Colva is in South Goa, I just had a look at the map

Sorry Party Pete as you know I was B & B but most guests were AI and didn't here any complaints seemed to have a good selection of food and did try hard with some traditional evenings and entertainment but please do not be the sort of person who stays in the hotel for days at a time Colva and surrounding area is unbelievable get out there and enjoy we hired bikes for a day cost £1 each only cycled along the beach but could have gone for ever had to turn round in the end as was worried how far we had gone must say sore bum the next day

Hi Pete& Lu

lucky you wish I was going back yes the elephants were great the cost was 500rps each for an elephant ride then 500rps each for the river wash with the elephants. yes for the experience it doesnt sound too bad to put into prespecitve a waiter in Colva earns 40rps a day exc tips we used the hotel taxi Joseph you will see him outside the hotel or reception can book for you he charged us 800rps from 8am and got back to the hotel at 1.30pm we also visited the spice plantation the advantage of using a hotel taxi is that they have to be legit and cars have to have to be ok travelled in some death traps while we where there, can't comment on fishing but def hire a speed boat in colva to see the dolphins we went early am 8.30am the sea is calmer and dolphins closer to shore we paid about 700rps and the dolphins were waiting for us by the fishing boats able to get in the water and splash about in view of the dolphin family

sorry pete & lu regarding rooms, think all rooms ok all look over the pool

Any opinions on the First Choice transfer? Should we go with them or get a taxi? I've heard stories about bone-shaker buses not being able to get up hills!

pete take a taxi you wont have to wait about in the airport .....6 or 700 rps will cover it ...also you will have time to settle in the room before the bus brings your fellow guests

Found this forum really useful. Off to Oceanique tomorrow(14th). I f anyone picks this message up is there tea/coffee making available in rooms? Thanks, Jane.

hi pedrogooner i know how you feel .....we were out there in november ......we got a taxi from outside the nizmar hotel to candolim it cost us 60rps ......when we were going back after having a few drinks we were asked to pay 100 rps back not a chance mate we said walked up the street 100 yards asked anouther chap and he said 70 .....went with him and gave him 100.....its not the few rps .....but do they think we are all half wits .......next time we go back i am gona ask the fare before i get in

Only just got back from a great holiday at this Hotel.

One little bit of advice though which lets the hotel down.

.
When staying at the Oceanique you will definitely be met by ****( name removed) during the first few days. He is a Taxi driver . He is a very nice man and will impress you. However, the fares can be expensive.

As an example. We went to the Spice Plantation in Ponda with him. He charged us 900 rupees but wanted 1000 rupess at first. He also wanted us to go early in the morning. He was also on the phone nearly all the time whilst driving , which is dangerous out there. He also tried to 'hurry us up' to leave the spice plantation as he had other bookings etc.

When we got back we spoke to other taxi drivers around Colva and they would charge about 500 rupees. They did not know I had already been and how much I had paid when I enquired with many of them.
The owner of the hotel is greatly disliked by the locals as he will not allow local taxi drivers to stay outside the Oceanique. He gets commission from the taxis he allows to use the hotel.

You can, however, ask the hotel receptionist to phone a taxi for you if you have the number.

A very reliable taxi driver we found that actually drove as safe as he could was Joseph Fernandes, his mobile number is 9850211621. Another is Edwin 9881286114
For local tuk-tuk journeys you could ring Franco 9822480180 or Uday 9890055510

We used these and found them very good indeed and at the right price.

Other than ****s taxis everything was absolutely marvellous!!

(post has been edited to remove names and anything that could be seen as libelous
Fiona ht mod)

Hi Pedro hope yu looked after my room. You got away lightly with ***( edit to remove name) the people who recommended the spice plantation to me used him they paid 1400 rps we never used him but did use a hotel taxi Joseph he had the Oceaniques logo on the side of his cab we paid 800rps agreening the fee the day before. we know we paid a little over the top for this but his car had to be completely cosha ie seatbelts had to work etc and with 2 children this was an issue for us. Hope you had a great holiday and had a special wedding anniversary Jo

Im off to this hotel in mid april.

A few questions for you good people.

We are going with first choice and upgraded the flight, has anyone else done this, is it any good.

How much can i expect to pay for a bottle of beer and the same for a nice curry.

Finally, is it safe to take my ipod. I have been advised that any valuables should be locked in the hotel safe. Is it worth taking it or leave it at home and take a few books to read.

Thanks

The First Choice flight is excellent with a 33" pitch. I see no need to upgrade for just free drinks etc.

Price of beer around the bars and shacks in Colva is about 50 rupees for a 650 ml bottle of Kingfisher beer. Curry with rice (don't forget portions are large) is about 100rupees or less. Half Tandoori chicken is about 70 rupees. Roti 5 rupees and so on.

