Villa Ikebana

We were upgraded to the top floor, where the spacious room had a pool right beside it, a Jacuzzi bath, a roomy bathroom, and an attached balcony. The villa is well kept across its three floors, and the interiors looked lovely. Staff were kind and brought plates and cutlery when we had food delivered. Parking was the one problem, and I hope they sort it out.

The property itself is lovely and has the amenities you need, but the staff's unfriendly attitude really spoiled it for me. There are lots of strict rules: the reception lounge AC can't be used even though it's installed, and the kitchen hours are listed as 9 AM to 7 AM. You can't use the kitchen at all, despite this being a villa.

I stayed four days, so here's how the different parts worked for me. The housekeeping was great. When I asked, the room was cleaned and set up really well. You can order packaged drinks and food from the hotel menu around the clock; other food seemed a bit pricey, so you may prefer the restaurants around Goa. Coming and going whenever you like wasn't a problem. The owner is a woman who works at reception, with two or three other staff handling food and the gate. (5/5) The villa has four rooms with different layouts and feels a bit like your own home. Room 4 is on the ground floor, just a few metres from reception and opposite the kitchen. The kitchen is screened with glass, but you can hear voices from outside, so it may not feel private enough for couples or friends. Still, I didn't see any inappropriate behaviour by the window or outside the door, and they respected privacy. It may be fine for a family, and it's the cheapest room. Room 1 is on the top floor beside the shared pool, so the pool is only open during the day. Rooms 2 and 3 are on the first floor. I'd give Rooms 1 and 4 a 4/5, and Rooms 2 and 3 a 5/5. Getting around by a rented vehicle is easiest. I was told ungeared bikes were available here for around 300 a day, perhaps negotiable. In Mapusa you may find them for about 175 to 200 a day. (3/5) The location is the main drawback if you don't know Goa's roads. Baga and Calangute are farther away, though the roads are straight and you can get around easily. I found the area safe even at 2 AM, though it can be lonely. If you want to stay in and relax away from the busy tourist crowd, it works. If you're going out partying, most parties are in Baga and Calangute, around 15 minutes away. At night, watch out for stray dogs, they bark a lot at strangers. (3/5) It's a safe place, but there's no room safe, so don't leave valuables behind. You can lock your things away and keep your key with you unless you want room service. (4/5)

I had a good stay, since I mainly wanted to relax at the villa rather than go sightseeing. It's peaceful and away from Baga and Vagator beach. The villa is well maintained, though I couldn't use the Jacuzzi during my visit because it wasn't working. They refunded me through MakeMyTrip. After 7 pm, don't expect much hospitality or service.