Royale Amata By the Beach

After traveling a long way, we found the place apparently deserted. There was no contact number available, and we couldn't find staff at reception or anywhere else on the property, nor any guests in the rooms. We waited about 20 minutes and nobody came. It was disappointing and a complete waste of time. Call ahead to confirm before going.

Rishi was the standout for us at Royale Amata. He looked after us really well and suggested places to see in Goa, saying we'd have a great time. The staff were very good.

The direct beach access was a lovely extra, and the rooms were good. Jainee, Navnitha, and the rest of the team were attentive and did their best to keep us comfortable. We had a great stay and would come back.

Dead bugs fell from the ceiling onto our bed several times during the stay, for reasons we don't know. But the main reason I can't give more than one star is what happened when we checked out. This was in November 2024, so I hope it's changed since. We were heading to South Goa and needed a cab. Staff said we had to book through the cab union for the hotel's "territory" and claimed there was no other option. They called the union, but the prices were high, so we tried Goa Miles. Once that driver arrived, men on bikes came out and threatened him. He drove away, then called to say he was being followed and asked us to cancel. The staff called the union again and chatted and laughed with them on the phone, as if they hadn't just frightened the driver off. They kept pushing us to take a union cab. We refused: we were two women traveling alone, and if the Goa Miles driver didn't feel safe, why should we? We got angry and walked with all our luggage in the heat to get outside the union's territory. As we left, the front desk called the union again and apparently told them which way we'd gone. We soon realized we were being followed. The men pursued us to the main road and threatened every driver who came to pick us up, even after we were out of the territory. We ended up calling the police and filming them. I understand the hotel can't control nearby unions, but the staff didn't have to be so friendly with them, insist we ride with them, or share our movements when we walked away. They put us in danger without hesitation, like this was routine. If the union is a known problem, the hotel should help guests get out of its territory instead of just telling them to walk. At a minimum, staff shouldn't help these thugs pressure people into using their service. Does management know about the arrangements with the cab unions? The driver who eventually picked us up asked us not to post the video we took of the incident, so I'm not including it.