Raj Resorts, Bogmalo Beach, Goa

“Here the welcome is warmer than the weather”…well, it indeed is! This is the tagline engraved at the entrance of Raj Resorts. For us it was a home away from home, a countryside place we city-rats crave for.

Situated at a distance of only 15 minutes walk from the crowd-spared Bogmalo beach, 10 minutes drive from Dabolim Airport and around 20 minutes drive from Panjim, Goa’s capital city, Raj Resorts offers you the perfect peace and tranquility amidst nature.

Reception: You are guaranteed a warmest welcome here. Its this place where you leave all your worries and queries behind…thanks to Mr. Vivek Gupta, the owner and the manager of this property.

Accommodation: Room categories include the Superior, Premium, Terrace and the Studio Apartments.
We’d booked the Premium Room for 2 nights. The room is basic but quiet spacious, ample of natural light and comes with a balcony facing the road. Elaborately furnished and has facilities like AC, Telephone, Tea/Coffee maker, Refrigerator, Wi Fi, Wardrobe and an Electronic Safe.

The pint-sized old-age TV sitting atop the fridge cabinet specially caught my attention…reminiscent of my childhood Bush TV days 🙂

Toilet: Spacious but dimly lit. Hot/cold water is available throughout the day.

All the bath products like shampoo, soap, etc. are provided.

View From The Room:

Dining: the resort has a multi-cuisine restaurant cum bar overlooking the swimming pool. We had most of our meals outside except a light dinner of Veg Hakka Noodles and Potato Cutlets, which were delectable.

Breakfast menu is limited. We had a choice of ordering the breakfast in our room, so we did. We specially loved the local made guava jam.

Amenities: Swimming pool, steam and sauna, restaurant with bar, room service, laundry, indoor games, 24 hours hot/cold water, generator backup, doctor on call, Wi-Fi availability, money changing, car/scooter arrangement and sight-seeing arrangement.

Swimming Pool: Its a small, clean, cutesy pool that looks up to the Mango tree standing close by.

Commuting: The resort can arrange for scooter/car, even sight-seeing and fishing trips…and at a reasonable cost. One day rent of a scooter is Rs. 350/-. Cost of petrol is to be borne by you. Rent of a car with driver- Rs. 1500/-. Self-driven car – Rs. 1200/-.

Our purpose for this visit was to attend the Goa River Marathon which was to start at 6.30 am from Baina beach in Vasco. We were pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Vivek (2 days before our check-in) stating that the resort had arranged a bus for the marathoners till the venue which would leave at 5.15 am… so well before time.

Service: Raj Resorts pampers you with a personal touch…and a professional too. Ring a 9 and you are attended to within no time. Mr. Mahesh Goyal, the care-taker is immensely helpful and on his toes all day.
I liked the way the resort guidelines/rules were mentioned on the last page of the in-room menu. Makes life so much easier for everyone 🙂

Special thanks to Mr. Vivek Gupta:
After hectic 15 hours in the bus and being completely exhausted, it was Vivek who bailed us out. He ensured that we were ensconced to our room first, leaving the check-in formalities for later. Although it was quiet past the lunch time, he arranged to feed our famished guts.
The man is immensely resourceful, a thorough professional with an experience of over 27 years behind him. This baby called “Raj Resorts” is his heart and soul. Festooned with lighting bulbs and lanterns, he has made the resort stand out and pour life into the otherwise hushed surroundings.

How To Get There:
By Air –  Dabolim Airport is less than 10 minutes drive from the resort. The resort provides complementary airport pickup and drop.
By Train – Madgaon Railway Station is around 25 kms from the resort. Hail a cab and reach within 30 minutes.
By Bus – Get down at Panjim and hail a cab.Its a 25 minutes drive to the resort. Frequent public transport is also available.

My Say: Rooms, Amenities, Entertainment, Service…all fabulous. But its the hospitality here that’s laudable. No wonder its has its loyalists in India and abroad coming back for the past 15 years…or even more.

It was a pleasure staying here and being pampered. Absolute tranquility is just a weekend away.

Thank you Vivek, for all the pleasant memories we brought back home 🙂