Stayed at the Highland Beach the first time in Goa then found the Pheonix Park and now prefer to stay there. Our reasons for this are that the Highland Beach is a much larger hotel, the Pheonix Park only has 58 rooms so feels much more personal. Also the rooms at the Highland Beach were great with seperate lounge but we were near the first pool where the kitchen is and the noise every morning from the early hours was dreadful. We asked to be moved on an almost daily basis and were assured we would be, but this never happened!! Also, overcharged for mini bar and reception tried to rip us off when changing money. Once pointed out the receptionist apologised and took the moey from her pocket and gave it us back!!!! Having said all this you will be fine whichever hotel you choose and will have a fantastic holiday like we always do.

Hi all

Had a roam around the hotel (last week) in the daytime and had a drink by the pool when the work was going on. The noise isn't excessive but you are aware of it. Not sure what time they start in the morning but I would probably stay clear of block F as that is right at the side of the building work. Spoke to the manager about the apartments that were for sale, and a 2 bed apartment will now set you back £28,000.00. This figure includes lifetime maintenance, furnishings etc. I did get a full breakdown so if anyone is interested in this, let me know and I'll put some more details on here.

Shaz

Hi Shaz,

Did the guy from the Highland Beach Resort say when the building work will be finished? We go in Jan so hoping it will be finished by then.

Cheers

Graeme

Sorry Graeme, forgot to ask about that
Sarah Jane goes in 11 days so perhaps she can do the honours and check that out.

Will do Graeme. Off for 3 weeks on 7th April. Hmmmm...........

Cheers Sarah Jane. Have a great time!

Please bear in mind this is our own family review of Highland Beach Resort after spending ten nights there recently.
I realise that people will have different views, however these are OUR OWN views of ten nights spent at Highland Beach Resort.

We arrived on 23/3/05 and were shown to what would be our home for the next ten nights. We have lived in Asia the last 12 years and have stayed in all types of accom but the Highland Beach certainly opened our eyes. I will give an honest report of our stay at the Highland Beach Resort.

We were taken to room 1602, a two bed apartment (all rooms are apartments if you can call them that, with mosquitoes included as a bonus.) Our room had the privelige of a security guard directly outside our apartment every sodding morning until nightime, which meant as soon as we got up and opened the curtains we were entertainment for the otherwise bored guard as he watched our apartment constantly whilst sat on his little plastic chair that was placed directly opposite our apartment each day, (uncomfortable is how we felt)
One day a porter opened the door to our room with three tourists and wanted to show them the apartment, this happened when my husband and daughter and i were in the apartment/room. He didn't even knock, just walked in with these three tourists wanting to show them round. My husband told him it was not convenient and maybe he should phone next time he wanted to show people round,
The men who clean the rooms appear anytime of the day.

Now onto breakfast at Highland, first morning being new an all we went to breakfast to find a bloody big queue lineing up for eggs!!!!. (To future folks booked into Highland) please be aware your breakfast experience will start when you enter the pool area (don't go after eight in the morning as most tables are taken by then and if you do appear for breakfast after eight then you are the entertainment for everybody eating breakfast. it's like in the movies when you walk into a saloon and everything stops as every bloody eye is on you, eyeing you up and down (we are nothing special) yet when we went for breakfast we were scrutinized by the people already there, especially by the table of four peroxide blonde chav females who were checking out one particular day.

The choice of food at breakfast is bad, not one bit of fruit is available, but you will be fine if you like eggs, eggs and more eggs, not forgetting toast which takes a long time when you put it in the toaster cos you will need to put it through at least twice before it's even light brown. I don't understand why the hotel did not have at least one fruit available for breakfast (considering Goa is renowned for bananas and pineapples, i don't know what's stopping them from including it in the breakfast at the Highland Beach Resort.)

Now onto the sunbed situation at the Highland. all we can say is get there at seven in the morning and put your own towel down as sunbeds fill up quick. (To those people who put towels down on sunbeds early at the Highland Beach Resort and leave them for hours without using them you are VERY INCONSIDERATE. and to those who actually left their towels on sunbeds when they had no intention of going back to their sun beds, leaving the pool boys to move your towel you are very lazy, thoughtless people. (the Germans aint got a thing on the Brits with regard to sunbeds by the pools as Brits are very bad at the Highland Beach Resort. for doing exactly what they slag the Germans off for)

On to Food. whilst there the Gulzar closed permanently so the only other option at Highland Beach Resort was the pool area for meals and what a sad state of affairs it was when we went for an evening meal around the pool. My husbands meal arrived half an hour after we (self and daughter had finished ours) husband ordered pork vindaloo and when it arrived it was pure pork fat, every piece of it was fat without any meat so it was sent back. How they think they can get away with it is laughable.

