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.
- Boutique Hotel
- 10 rooms
- Breakfast (+ other meals on request)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
Ahilya’s 3 Balinese-style villas (Sunset, Sunrise and Leela) are made of hand-carved laterite stone, festooned with fanciful wooden trim. They are beautiful. Downstairs are the common areas: a dining area in Sunrise; a dining area, comfy couches and tables in Sunset; a light-filled living room in Leela. Upstairs are the rooms, which are large but feel intimate, perhaps because of the extraordinary décor that makes Ahilya so utterly unique: twig chairs from Africa mix with hand-painted plates from Istanbul and gilded relics from old Goan churches. It’s an utterly eclectic style and it works.
We stayed in one of Sunset's rooms, which we loved for its sage-coloured plantation shutters offering sweeping views of Dolphin Bay. But every room at Ahilya has a breathtaking view, so you can’t go wrong. The most private is Florentina in Sunset. Annalia and Barcos (Sunrise) have high brick ceilings and interesting antiques. An added bonus in Sunrise: a lovely reading alcove tucked high above the stairs, with an enormous bay window onto the sea.
The Trinidade Suite, on the first floor of Leela, has two balconies and long sea views, while the ground-floorMusic Room, situated next door, has its own little private garden.
Arjun's Treehouse, set in a massive banyan tree at the end of the property, contains a magical pair of rooms: two floors, each with a double bedroom, shower bathroom and sitting area with big windows that frame sprawling tree branches and glimpses of the ocean beyond.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Mosquito net
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Exceptional care is lavished on the food. A fruit salad might have 10 different ingredients, including a little surprise (in this case, blanched almonds). Our breakfast was a feast: fresh-pressed juices, hung curd yoghurt with homemade granola, crepes, and eggs made to order, including Meheshwari-style (scrambled with turmeric) and 'Loulou’s favorite' (oeufs en cocotte with onions and fresh herbs). Prefer Indian? Then try the extraordinary podi dosa with fresh mint chutney. You’ll thank us later.
Lunch is lighter - mainly fresh salads and sandwiches; you’re still working off your breakfast, after all - but it’s dinner where Ahilya really stands out. Our advice: focus on the Goan specialities - shrimp curry, spicy pomfret wrapped in banana leaf, or the mixed Goan thali, which has a bit of everything. The atmosphere couldn’t be more magical. Candles line the seawall and infinity pool, and tables are set up in private nooks throughout the gardens. Service is attentive, never obtrusive.
There's a good Goan restaurant 15 minutes' walk away by the sea, and great options in Candolim (12-20 mins by car) and Panjim (30 mins by car); you'll find a list of recommendations in your room.
Features include:
- Bar
- Breakfast
- Dinner by arrangement
- Kids' meals
- Lunch by arrangement
- Restaurants nearby
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Sink into a sun lounger by a pool, on a veranda, or in the garden under the shade of an ancient banyan tree. If you're lucky, you'll spot dolphins in the sea as you laze
- Take a dip in one of the 2 sparkling pools
- Book a massage (deep tissue or Ayurvedic) in the spa tent. It opens out onto the sea, welcoming a calming breeze and the sound of waves
- Start the day with a complimentary hatha yoga and meditation session (8-9am). Individual advanced yoga lessons can also be booked
- Day-trip to Turtle Beach for basking on golden sands and swimming in the ocean
- Tour old forts and whitewashed churches - graceful colonial relics from Goa’s Portuguese past. Ahilya can organise history talks and heritage walks with a local expert
- For contemporary art, visit a gallery in Panjim or the Museum of Goa in nearby Pilernet
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Ayurvedic treatments
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Private guided tours
- Shopping / markets
- Swimming
- Traditional cultures
- Well being
Kids
The hotel was originally built as a family retreat and it has retained that warm, family-friendly feel. While the general atmosphere is one of gracious serenity, children are welcomed and looked after. (We brought ours. When one cut her foot, plasters with cartoon characters immediately appeared, as well as a mug of warm milk laced with turmeric, a home remedy.) Children will go nuts over the pools, and the gardens, with their wandering paths, tropical flowers and hidden statuettes, provide hours of distraction.
Best for:
Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
A baby cot or extra mattress can be added to most rooms.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Baby equipment:
Baby cots and high chairs on request
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
Staff are happy to whip up child-friendly meals
Families Should Know:
The pools are not fenced and the property is open to the seafront
Distances:
- Airport: 1 hour
- Shops: 10 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
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
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape