The heavens opened as Mum and I turned into the gates of the Grand Hyatt Goa. It had been raining on and off for the last two days, but we already knew what to expect from the weather gods in mid-June, when we were booked here for a relaxing staycation. We were greeted with warm smiles as we got out of the car. Since we had already sent in our ID proofs, we hopped onto a buggy a couple of seconds later, and within minutes of arriving at the property, I was already opening the door to my suite.
For a second there, I sure felt like a pop star… like I was being whisked away from car to suite in the blink of an eye, before the paparazzi started clicking!
We scanned our room key, opened the door and O-M-G! That room! I knew it would be luxurious – but I had no idea just how inviting it would be, and how many thoughtful touches the Grand Hyatt team had planted around my room. It was designed with keen attention to detail – from a sprawling muted-toned couch to pop coloured cushions, large screen TV, a shiny wooden desk, dining table with a fruit basket and two tender coconuts, wispy curtains that revealed well manicured lawns beyond and the Bambolim Beach ahead.
On the large centre table lay some of my favourite snacks – truffles and dried fruits as well as a tiny fondant bag with my name on it – the first of many surprises on my 2-day staycation!
Walking in to this dreamy suite already had me floored, and I hadn’t even seen the bedroom yet! Needless to say, there was a view here too, and just like the living room, the floor-to-ceiling windows opened up and led to the balcony – which had a private Jacuzzi with a stunning, unobstructed view! The balcony was the perfect spot to enjoy a morning coffee brewed in the room or steal a quiet moment in the evening.
In my bright, airy bedroom lay a sumptuous bed and above it, a massive framed poster that said ‘That Goan Girl’ made up of tiny pictures of me from my Instagram feed! Some of those pictures dated back to around 3-4 years ago and the work that went into it required so much time and patience, that I was really touched by the gesture – it just left me speechless! That’s not all – placed on the bed were two personalized bath robes! What a mix of emotions – excitement, amazement, awe and pure joy! That and the fact that I didn’t want to even touch anything that would mess up this immaculate room.
The Guest Experience Team at Grand Hyatt Goa definitely go all out to make guests feel special – and this sort of treatment isn’t for bloggers or VIPs alone, but for the brand’s loyal clients as well as those who book long stays at this luxury resort in Goa. They have a really fun job – that of *stalking* customers online to find out what they like – and then giving them delightful surprises throughout their stay.
Moving on! The suite boasted of one washroom by the entrance and one spacious bathroom containing a bathtub, a rain-shower, two sinks, premium toiletries and more – and it was all contained and concealed behind two massive sliding wooden doors, that I didn’t even know were there. The entire suite had elements of timeless elegance with seems consistent with the Grand Hyatt’s definition of luxury. But if I were to describe my room as just ‘luxurious,’ I wouldn’t be doing it any justice at all!
After a quick lunch, Mum retired to the room for her afternoon siesta, and I headed to the adventure zone for a bit of wall climbing, some archery and to walk the high-rope course with ease (as I’d like to imagine). And once I had enough of action for the day, I headed to the club lounge, a couple of floors below my room to sip on my evening coffee and then set off for a quick tour of the property.
A walk around this 27 acre resort is a work-out in itself. Marveling at a crumbling 17th century chapel cloaked in vines, still holding a cross inside, sure takes you back in time. And right beside the chapel is a bell which takes the idea of ‘chasing sunsets’ literally. It is rung by a hotel staff member in the evening when the view of the sunset is worth dropping everything and coming to see.
I spent my first evening at Grand Hyatt Goa watching a bit of Ellen DeGeneres on TV (I never have the time to watch TV at home, and giggling over one of my favourite talk-shows after ages felt so wonderful!) I’d have loved to binge watch shows all night, but my other ‘great love’ called – food! We quickly dressed and made our way to Chulha, Grand Hyatt’s Indian restaurant to try out their ‘Flavours of Kerala,’ an ongoing food festival at the time. Once back to our room, I happily slipped into a food coma to sounds of the rain outside the window and the roaring ocean, mere meters away.