To those who think Highland Beach Resort is good and settle on it year after year do yourselves a favour and visit Malaysia or Thailand because Goa is dirty beyond belief and a toilet compared to Malaysia and Thailand. Am amazed how a lot of Brits do two trips a year to Goa, but amazed even more that brits would purchase a holiday home in such a skanky place like Goa. Goa is a shithole. You can't get peace on the beaches either because every five minutes people are pestering you and even waking you up if you want a snooze.
As for all the crap you have to go through to actually get there (visas, ie, we live abroad so had to visit the Indian embassy three times alltogether before we got our visas, no i would not do it again at all.
Do not take good shoes as they will end up ruined, take old shoes with you that you can throw away or give to the poor kids there.

It is great that there are lots of English women on their own in Goa, however it is very embarrassing when you get the grey haired brigade dirty dancing with the restaurant lads,

Please bear in mind this is one families opinion. Many people love Goa, however after living in Singapore many years and being able to visit many places Goa is a big let down compared to Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia. Goa was a big let down and waste of holiday for us. Butlins comes to mind, so many chavvy people it is unreal.
Like i mentioned, Goa is paradise to many, this is our opinion as a family so don't take it personally. We wont be rushing back to get visas for India anytime soon.

It is really sad to read your post and find that you had such a bad experience in Goa. Highland Beach is a much liked hotel and I dont think I have actually ever read a bad report on it. I am sure if you had asked the security guard to be moved they would've done that. Also if you wanted fruit for breakfast I am sure if you had asked they would have provided that by the bucket load. As for your dining room experience I think maybe you have a confidence problem with people looking at you.
You said the hotel restaurant food wasn't up to much, but you were there for ten days did you not find any of the wonderfull restaurants that other forum members recommend? Please tell us of the good things you found in Goa? We have all had problems with accomodation on holidays but it shouldnt detract to the place overall. Goan people will do anything to make your stay in Goa as great as possible. The beach sellers can be a nuisance but they are easily ignored but most people find them an interesting part of there holiday and most vistors to Goa have bought things from them. They are definently not a negative point and Thailand has their fair share of hawkers too. As for chavvy people, I've heard this comment before, I am not sure if chavvy people take winter tropical holidays. Please define your chavvy people. It maybe they are just normal people having a great time on holiday just like the grey haired brigade dancing in the restaurants. Maybe you should just stick to you 5 Star resorts in future and leave Goa to those of us that respect and understand Indian culture and India itself.

well put phil

Hi Phil,
I find I agree with most of what you said but you must agree that Goa is changing for the worse now and I don`t think your avator image lends any credability to your reply about so called "chavvy people"
allan

Thanks for your "insight "into Goa. How dare you compare it with Singapore. I have visited both many times, and would you compare Spain with Australia. No, I thought not. Please go somewhere else on holiday & save us from your personal feeling & thoughts.

As a 49 year old lady who holidayed 2 weeks in Goa alone (first time visitor there) and got back 2 weeks ago, (i don't have grey hair cos the sun helped to bleach my blonde highlights), i didn't see any single grey haired ladies dancing with the waiters - where were they? Next time i'll join em..... ..........:fish

I agree with lasvegas on some things, We have stayed at the Highland twice now and will not be returning. You can find cheaper accommodation , which is much nicer.
I would also disagree with the comment being made about Goa and Indian culture. Being Indian myself I think Goa doesn't reflect the indian culture at all! For this you need to explore outside Goa.

I think that lasvegas's view is, in parts, refreshing to read.

One can only judge how good/bad somewhere is by hearing about the bad, then allowing others to gauge whether the bad is going to bother them.

Whereas he/she was bothered by the security, others may see it as a positive. Likewise the interaction with the beach sellers, communal breakfasts, people "enjoying" themselves etc.

However its very unfair to judge a resort/city/country against others as you will never be comparing like for like.

