I love Goa! I go there every year, sometimes twice a year!
I’ve stayed in a number of good resorts across locations, ranging from the modest ones along the Calangute/Baga stretch to the Taj Hermitage and the Park Hyatt. Till date, our recent stay(Dec’08) in Club Mahindra(Varca) has got to count as the most "fun" we’ve had in years.
First of all, let me state that it’s a part of the RCI network and we’re RCI members, so the rates we pay are far far below the rack rate for non-members. At those rates, the entire package on offer assumes a whole new perspective.
That said, rates also vary from month-to-month as per season, and for room types. I will try and restrict this review to comments that have little to do with such variations. You can decide for yourself if you’d like to take the plunge.
*Room Quality
*The rooms are spacious, tastefully decorated and well-appointed. We stayed in a "One Bedroom" format which had a living room and a bedroom, with a mini kitchenette, a small fridge, a tv(with cable), a microwave, and a balcony. The living room also has a sofa set that can be made into a double-bed. My only cause for complaint was that the mattresses were made of spring - not quite what’s ideal for a bad back.
Service
The staff were courteous and friendly, and quite prompt in response to most requests! By Goa standards of service, actually, the response time was lightening fast. Wherever we went, eager and ethusiastic staff members were happy to play with both our children or help attend to any of our requests.
Food
A big part of any holiday for me is Food! For the most part, the menu prices were what can easily be regarded as "overpriced" if not "atrocious". The resort had a wide varity of restaurant options, though, including one one the beach dedicated to authentic Goan cuisine. It also offered several all-day dining packages at more reasonably priced levels. e.g. A breakfast-lunch-dinner package for one adult could be taken for Rs. 799 plus taxes where all meals came in a buffet format. Me? I hooked up with a local restaurant nearby who delivered sumptuous Goan food right at my doorstep at one fourth the price!
Facilities
This is perhaps the biggest strength of the resort. It’s teeming with possibilities for children and grown ups. There’s a very active Fun Centre which has a plethora of activities scheduled for all ages, throughout the day. Some activities(like pottery workshop) are chargeable, some require only a one-time nominal registration fee, and others are completely free! If you have kids older than 6 years of age, they can spend their entire day doing things and never get bored. Even our almost-five-year-old really enjoyed her twice-a-day trips to the Crocodile Club where she painted, made some arty things, watched disney movies, etc.
The Pool and The Beach
Last but not the least, the resort has two swimming pools, each with three levels of depth, suitable for newbies and pros. I still can’t swim, so don’t spend so much time in the pool. But if you do, you can spend your whole day in the water or by the poolside. There’s also the Varca beach - a relatively quiet beach - a quick walk from within the property, should you fancy a dip in the ocean.
Parting Thoughts.
Location wise, it’s at the South end of Goa, close to Colva beach. By train, Madgaon is the closest station(about 20 min. drive) and the Dabolim airport is a 45-min. taxi ride that can cost about Rs. 550 by prepaid. If you’re planning to step out of the resort and walk down the market or something like that, let me warn you that Varca is nothing like Calangute or Baga. There’s the resort, and there’s the beach. That’s it!
I’ve stayed at the Park Hyatt in Goa and think that this property is quite heavily inspired by it, especially its spread of bungalows, golf-cart buggies, etc. I find the Park property to be one of the best in the country, and think this one does offer nearly 80% of that experience, with some drop in luxury of course.
All in all, I think the Club Mahindra at Varca deserves the Gold Crown status that RCI has conferred on it, year after year, for the last five years or so.
Club Mahindra’s official site: https://clubmahindra.com/resortsub.asp?id=1
Naveen Bachwani
Dec 2008