Hotel Jyoti Plaza

The best part was the location, about 10 minutes from madgaon railway station. Benaulim, Colva, and Varca were within a half-hour to 40-minute drive; we found Varca quite clean and not very crowded. Our room was good, the service was quick, and the lunch we had at the hotel was tasty. For the price, it was a good hotel, though dampness had damaged some walls and there were small cockroaches. The sofas and bed headrests also need more regular cleaning, as there were oil stains on them.

We waited nearly an hour for drinking water even after calling several times, and the service was just as disappointing as the room. There were cockroaches of all sizes, and the sheets and pillow covers were filthy. The outside of the hotel gives a very different impression. A frustrating stay, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend it.

The view from our third-floor room was lovely, and sitting by the window with coffee was really pleasant. The restaurant food was tasty, room service was great, and the staff were friendly and cooperative. The room was clean and the A/C worked, though we couldn’t change the fan speed. But it smelled of cigarettes, the shower didn’t work so we had to use buckets, and the room Wi-Fi was too weak for my laptop, although my phone connected. We’d asked reception to arrange a taxi for a specific time to the railway station. When we came down with our bags, 10 minutes before then, no taxi had been called. They arranged it at that point, but it made us worry about reaching the train on time. My partner’s stay was okay overall, with room for improvement. If you stay here, I’d also suggest dinner at Pepper Gourmet Coucine restaurant a few blocks away. The food there was amazing. Thanks to the staff anyway.

The food was good, and it was handy that the hotel had a lift and 24-hour check-in. We chose it because of its railway-station location and the reviews and photos, but the room smelled strongly of cigarette smoke when we arrived late at night. I’m sensitive to even a little smoke, and leaving the window open, as advised, didn’t help for almost three hours. I felt badly suffocated, and by then it was midnight, so I couldn’t sleep well. The sheets were stained, but they changed them when I asked. The bathroom was dirty, with marks in the toilet that we cleaned ourselves, and only soap was provided. The floor was muddy and dirty, as if it hadn’t been cleaned after the previous party left. This place has potential if the team takes responsibility for maintaining it. I hope they act on the feedback and improve cleanliness, but I wouldn’t recommend it as things are.