The exception is if you are one of the sad individuals that likes the idea of holidaying in a 5 star resort, never venturing outside of the complex, never experiencing the local cuisine/customs/people......even so you could never guarantee that your shoes wouldn't get dirty!!

By classing Goa as a destination for the chav, is as stupid as classing Thailand the destination for the paedophile. There may be a few around but thankfully they are still in a very small minority.

If you haven't already done so would you please add your review here for the benefit of future visitors:-

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/india/goa/candolim/highland-beach-resort/

Thanks.

Don't mind constructive criticism, you need to know everyones views even if you don't agree with them. The problem with this post is that it is quite offensive.

when we went for breakfast we were scrutinized by the people already there, especially by the table of four peroxide blonde chav females who were checking out one particular day.
- you must have been scrutinising them yourself to notice their hair wasn't natural and why was that relevant.

To those who think the Highland Beach Resort is good and settle on it year after year do yourselves a favour and visit Malaysia or Thailand
Why? They obviously thoroughly enjoy themselves there and may have visited both the countries you have mentioned and hate them.

It's very embarrassing when you get the grey haired brigade dirty dancing with the restaurant lads
- have you got a problem with peoples hair colour or people enjoying themselves, because that's what they're doing.

Enjoy your next holiday wherever it is. I for one will be looking forward to my ninth year in Goa.

Sharon

Bravo Shaz. We go to the Highland on Thursday & can't wait. Nor can my hubby and 2 girls.

Big Knicker Shaz, you did not even stay at the Highland if i am correct.
You only reported about noise disturbance when you paid a short visit to the place one day,how can you judge my post offensive when i clearly stated it was OUR FAMILY view of the place, is beyond me, and how can my post be considered offensive when it is OUR OWN families view about the place after staying there for ten nights compared to your short time by the pool one day???????. Regarding the four peroxide females at Breakfast on the morning of 2/04/05 yes, they were chavs, ordering the worker from Highland to go and get their bags. No, they did not even ask him courteously to collect their bags, never even said thank you or please to the person they spoke to. It does not take a minute to use manners (something those chav blonde females clearly lacked, and NO i do not apologise as they were chavs full stop). as i mentioned, hair colour or not, it was not comfortable going for breakfast in the morning at Highland Beach Resort because of 1, lack of tables at breakfast, most tables along with sunbeds were taken very early, something the Highland Beach Resort does need to address is the fact that people plonk towels on sunbeds and frig off leaving them most of the day when there are many who would like the chance to sunbathe yet can't do because of the inconsiderate shits, yes shits. Leaving towels on sunbeds all day when they have no intention of returning to them. I stand by what i say about the grey haired brigade behaving silly. And yes, we saw many older women acting like teenagers with the male staff at restaurants. One example would be the grey haired old woman doing dirty dancing with staff at Roxy's steak place. Not a mistake as this woman was there every night on her own and it was embarrassing seeing her her dirty dancing routine night after night. Shaz, i am not a bullshitter at all, if you visit Goa often then you will see for yourself the females behaving so embarrassing that your 14 year old daughter is even embarrassed by their behaviour.
It is sad that Brits are settling for Highland Beach Resort and praising the place when it is a big crap hole. Why settle for that when you could see Thailand, Malaysia or Vietnam.
I along with my husband and daughter think Highland is nothing to praise at all. What the hell, eggs, eggs and more eggs for breakfast. the Highland is taking the piss out of you. Disgusting dirty crap hole and if you are prepared to put up with two weeks there spending your hard earned money then it is a shame because Malaysia knocks spots off dirty Goa.
Don't care what anyone replies as been to Goa and experienced it for ourselves and it is a total hole of a place (in our eyes). Just sad we wasted the money on visas to Goa. Still shaking our heads about Brits who can't wait for their return trip in November. Please do yourselves a favour and go to Malysia (do not need visas) lovely beaches, no crap at the airport and can bring in foreign currency. Actually, as long as Brits continue to visit Goa then i am happy. THIS IS THE VIEW OF ONE FAMILY. WE KNOW MANY PEOPLE LOVE GOA, DO NOT BOTHER REPLYING AS WE DO NOT CARE. GOA IS THE ARM PIT OF INDIA.

I am locking this topic as it is just going to go round and round in circles.