Prices in the hotel slightly more. they serve only Fosters beer in the Oceanique.

Watch out for that taxi driver I mentioned before-- I would strongly recommend you use the ones I gave.

Take a stroll to the beach early one morning before the sun comes up and see all the activity of the fishermen.

There are plenty of shacks and restaurants within easy walking distance.

Jo101,

Room 405 was already allocated. We were given room 411 which was pretty awful really. Two single beds pushed together, no safe in the room. I immediately complained and was given room 401 which was considered to be the best room.

Great position.

comment edited out -

The silver spoon seemed to have deteriorated a bit. I think they had lost their chef. The food was not as good.

Avery very good place to eat was the Lucky Star which is nearby the hotel. The food was great and the service was very slick indeed.

hi barchetta ...as P G says beer and curry next to nothing ......RE your ipod bring it music is a must on your holidays .....you will most likely get a safe ...for ye old passport tickets and cash .....put your ipod in there at the end of the day and take it out after breakfast..

sorry to hear about the silver spoon agree about the lucky star we ate their most nights great selection of food and very friendly staff. the Lucky star had the first shack on the beach didn't try it out as happy with the silver spoon at the time. hope it picks up for next year.

barchetta

have no complaints about the first choice flight didn't upgrade 33" leg room was excellent If you have already paid for an upgrade sit back and enjoy. noticed they have a fast track booking in at the airport and have more stewaredesses per head count. We spent most days on the beach as there was a loveley breeze (FEB). sunbeds for 4 and an average of 12 fanta's 4 beers light lunch and water for the day was costing about £6
We ate out every night and again 2 adults 2 children never paid more than £10 for food and drink. Compared the the cost of living wine is expensive but we tried the port wine which they serve cold think it was about 40rps a glass I don't like port as a rule but it was very moreish. you can change money in the hotel but will get a better rate around the resort. We took 2 ipods with us didn't have a problem, but did lock them in the safe with valuables and phones rather than leaving them laying about in the room. The Oceanique rooms have free combination safe deposit boxes very easy to use.

Jo101,

Yes, I agree , I hope the Silver Spoon picks up again, as I am sure it will. I got the impression that all what not OK when Meninio(the owner) spoke of beach shacks cutting their own throats by poaching staff etc. Skeik went missing for a few days and his absence was very noticeable. He returned after a few days saying he had been to Karnataka for a few days. I am sure he went there to bring back staff.

I don't know if you ever went to the Colva Tavern up by the main cross roads in Colva. The owners there, a couple from Manchester, had similar problems of having staff that they had invested a lot of time and effort in training being poached away. They had had enough of it and have sold up and left. A south African couple have taken over.

The Lucky Star we found excellent. One little problem we had. They had advertisements in town about live music on Friday nights. I popped in during the afternoon to see if it was wise to book a table. They said they no longer had music on that night. I suggested that they take the permanent looking advertisement down but they did not seem in the least interested. Other than that I have to say that the food and service there was excellent.

The other shack I liked was Domnicks up on the beach by the centre of town. Wonderful Tandoori chicken. Used to watch test cricket for an hour during the morning over a pot of tea with the staff. happy days.

The best place for us was a visit to Martin's Corner. A few Kms away from Colva. I was expecting it to be quite expensive but was surprised that it was about the same prices as one pays in the shacks. Sachin Tendulkar(Indian cricket player) uses the restaurant a lot. He uses their 'masala' as a base to curries in his restaurant in Bombay. As Michael Caine would say-- " not a lot of people know that". lol

Did I recall that you gave some cricket stuff to someone at Silver Spoon? Sheik did mention that.

We went to the night market at Arpora by bus from Colva. Cost 200 rupees each. The most interesting thing for me at the market was seeing all the old hippies from days gone by at the market.

didn't venture too far of a night as got too comfy in the lucky star but like the sound of martins corner one to explore next year. Yes my son Liam gave his cricket set to the young waiter Martin hope they are getting lots of enjoyment out of it and sharing it with the local kids

Thanks for your comments, i really appreciate them!

I have a few more more if ya dont mind too much.

Small print in brochure stated to bring a torch! Do i really need to.

I have wanted to go to India for years but my wife was always not in favour of it.

So i am breaking her in gently.

Here we go.

I want to go back and visit Kerala, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi. What can i do to make the other half want to go back.............

What sort of time do we need to get up to see the fisherman at colva and how far is it from oceanique?

Apart from Imodium, good mosquito spray is there anything else to take.

We go on 22/4/6 and i cant wait.

Finalyy, for this time i have read about the glycerine in the beer, what about the spirits and cocktails, any recommendations.

Once again, thanks

Rob(Barchetta)