The Leela Goa

Situated on a huge expanse of lush, landscaped grounds, The Leela Goa is an elegant five-pearl resort hotel that attracts business travelers (namely conference-goers attending on-site meetings) and tourists alike. The beautifully landscaped grounds feature a variety of tropical plants, with a series of one- and two-story structures connected by winding paths. A large river with lots of lily pads runs throughout the property, while a stretch of golden-sand beach stretches across its western edge. 

The lobby is grand, with low moulded ceilings featuring a mix of crystal chandeliers and gold-leaf frescoes, and locally inspired statues -- including a large idol of Nandi, the bovine steed of the Hindu deity Shiva, and a sculpture of Shiva himself in the dancing Nataraj form. The Leela gets a good mix of international and Indian guests, including plenty of families, and is a popular venue for upscale Indian destination weddings, which means it can attract big groups, but as the property is spread out over a great deal of space, it manages to stay relatively quiet most of the time. 

The Leela is located in the South Goa town of Cavelossim, right on quiet Mobor Beach in an area with a few other restaurants and hotels, but less going on than in the busier northern parts of the state. It's located about an hour's drive north of Palolem, while getting to busy Panjim takes an hour and 15 miutes by car. Getting to Anjuna and Baga takes about two hours by car, while it can take up to two and a half hours to reach Arambol depending on traffic. Madgaon Railway Station is a 35-minute drive from the hotel, while it takes about an hour to get to the Goa Airport. 

Most of the rooms and suites have similar decor, with hardwood floors (marble in the villas and Club/Club Pool Suites), solid brown rugs, dark-wood furniture (including two-poster beds), sunny throw cushions and bed runners in hues of saffron and pale yellow, and simple framed art prints on the walls. Amenities include minibars stocked with liquor, beer, and chocolates, electric kettles, safes, irons/ironing boards, bathrobes, and slippers. Bathrooms are particularly opulent, with marble floors and walls plus granite countertops with rectangular vessel sinks, and all have walk-in rainfall showers and separate tubs, some of which face windows that look out into the bedroom areas (though there are privacy blinds).

The Leela offers a wide range of rooms, suites, and villas starting with the 516 square foot (48 square meter) Lagoon Terrace Rooms, which open out onto the garden and have balconies with lagoon views. At 624 square feet (58 square meters), Conservatory Premiere Rooms are a tad larger, but also have views of the lagoon. These rooms add sitting areas with daybeds that can be sectioned off with divider curtains, making them a good choice for families traveling with children. Lagoon Suites measure 968 square feet (90 square meters), and each has two furnished balconies along with separate living rooms, as do the spacious Lagoon Deluxe Suites (1,291 square feet/120 square meters). 

For something even larger, the hotel offers Club Suites with partial sea and golf course views; these measure 1,722 square feet (160 square meters). Club Pool Suites occupy 2,044 square feet (190 square meters of space), and each has its own private plunge pool along with access to butler service. The hotel also offers 2,432 square foot (225 square meter) Royal Villas with pools, whirlpool hot tubs, and sea and golf club views. The Presidential Villa offers all the same perks as its Royal counterparts, but is twice as large.

The Leela offers an excellent variety of restaurants, including an all-day restaurant -- simply named, The Restaurant -- featuring buffets and live kitchens throughout the day. There are also two bars that serve snacks and light meals that are open throughout the day, the aptly named Poolside Bar and the chic Yali Lounge. Dinner offerings include Riverside, which serves Italian cuisine, Jamavar, with Italian fare, and the seasonal Susegado, which serves seafood along with international and Indian fare on the beach. There's also a basement game room -- Aqua -- that turns into a nightclub in the evenings. Room service is available around the clock and all-inclusive packages are available for those who plan to take most of their meals at the property.

Wellness facilities include a spa with a wide range of treatments based on the principles of Ayurveda, and the hotel offers yoga and meditation classes along with Reiki. The hotel's Warren Tricomi Salon offers hairstyling, beauty treatments, and bridal makeup. There's also a par-3, 12-hole golf course plus a couple of nine-hole putting greens on the property, a pair of outdoor tennis courts, a basketball hoop, and a well-equipped fitness center with Precor-brand cardio and weight-training equipment. 

Kids' facilities include a colorful playground area with toddler-sized slides and a swing set, kid-sized loaner bikes, a large and colorful kids' club, and a small children's pool. Kids can also swim in the main pool, an expansive lagoon-style swimming pool surrounded by rock formations, palm trees, and shaded lounge chairs. The hotel abuts the beach and has its own set of ocean-facing lounge chairs along with a covered area further inland with tables and chairs.

There is plenty of indoor and outdoor event space for conferences, weddings, and other events. Facilities range from a small meeting room that seats six clear up to the expansive Aparanta ballroom, which can host up to 350 guests theater style. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and there's ample free on-site parking.