The Tamarind - Just the right amount of Goa

Get the colours don't you?

Psst! There are affiliate links in this post. If you click on those links, I may get a small commission at absolutely no cost to you. And don't worry, the links are all safe!

A bit of turquoise, a bit of white, a bit of green and shining yellow in light – The Tamarind,Anjuna Goa stands elegantly in peace with nature around and lets you bask in the feel of all these colours at the same time. I love Goa and while I love the beaches and shacks there, I also love the architecture, the culture, the untouched serenity of nature and the sense of languid laid back country side feeling that prevails in this tiny state of India maybe even more. The Tamarind was one of the few hotels in Goa to have it all, and thanks to Yatra.com and Indiblogger, I had an amazing 4 days experience at this property.

The Tamarind

On the way to Anjuna, just off the St. Michael’s Church or the Anjuna Church is one of the best boutique hotels of Goa – the Tamarind. It is a 25 year old hotel, with some parts of the property being over 100 years old, blends well with the local area predominated by Goan Villas, as The Tamarind itself was a Goan Villa ages ago. But the most appealing point about the place for me at first site was it quirky décor dominated by white and blue. 

Yes, I got straight to the walls.

Also close to one of the most happening beaches of Goa, still miles away from the crowded corners of Goa, this quintessential Portuguese stone property lets you experience Goa in luxurious, beachy ways as well has rustic, peaceful, local’s way.

Okay get the Villa feeling first

The property is a 3 star hotel but the rooms were way better than expected. Small cozy rooms, with a spacious balcony and a view of the typical Goan Courtyard with a blue twist, aka the swimming pool, is what you will get irrespective of what class of rooms you select. 

View from my room

Mini pic of the mini fridge

Mine was yellow/orange themed deluxe villa bedroom but you also get options of grass green and turquoise blue! With all the standard amenities, the room also has a mini freezer with things one would need for a lazy evening in Goa– don’t think too much! – Booze, Chocolates and Chips!

Yup, that was my room.

Also if you have midnight desert cravings, the Hotel has a small wonderland from where they deliver any dessert you want to your room! This little wonderland where all the foodie madness happens is Cotinga, the in house restaurant of Tamarind. One cannot miss how the silhouette of one tiny bird is what made this restaurant stand out in the first glance! 

Notice the Bird? Notice the feather? Now guess the place!

I was lucky enough to meet the owner of the property on my very first day at Tamarind. She told me how the whole theme of the place, and not just the restaurant, was in memory of a tiny blue Cotinga bird that used to visit her villa and how looking at the bird enjoy the property was her favourite pastime of the day. She said she wish people to have a fun time in Tamarind always, hence the whole theme. Sweet right?

The sweetest in you face picture ever! Sorry I ate it all.

From sweets – let’s get back to Cotinga shall we? The stay came with complimentary breakfast which was a decent spread at Cotinga but with some local Jams to try! But the main fun of food we experienced later during lunch and dinner. While pizzas and pastas are their forte, the Indian Curries over here are very special as they are ‘Dil se desi with a Konkan twist’ (Indian from heart but with a bit of Konkan flavour dominance’. The use of spices like black pepper and kokum and of course tamarind is very generous in their food and that is what makes it so different and amazing. But Cotinga’s forte is their desserts - made in-house! Each and every one of them!!! I tried all of them during my four days stay so trust me on this one.

Late evening walks around this place was true bliss!

The only drawback with the place was that it is 15 mins away from the main Anjuna beach and there is no way to get a chakda aka auto or cab there easily. But the man at the Cotinga sweets counter told me if I really wanted to explore Goa like a local this was my chance; the bus stop was right outside the gate and I should take the bus and walk to the beach and the flea market. The decision was made, and without wasting anytime that is exactly what I did and it was very convenient! 

Right next to this place - now you know why the evenings were so beautiful.

The locality is lush green and has numerous villas and if you are lucky you might get invited to one of them, like I did by an old lady for evening tea one day. Apart from that the Church is a minute’s walk from the hotel and the hotel provides guests with the facility to hire four wheelers and two wheelers to move around the state (http://www.thetamarind.com/Taxi%20Rates.pdf). There is also a free shuttle service to Vagator beach that comes complimentary with the stay but luckily the hotel gave me free rides to Vagator and Bagha too in an especially dedicated car! There are no conveyance stores close by though.

The Church Next Door

Overall I enjoyed my stay thoroughly at this secluded retreat since I got a really good break from my crazy office work but this hotel, as amazing as it is, is a recommended stay only for people looking for peace and laid back days in Goa away from the crowd. Not recommended if you want to party or travel less because the location is undoubtedly an issue.

Last one I promise. Just couldn't get enough of the decor.