Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort, Goa

A branch of India's popular Lemon Tree chain of hotels, the Lemon Tree Amarante Beach Resort, Goa has the clean, well-maintained vibe of a business hotel, but with much more personality and without the corporate amenities (beyond a business center). The target audience here is vacationing Indian families -- exemplified by the presence of homestyle food in the main restaurant and a decent-sized kids' area at the main pool. The decor tries for quintessentially Goan, but the lobby feels a little over-the-top in its attempts at traditional, Catholic church-inspired decor. You'll see multiple stained-glass windows and lamps, multicolored tile work, and beautiful terra-cotta-colored floors and details. Swords hanging on the walls and lampshades with illuminated manuscript-style Latin lettering are overkill, though. The grounds are a bit more laid-back, with bushes, rose-colored tile, and a lawn area with palm trees behind a large, centerpiece lagoon pool. 

The Lemon Tree is located on the main street of Candolim in the tiny coastal Indian state of Goa. It's a two-minute walk to the local beach and about a 10-minute drive north to Calangute Beach. The famous Anjuna Night Market, which sells crafts from around India, is a 20-minute drive away. It's a 25-minute drive to Vagator Beach. The hippie haven of Arambol is a one-hour drive away, though there's a similar vibe at Anjuna Beach, a half-hour drive from the hotel. Panjim -- the state's capital -- is the nearest major city and takes about half an hour to reach by road. The Goa International Airport in Dabolim is about an hour's drive from the hotel. Goa is a bit tricky to navigate by public transportation, but it's easy to drive here, and most visitors rent motor scooters to get around the area and taxis are plentiful.

The Lemon Tree features 65 rooms and suites, and all those on the ground floor have direct access to the hotel's garden. Although it's a modern hotel overall, the Lemon Tree features six heritage rooms and a heritage suite (with its own pool) that are all housed in an old Portuguese mansion for travelers wanting something a bit more atmospheric. Rooms in the main part of the hotel are modern and bright -- a welcome change from the overwrought interiors of the hotel's main common areas. Expect to see either light wood or a a mix of dark-wood and light-wood furniture, black wicker chairs, and bright accent walls that match the bed runners and throw cushions. All rooms come with tea- and coffee-making facilities, air-conditioning, orthopedic mattresses, electronic safes, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen satellite TVs with DVD players, and minibars. There's also one wheelchair-accessible room on-site. Bathrooms are simple and modern, with ceiling-mounted rainfall showerheads and wall-mounted toiletry dispensers. Low-voltage hairdryers and makeup mirrors come standard. 

The Lemon Tree offers two restaurants: Citrus Cafe and Republic of Noodles The former is a bright, casual space with teal and yellow seats and yellow alls and terra-cotta-hued floor tiles that give it a bit of Indo-Portuguese flair. It offers all sorts of cuisine from around the world, including Indian comfort food. Breakfast is included in room rates and served until late. The fancier Republic of Noodles focuses on pan-Asian cuisine, with a focus on street food from across Southeast Asia. Specialties range from clay pot dishes to stir fries. The adjacent Mango Bar is also al fresco and offers a decent selection of cocktails and wines; it has a fire pit. Room service is available.The hotel's lagoon-style pool is large and lovely, with a swim-up bar and plenty of lounge chairs plus a padded hammock strung between two shade-giving palm trees for extra relaxation. There's also a small, shallow children's pool sectioned off by a gate and a large dividing planter.The spa is pleasant and bright, if not particularly opulent, with a steam bath and massage treatments. The fitness center is bright and modern, if a bit basic, with a pair of Life Fitness-brand treadmills, a couple more cardio machines, a rack of free weights, and a weight-training machine. The Game Room is a nice perk, with ping-pong, foosball, a pool table, and carrom, a traditional Indian game similar to shuffleboard.Other amenities include a business center with lots of books to borrow and free use of computers and a printer. There's also a currency exchange at the 24-hour front desk and guests can borrow DVDs to watch in their rooms. High-speed Wi-Fi is free, but only for one device. Airport transfers and laundry services are available for a fee.