Grand Hyatt in Goa has enough activities to fill a 4 day holiday itinerary to the brim. In fact, I’ve written a separate blog post on 7 things to do at the property, which is just the tip of the iceberg, but has my opinions on everything I did during my staycation – including what I did the next day – a morning of yoga and an incredible afternoon of self care at Shamana Spa.
What I didn’t write about in my last post though, is an activity reserved solely for resident guests – Celebration Dinners! Guests who wish to celebrate a special occasion can book a private meal (with your choice of menu from the options provided), and you’ll have a 3-course meal served to you on the lawns by the beach – that too, by your own private butler! As it was the monsoons, my celebration lunch was set up on the balcony of my room. Take a look at the set-up…
Since I had a healthy morning of yoga and a spa sesh, my meal was themed around ‘wellness’ too! Avocado and Quinoa with bell peppers alongside seared tuna sesame with arugula, passion fruit and coconut made up my appetizers, while for mains, we chose the steamed sea bass with haricot beans, bok choy and tom yum emulsion alongside Herb Crusted chicken breast, asparagus, broccoli and Mexican kidney bean salad.
You guys know how much I love all desserts, even healthy ones – and the Coconut and Chia Pudding was sublime! That, with a side of tropical fruits concluded my day-long health spree.
After that, I indulged in a high tea paired with indulgent pastries to pile back on the calories I had burnt all day, and headed off for a quick cooking class at The Verandah. The overdose of food was too real! And so after gobbling up what we had cooked in the cooking class, I rushed back to the room to jump into my swimsuit and slip into the private Jacuzzi. The gloomy weather was giving way to yet another rain spell, not that I’d have wished it away. Here I am – enjoying dusk in the Jacuzzi with a window-seat view of the beach as it faded to black to the sound of the raindrops.
I must admit, after years of being physically and mentally occupied for every waking hour, it felt quiet alien to sit around and just relax! Every time I thought of working, I realized I wouldn’t have much time to finish a work task because I had yet another leisure activity to indulge in – and after a point, I gave up trying to work.
Good problem to have? Yes indeed!
Anyway, for dinner, we skipped back to the Italian restaurant and indulged in tiny tasting portions (as per request) of Italian fare. The celebratory lunch, high-tea, cooking class fare and now dinner, all in a span of 6 hours, made me feel like going on a month-long diet. But you know me. That feeling passed quickly enough.
Cut to Day 3 – sadly, check-out day! I started my morning with some aerial yoga, a first for me, before heading for breakfast. Then off to the spa again for what was to be one of the best facials I’ve ever had – the Olivier Claire treatment – I can’t recommend this enough! A quick Indian lunch at Chulha followed, and after retiring to our room one last time, it was time to head back to my humble abode. What a whirlwind of a staycation that was!!
As you can see, there is little need to leave the confines of the Grand Hyatt Goa during a stay and it is perfect for the monsoons – when you feel like you have to put your travel plans on hold. Laze in their gorgeous swimming pool inspired by the Mangueshi Temple in South Goa (complete with temple bath-styled steps instead of the usual metal stairs), get pampered in the spa, learn a bit of Italian cooking – there’s lots of things to do at Grand Hyatt Goa for the whole family. Wherever you go, you’ll find the service to be amazing and the staff, so lovely and friendly!
I was well and truly spoiled during my 3 days at Grand Hyatt Goa. I’ve done quite a few staycations and resort reviews before, but this one set the bar high and how! I think I’m going to end every staycation from here on with “It was nice, but it wasn’t like the Grand Hyatt one.” Hahaha…
I’ve saved the live Instagram stories of my time at this property in the highlights section of my IG profile – in case you wan’t to check it out. Until next time!!
Note – I was a guest at Grand Hyatt, however, views, as always, are my own.
