Shanti Morada

The Shanti Morada is a smallish boutique hotel housed in a beautiful Portuguese mansion that was built in 1897 and restored in the early 21st century. The exteriors are quintessentially Portuguese colonial, with pale yellow walls, and two stories of huge bay windows with red-tile awnings and wrought-iron balconies. Common areas include expansive terraced grounds filled with tropical greenery and flowers, fountains, statues, and benches, connected by meandering paths and beautifully tiled stairs, a nod to the property's Portuguese roots. The lobby has an equally impressive, historic vibe, with a stained-glass window over the door, a crystal chandelier, and a few high-backed wooden chairs with red or blue velour upholstery. Parking is in a covered space below the main building. The hotel is romantic, and primarily attracts couples and families who want a quaint, upscale, historic alternative to some of the area's larger hotels or more run-down guest houses.

The Shanti Morada is located on a quiet street in the town of Saligao, a small inland town about a seven-minute drive from Calangute Beach. The Mae De Deus Church, which dates back to 1873, is a 15-minute walk away. Getting to Anjuna takes 20 minutes by car, while the northern beach town of Arambol is a 45-minute drive away. Panjim -- the state capital -- takes 25 minutes to reach, while the idyllic southern town of Palolem is just under two hours away by car. The Goa Dabolin Airport is a 45-minute drive away.

The Shanti Morada offers two types of rooms, both with air-conditioning: entry-level Premium Rooms, which measure 410 square feet (38 square meters) and 500-square-foot (46-square-meter) Luxury Rooms. Decor is consistent throughout the rooms, with dark-wood carved canopy beds (that lack the canopy cloth coverings), intricately carved desks, chairs, cabinets, and mirrors, throw rugs on tile floors, and vintage Bollywood posters on the walls. All rooms have bay windows with courtyard and pool views plus furnished balconies, flat-screen TVs with cable, minibars, safes that are too tiny for most laptops, and electric kettles. Bathrooms are large, and feature separate walk-in showers with square rainfall showerheads and clawfoot tubs, plus pedestal sinks, shelves for toiletries, and makeup mirrors.

Amenities at the Shanti Morada are pretty extensive for a small hotel and include a variety of lounge areas with comfortable seating and vintage photographs on the walls. These include Cue Lounge, which houses a pool table and Telhado, with plenty of plush chairs. The hotel also offers Ayurvedic massages in woven hut-style massage rooms and has a couple of pools: namely a small children's pool and a larger adults' pool with a waterfall feature and a built-in terraced whirlpool tub with its own pool bar. The Lantern Restaurant is open for all three meals and serves North Indian tandoori cuisine as well as some Goan specialties. Room service is available around the clock. Other offerings include free newspapers, a concierge, and a business center. On-site parking and hotel-wide Wi-Fi are available at no extra charge.