Resorte Marinha Dourada

One of the larger properties in North Goa, Resorte Marinha Dourada is a noisy, mid-range getaway spread out over a huge campus with two large lagoon-style lakes separated by a narrow patch of palm-tree lined grass. Guests check in right at the front of the property, where there are a couple of seating areas featuring old-fashioned elegant furniture. While most of the common areas of the hotel are outdoors, this indoor space stays busy day and night as it's the only place in the hotel with Wi-Fi. Most guests here are package tourists, either from Russia or the United Kingdom. 

This hotel is located on Marinha Dourada Road which runs just off of the main north-to-south Calangute-Anjuna Road in North Goa. The Baga Night Market is a five-minute walk down the road while the Saturday Night Market in Arpora takes about 10 minutes to reach by car. It's about a 10-minute drive or ride on the hotel's hourly shuttle to Baga Beach, while Anjuna Beach is a 15-minute drive away. Calangute takes 15 minutes to get to by car -- add another five minutes or so to the journey and you'll be in Candolim. The Goa International Airport in Vasco de Gama takes anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to reach, depending on traffic. 

Standard Rooms all follow a similar decor scheme, with off-white walls, simple wooden wardrobes, small dressers topped with flat-screen TVs, and pale peach or cream tile floors. Wall art is limited to the odd framed painting on the walls. Large refrigerators feature enough space for minibar items and storage, but kettles and Wi-Fi are not provided. Bathrooms are basic, with wet-room style showers, and while soap is provided, other toiletries are not. Note that there are sometimes inconsistencies with the hotel's hot water supply, so guests may find themselves with no choice but to take a cold shower. All rooms have balconies, each with a couple of plastic chairs and a table or two, and many have views out over the lagoon or swimming pool. However, the windows are thin and while much of the resort is tucked well away from the main road, noise from other guests can be a nuisance. 

This resort offers quite a sizeable number of facilities. There are two swimming pools: one main lagoon pool with a small kids' pool adjacent and a second L-shaped lap pool. Both pools have a fair number of poolside lounge chairs with a good mix of sunshine and shade, and one has its own poolside bar, Agor. A second bar, Barracuda, is located between the hotel's two lagoons. Other features include a beauty parlor with basic hair and salon services, a small massage room, and a fitness center with dated cardio and weight-training equipment. The hotel also offers paddleboat rentals for use on the lagoons, as well as fishing rods for on-site use. Conference facilities are also available; the larger of the two main event spaces can host about 300 people theater style.

Meals are served at the A Varanda restaurant, with outdoor seating and a primarily (but not exclusively Indian menu). Room service is available morning until night. There's also a large breakfast room that feels like a gymnasium or an old warehouse, with a free spread available daily offering everything from baked beans to South Indian breakfast specialties. Note that Wi-Fi is only available in the lobby, though it is free. There's also limited on-site parking in front of the hotel, though it can be difficult to secure a spot on Saturdays due to the presence of the nearby Baga Night Market.