Equity Magazine March 2018

TRAVEL
Need to know:
From $210 per
night at the Terrace
Room. For more
information visit
alilahotels.com/
diwagoa
Where else to dine in Goa?
BLACK SHEEP BISTRO, PANAJI
Among the best of Goa’s capital city’s
burgeoning boutique restaurants,
Black Sheep’s impressive pale-yellow
facade gives way to a sexy darkwood
bar and lounge-y dining room.
The tapas dishes are light, fresh and
expertly prepared in keeping with
their farm-to-table philosophy.
Clearly, it has. Upon entering I
noticed that the hotel’s clientele was a
staggering number of European expats.
European visitors aren’t an irregularity
in Goa. The Russians are famed for
taking over an island in the north so
much so that even Goan cops aren’t
allowed in the premises – but that’s a
feature for another day. Alila hosts the
supposed crème de la crème of
European visitors: the Englishmen.
The Goan design nods are not
understated in the lobby. The clean
lines from the lobby to the corridor
and right up to your room feature local
red laterite stone, polished Kota stone
and subtle shades of teak. There are
several little water bodies on the edge
of every pathway in the lobby. Clumsy
or less sober guests may need to be
ushered through these spaces. I’m told
each of the 153 rooms and suites also
pay homage to its Goan roots with clay
tiles on pitched roofs and high ceilings
while the dark wood furniture, a
balcony with outdoor seating and a
large tub in every room adds that much
needed modern injection.
Alila houses four restaurants. The
Edge Bar by the pool has an array of
drinks and cocktails, along with light
snacks. Spice Studio is their signature
Indian restaurant. Dine on creations
from Kerala to Kutch, all on an elevated
platform built around a centuries-old
banyan tree. The Bistro restaurant is
located within the Diwa Club and has
Mediterranean and Middle-East
influenced food while Vivo has
Oriental, Indian and Continental food.
It is also where the complimentary
buffet breakfast is served.
There are two undisputed superstar
attractions at Alila Diwa: the infinity
pool and the Spa. Forget that Alila
Diwa isn’t really that far away from the
beach – there is a private walking path
from the hotel or you could opt to get
there through the hotel’s
complimentary shuttle service – even
if it were, you wouldn’t be missing out
on much. The stunning infinity pool
overlooks paddy fields and comes
alive when the sky is orange around
sunset. There are also partially
submerged recliners for those who
don’t want to fully commit.
Alila Diwa prides itself on its spa
treatments. The in-house spa features
two double treatment rooms, two
Ayurveda rooms and five single
treatment rooms, each equipped with
individual steam, outdoor shower and
water garden to use after the treatment
is complete. Two of the double rooms
boast a private Jacuzzi and chilled
shower. There are a whole host of
treatments to choose from but rest
assured no matter what you do, you’re
in for sheer indulgence. Here at
EQUITY, we always talk about investing
in yourself. And while that usually is
meant in the most financial space,
investing in yourself in terms of
wellbeing with a couple of treatments is
always a good thing.
THALASSA, VAGATOR
Authentic and awesomely good
Greek food is served alfresco on a
breezy clifftop terrace. Kebabs,
souvlaki and thoughtful seafood
dishes are the speciality, but this is
also a great bar and fills up late in the
evening when you might see some
Greek dancing and plate smashing.
59
EQUITY