those who are looking for beach days and night life, but the views and atmosphere of the place are really addictive and the perfect antidote to the hectic pace of life in India