Staying at Ahilya is like visiting the home of that wealthy, eccentric and extremely tasteful aunt you always wished you had. Three graceful, Balinese-style villas are stuffed to the gills with the most fabulous treasures, carefully curated from the owner’s lifetime of exotic travels: African masks, Hindu statuettes, Burmese bowls, a gilded altarpiece. Every nook holds something old and beautiful to be admired. The villas - each with 2-4 airy rooms - are tucked amidst lush, tropical gardens, but give out onto the wide-open bay, where fishermen work and cetaceans play. (We watched dolphins as we sipped our sundowners.) Elsewhere, two crystal-clear swimming pools provide cool retreat from the strong Goan sun.
The food is inventive and delicious, produced with painstaking attention to each guest’s individual needs and preferences. Service could not be more gracious. If it’s adventure you crave, there are plenty of attractions outside Ahilya’s bougainvillea-covered walls: sturdy, colonial-era forts and churches, flashy new art galleries and museums, glittering night markets. But you'll be relieved to return to Ahilya in the evening - a serene, intimate and elegant retreat for the most discerning guests.
Highs
- The peace, tucked away from Goa's tourist hordes
- All the fine touches and impeccable service of a top-class hotel, yet the warmth and intimacy of a family homestay
- A gorgeous infinity pool and a spa offering massages
- Great for all - couples, friends, a family or a small group. You can request 1 room, 1 villa, even the whole place, depending on your needs
- Feels like an Ali Baba’s cave, filled with handsome antiques, handicrafts and wall art
Lows
- Don’t come for the local beaches. The nearest is a working fishermen's beach - it’s scenic (from a distance) but dirty. Decent ones are a day trip away
- With such personalised service, menus are planned well in advance; lunches and dinners have to be requested with 2 hours' notice
- The outdoor dining area can get very hot (though eating indoors, under the AC, is an option)
- A strict payment and cancellation policy
Best time to go
Goa’s peak season begins in late November and runs until mid-February. Weather-wise, that’s the nicest time to visit - but also the busiest. Perhaps the best time is mid-January, once the throngs of tourists have left but the weather is still fine. That said, with its air-conditioned rooms, swimming pools and sea breezes, Ahilya can manage summer better than many Goan properties. It is closed during the monsoons (July and August).
Our top tips
Don't miss Ingo’s famous Saturday Night Market at Arpora Village for fabulous food, clothing and jewellery, live music, and dancing late into the night.
Location
Ahilya By The Sea is perched on a seawall next to Coco Beach in the Bardez district of central Goa, across the bay from Panjim, the capital city. It is a 10-minute walk to the fishing village of Nerul and a 20-minute walk to the 16th-century Reis Margos Fort. The shops of Candolim are a short 15-minute drive away.
By Air:
Dabolim Airport (33km) is roughly an hour's drive away. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving it. The hotel can arrange taxi transfers, which we would recommend.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.
More on getting to Goa and getting around
Airports:
- Dabolim International Airport 33.0 km DAB
Other:
- Beach 0.1 km
- Shops 2.0 km
- Restaurant 2.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests
A beautiful place, we really loved all the furnishings and antiques. Food was fantastic, beautiful breakfast terrace and dinner by candlelight. Excellent service. We loved watching the fishermen in the bay bringing in their catch.
More could be made of the Martini bar ... maybe some quiet jazz in the evenings and a cocktail waiter in the bar? Our room was pleasant. The bathroom was dark. It would have been nice to have milk in the morning for our coffee.
Ahilya by the Sea is perfect in every way, the location, the buildings, the staff, the food, all are a dream from the minute you arrive to the minute you leave. The team made are trip completely memorable, nothing was too much for them, from organising trips, to personalised meals. Just fabulous, we were so sad to leave this dreamy little corner of magical Goa.
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape