Goa with my family at 'Novotel Goa Resort & Spa'

The first time I was in Goa with my mother and sister was back in the 1980s. Even though I have forgotten most of the details now, things become fresh every time I look through the old family photo album - all thanks to my dad's photography (which I certainly inherited) and meticulous documentation through marked pictures (which I struggle with).

So this time when my sister was visiting us from Singapore, we decided to do a mini-vacation together once again. On our first trip to Goa we were both kids, but this time she had kids of her own who took out roles, while this time my sister and I along with our mother became the worried adults.

Novotel Goa Resort & Spa

Rains from my room...

Our hotel of choice this time was Novotel Goa Resort and Spa, a property that I had stayed with earlier as well, exactly two years ago. And one of the reason why we decided to go with it is their kid-centric approach when it comes hosting families. In fact, they actually have a full-fledged initiative for children called #GoaForKids - more on this soon :)

Here's a quick overview video of how our time went at the resort!

Goa in monsoon

When you visit Goa during monsoon, the one thing that's certainly your priority is to see and enjoy the rains, and the rain gods were especially generous shout our trip. We saw lots of it, and it always stopped for long enough for us to also enjoy and explore Goa too.

Goa in monsoon

When it didn't stop raining, we continued to have fun nevertheless, like the time I spent in the pool swimming and playing games while it rained cats and dogs. Since their mom and grandmother were at the spa, we had soft-drinks at the pool bar and enjoyed open air jacuzzi and boating :)

But let's explore Novotel Goa a bit more and see what all can we do there.

Facilities at the hotel

Novotel is a part of the Accor group of hotels and it has everything that would expect from the world's hotel chain. However, the hotel is in Goa and so is actually much more like a resort.

As I mentioned earlier my favourite part of the hotel is the pool overlooking the paddy fields. Unlike many other resorts in Goa, Novotel is not located in the beach, and this allows you to explore the inland Goa as well, something many other travellers here miss out on.

The magical pool!

The rooms are perfect with a small balcony attached - some have the pool view, but I preferred mine with a lovely far away church making a beautiful frame for my camera.

For food there are multiple options as well. Food Exchange is the once place where you can go anytime of the day (7am to 11pm) and get good food. Then there is my favourite CHY - Bar. Deli. Bakery, which is great for Goan and Portuguese food. Then there is also Vero Cibo for Mediterranean food and Sunken Bar for drinks and quick bites.



Each week there is a special focus on different cuisines, like Bengali food festival, Burger cellar, Curry in a hurry and so on. There is always something fun for the adults too like Bira pitcher and WTF happy hours.

Pizza time! :)

#GoaForKids

Goa for kids is Novotel's way of welcoming families with kids! The property provides the right blend of fun, family spirit and well being for the entire family, and there are numerous activities deigned especially for this.m

There is a special kids zone where kids are happy and safe with a caretaker, while others in the family can burn some sweat at the sports zone playing badminton, table tennis, foosball and so on.

Kid's playroom

Apart from this there are some paid activities too like Aqua zorb, pedal boat, mehendi, nail art, hair braiding, airbrush tattoo, scuba diving my training and so on. Trust me - these will be favourite with the kids, and sometimes even with the adults. The favourite with the kids with me was the Sony PlayStation.

The hotel is just minutes away from the Candolim beach and to make it even more accessible, there is a free shuttle to the beach  and back. All you need to do is inform the guard a few minutes before you need to go and he will make sure a car is ready for you.

Things to do in Goa with family

Of course, if you are in Goa you won't spend all your time in the hotel, and this is exactly what we did too. We rented a self-driving car from the taxi stand right outside the hotel, and that made exploring Goa way easier. Public transportation does exist in Goa, but I would recommend that only for solo or budget trips to Goa.

Exploring Goa with my family

Here's my guide on Exploring Goa with Kids!

Also, if you are in Goa and intend to Explore Goa beyond the Beaches, there is so much to do that you will have to come back again to the state!

Novotel Hotel

Novotel doesn't just have one, but two luxury properties and it might be interesting to explore them both while making your choice. Novotel Hotel is closer to the market, has two large pools and certainly gives the feel of a large luxury property. Novotel Resort (which is where I stayed) is a bit more calm and relaxed, and a bit more expensive too. We spent one morning at Novotel Hotel for breakfast, and I was almost tempted to take a plunge in the pool...but alas I wasn't carrying my swimming trunks :)

Practical details

How to book?

Well you can easily book directly from the booking portal on the website. Here's a link: Novotel Goa

How to reach?

Both the Novotel properties are located close to each other and also close to the Candolim beach. Whether you are coming from the airport of the Vasco da Gama railway station, it will take about 1.5 to 2 hours and cost about Rs 2000 in a taxi. Here's a map if you need any help with directions.



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Disclaimer: I was hosted at the property on their invitation. However, all views expressed are my own and based on my personal experiences.