The Secret Garden Goa

The largest room was beautiful, clean, and full of charm, and that comfortable bed deserves a mention too. The hosts are fantastic, and the lovely dogs were a treat. We also had the most delicious omelette we've ever eaten. Thank you for welcoming us into your home, it was hard to leave.

The three families in our group had the house and pool to ourselves, from when the kids woke up through midnight swims. It felt wonderfully private, and the Secret Garden gave us the relaxed holiday we wanted, with comfortable surroundings and lovely conversations, along with everything Goa promises. Helene and Derrik are fabulous hosts. Helene helped arrange rental bikes and airport cab pickup and drop-off, and gave us great tips for nearby restaurants, bars, the museum of Goa, and beaches. The location in North Goa is tucked away from the tourist rush but convenient for all of those places. This was our second stay, and nothing had changed since our first visit, which was great. The name really sums up this carefully put together homestay. The rooms are tastefully decorated and open, along with the living and dining room, onto the Secret Garden, where tropical green plants surround the pool. Helene's legendary breakfast includes homemade bread, fruit preserves, cereals, eggs and omelettes, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, and juices. She also offered traditional Indian breakfast options. Our daughter's favourite was the pancakes with chocolate sauce.

Managed by the lovely Helene Menezes, this homestay is an ideal getaway for a discerning traveller. The old-world feel and modern amenities, including a swimming pool, make it a distinctive stay. Set in Saligao village in North Goa, the sprawling Portuguese styled house offers seclusion while still being close to Calangute & Baga beaches and their nightlife.

The breakfast here was a gastronomic delight, far beyond the pale spread at the five star hotel we'd just spent four nights in down in South Goa. Helene cooked it up like manna from heaven. She and Derek are guardian angels who made sure we felt loved and pampered all the way. Just over a day into the stay, we were already overwhelmed by how we felt about this place. We'd come looking for somewhere pristine, preferably in a village and away from the madding crowd, and destiny had heaven on earth in mind with The secret Garden. The attention to detail and the amenities would put the top hotels to shame. The joy and wit of these times have somehow led to an epiphany that our dull caution and tangled thoughts would never attempt, untying knots with sudden bursts of mirth and all the sound of impassioned, unbridled joy. S'cusi dove il bar Se para collo pou eine toe bar s'il vous plait ou est le bar. Yearning to come back again, and soon. God bless this wonderful couple. Kudos for such a grand endeavor.