Visited Cidade de Goa in Jan 2009 for 4 days. In general it was a good experience. Here are the details:
Cidade is a very good resort with excellent location, view, decorand food, but due to poor staff it should not be called a 5 star resort.
Airport pick up is good. It is actually useful after a long/tiring flight to get into a van/bus. The drive is about 45 mins.
Reception is ok. Folks there at the reception are not trained to thelevel of 5 star. Despite a previous day call, the room wasnot "prepared" for 1/2 hour. So we did not get to relax before goingfor lunch. The reception folks are "immature" to the level of saying"please put the age of your child as 5 years, not 6.5" even when I hadpaid for both my sons. Apparently they still booked one child as"infant" as I found out later!
Food was quite good with lot of variety. Only problem is that theirstaff often has a look saying "oh why are these guys here?" I mean, they seemed bored and bothered in doing their job. Not a pleasing site.And be sure of one thing- they cannot handle volume. On rush days, theservice was completely not-available. On top of this, their staffseemed to be much interested in serving foreigners than Indians! Itwas like, you ask for spoon, the guy will nod and then vanish! Anotherexample is, they do not hold the door open even if there is a smallchild going out right behind them!
Beach there is quite good and easily accessible. Water sports facitlities are also quite good right there. Must use.
In my deal I had a 1/2 day sight seeing tour. The tour was verygood. It will hard for you if you try to do it yourself. But I have onemajor complain- Cidade did not even put water bottles in the coach!Almost everyone was asking/shouting for water after sometime. A 5 starcan afford to keep few bottles . and charge if must.
Their taxi service is a horror story. They charge like crazy. Theirdrivers are experts in ensuring they overshoot the time so that youland up paying lot more. Specially avoid taking the driver "Mr. GersonMenezes". He not only overcharges but also shouts and fights right inthe lobby.
Room was good. But to get room service you have to dial multiple times.
Overall, I would say it is a good place to stay if you can manage toignore the bored expressions on their staff and manage to use taxi/bikefrom external sources. And do carry water bottle on sight seeing trip.