good vacation

Written: 10 january 2019
Travel time: 28 december 2018 — 7 january 2019
Who does the author recommend the hotel to?: For a relaxing holiday; For families with children; For recreation with friends, for young people
Your rating of this hotel:
7.0
from 10
Hotel ratings by criteria:
Rooms: 7.0
Service: 7.0
Cleanliness: 6.0
Food: 6.0
Amenities: 5.0
New Year holidays 2019, GOA, Candolim, MELODIOUS WAVES
= Who is not interested in reading the whole story - about the hotel in paragraphs 4.5, 6.
1. Flight ak AzurAir from ap Koltsovo, Yekaterinburg. On December 27.2018, the flight was delayed by a total of 50 minutes, we flew for 6.5 hours, we were fed 2 times, the flight was normal. 1 hour before landing, they handed out migration cards to fill out.

2. Dabolim Airport, GOA. We arrived at 04-30 local time, customs control and baggage claim went through normally, at 06-30 we left the airport and headed to the AnexTour counters. Checked our vouchers and directed to the buses. At the exit from the airport, they changed $ 100 for rupees (unfavorable exchange rate + commission), preventing the scurrying and screaming porters of the airport from picking up our luggage, they safely settled in the bus that was waiting for us. (For those who are in GOA for the first time, I’ll explain that local movers, shouting out the name of the tour operator (ANEX-TOUR, Biblioglobus, etc. ), snatched their suitcases from confused tourists and ran to the operator’s desk, and then to the bus - in return then demanding money. It's one thing - when the luggage is really heavy, another when a small suitcase, and even on wheels. Some tourists were unpleasantly surprised. ).
3. Transfer to the hotel. We left the airport at 06-40, on the way the representative of Anex conducted an educational program on GOA, and at 08-15 we arrived at our Melodious Waves hotel.
4. Settlement. Placed immediately (in many reviews they wrote that if there are free rooms, they settle without delay). We got a spacious room on the 3rd floor in the main building. At the reception they paid for a safe (50 rupees per day) and put all the documents and money there. We were met by an elderly woman, she does not speak Russian, but yes, she speaks English.
5. Number. Arranged us. Available: 2 beds (+1 extra) new semi-hard mattresses, flat pillows, 2 plastic chairs and a plastic table, a large wooden table and a large mirror, a large built-in wardrobe with a lock, a fan on the ceiling; toilet and bathroom are separate - from accessories 2 rolls of toilet paper and a bar of soap in the package. There was always hot water, cold too, the electricity was turned off 1-2 times per evening for 1-2 minutes. The balcony is large with a side sea view and large coconut palms. Bed linen is clean (not perfectly white), bath towels are large and new. Of the insects in the room, small ants were noticed (if you leave something edible) and at night 1-2 mosquitoes (we brought a fumigator with us, so they did not bother us). Refrigerator and TV for an additional fee, we did not take. The fan handled the heat well. On the balcony, from time to time, a local chipmunk came running for our cookies. In the mornings, the local birds chirped charmingly. Cleaning in the room - on request. In terms of cleanliness in the room - as in any of the hotels in GOA (this is the 6th visit to India), in my opinion, tolerably. They didn’t bother with dust behind the closet or under the bed - we only took a shower and spent the night in the room. Wifi on site is excellent.

6. Breakfast at the hotel. It is continental: 2 toasts, a piece of butter, a pack of jam, tea or coffee of your choice, milk. + can be ordered from the additional menu. Ekb and I brought cookies with us, bought cheese for toast at the local supermarket, so we had enough.
7. Candolim Beach The road to the beach is 3-4 minutes (to the right when leaving the hotel), then even to the right, even to the left, wherever your eyes look. The sea is amazing as always! That's why we love GOA! Regarding the garbage on the coastline, nothing has changed. There is shek - there is order, no shek - there is no order. The sea was relatively calm, there were only strong waves for 2 days, but, in my opinion, vacationers liked them more.
8. Sheki (beach cafes). We walked to the right. 6 days dined and rested in the "Fisherman's Hut", if you dine with them - a sunbed and beach towels for free. A big plus is that they accept credit cards. Prices are slightly higher than in the area, but there are more people. The kitchen is not bad, they left them only because there was a tension with places at the tables, and the waiters were "sewn up", no tips helped. Then they moved on from them. Prices in shek are approximately the same, the price range is + - 20%. (soup 100-150, second 220-350, flatbread with cheese and garlic 100-140, water 1 liter 40-50, beer 0.65 King Fisher 120-150). You can find cheaper... By the way, in the evening we ate at the local Almaz cafe, not far from the hotel, the prices are super, the portions are huge, the family cafe, both Russians and British hang out. Almost every shek has Wi-Fi.
9. The contingent of vacationers. In our hotel (guesthouse) - 90% Russian-speaking. On the beach - 10-20% Russian speakers, 40-50% English speakers and the rest are local Indians. No conflicts were observed.

10. Shopping. Supermarkets Newtons and Delfinos from the hotel to the left on the main road 1.2 km. There are food, alcohol, etc. , the ability to pay with a bank card. In addition, many shops sell alcohol and beer (but already for rupees). Fruits are sold near the hotel (a little more expensive), or in front of Delfinos (you can watch along the way) = pineapple 100rsht (60kg), watermelon 100rsht, bananas, mangoes, strawberries, tangerines. In pharmacies, they mainly buy Himalaya products (3 times cheaper than the Russian Federation) Liv 52 and Cyston are a must buy! Cashmere, tea and other prices are different everywhere, bargain. For example, we bought a drum for 300 rubles as a gift, and started with $ 20. Tea was bought by TETLI in Newton (very tasty, albeit in bags). Rum costs 170r = 0.7, delicious local port wine (costs 170r, but there is another for 100 and 120r, but worse), vodka with cashew nuts was brought as a gift 200r = 0.7.
11. Exchange $ for rupees. The course is within 70 rupees for $ 1. Somewhere cheaper, somewhere a little more expensive. We changed a little, only for fruit and tips, otherwise by card. If you change at the bank, they will take a commission of 150-300 rubles, you can withdraw from an ATM - also a commission of 2% of the amount. We changed in a large pharmacy at Delfinos.
12. Excursions. They didn’t take it, they were in India many times. There isn't much choice and it's expensive.
13. Tusnya. The place next to the hotel is not a party place, you need to go or go towards Arambol, although a Russian tourist can relax everywhere... Although there is a night disco on the beach, you will immediately see a sign to the right, at least for the new year there was a big party.
14. Return transfer and flight home. Information on the flight home was placed on the stand at the reception the night before. Departure was at 06-25, picked up from the main road at 01-45. The keys to the room (the reception was closed) were left at the door to the service room. The bus picked up on time, an hour was collected by other tourists, 40 minutes were taken to the airport. At the entrance to the airport, they show a passport and a plane ticket (printed or scanned in a smartphone), representatives of the Tour Operator are not allowed into the airport building (military airport), you go to the baggage inspection area, stand in line, then check in for the flight, then 2 th floor you go through the migration service and get into the departure zone. 3 snack points, several shops, dutik (prices are high). Our flight was delayed by 1 hour. The flight went well. Upon arrival, as usual, customs and baggage claim (waited 40 minutes). New Year's Eve is over.
Translated automatically from Russian. View original