Just one further reply to the OP, if you decide to chose AI in Goa then the Sun Village is an excellent choice, and Rokerender also recommends the Santiago, although I have no experience of this hotel. If you decide to go B&B then you won't go far wrong if you chose the Marinha Dourada.

Hi all
We go all inclusive to Goa every time we can also recommend the Santiago and the Donna Sylvia we love to spoil ourselves
on our holidays, and we eat out and sight see as well
we get the best of both worlds we found the price and facilitys were not that much differant to b+b so the al is a bonus for us .
we definatly dont sit around the hotel all day we go out and about.
As long as everyone enjoys there holidays and we most certainly do it is a matter of personal choice.
Jubileepat and Andy

Dont forget that if you go AI you are not forced to stay inside the hotel for the full duration. I have stayed at the Santiago a few times and been to different hotels on a B&B basis. The Santiago is a great hotel and the staff are the best especially Paulo who cant do enough for you. Like others have said use it for a base and get out and about and try the different restaurants but you will still find great food in the Santiago. You arrive at the Santiago as a guest but you leave it as a friend. Even when we stay elsewhere we always pop in for a drink and to say hi to the boys, if anyone has booked the Santiago dont let some of the responses to AI put you off. You will enjoy, but do explore other bars and restaurants.

We went all inclusive for our first trip to Goa 3 years ago to the Dona Sylvia. We used the beach shacks all day, went out lots of nights used local taxis to do the trips which the tour operater offered at a fraction of the price and said we would not go all inclusive again Goa is so cheap.
We are going again at Xmas(if we can get a visa) but have booked all inclusive again because it was cheaper than nearly all the bed and breakfasts We booked through Portland Staying at the Dona Terezhina for £1800... Al over xmas and new year, local airport flying on the 22nd of dec for the 2 of us . Will probably do the same, mainly use hotel for a base especially since the reviews are not that good

Some friends of mine did just the same as Knitter as they went out to Goa in December 2006 and the A I at the Doan Therezina sp????
was the same price as B and B elsewhere, so they just used the hotel for the odd snack or drink and still ate out in their favourite restaurants every night.

I think it does depend on where you stay. We go AI to the Heritage in the South and love it. There is only one shack near us on the beach and just down the road there is a new little restaurant that opened only last year so it is fairly quiet, but that is our choice as we go away to just chill out and relax. We also get out and about as well and often get a taxi in the evening to some of the restaurants that are just too far too walk to. Whatever you choose I think you will still enjoy your holiday as goa is so lovely.

Sue

Hi Susansh any info on the Heritage would be great, this is our first time in goa and anything you can tell us would be a great help. We are going for new year. We have travelled all over the world but this is our first time in india. many thanks

Hi green.eyed lady

The heritage is lovely, March will be our 4th visit. I will PM you and give you more details

Sue

Thankyou Susansh i have PM you. maureen

My wife and I stay at the Dona Sylvia each time we go to Goa, However that does'nt stop us from getting out and about, it's not that often we eat at the hotel - as many have said its just as easy and cheap to eat out.
Do try the beach shacks and eating houses on the roadsides - they are never expensive I can assure you . All inclusive is a matter of personal choice and I think you should do as your heart says . But do go out and explore. Also a good place to go is " mango house " , Children Walking Tall , run by Rob and his trusty crew - you can easily contact Rob on this forum. Most of all go with an open heart and come back in love with the country and people -- memories never to be forgotten.

there endeth my sermon -- till the next one

A quick thought also would be if staying in a 4/5 star hotel the drinks and snacks are a lot more expensive than outside the hotel i.e. A large kingfishers maybe 200/250 rupees as opposed to 50 rps at a shack so it may be worth going A.I. but be sure to eat most of your meals in the wonderful variety of local restaurants and of course drinks in the fabulous shacks