Junas Wado,Mandrem, North Goa, Mandrem, India | (888) 635-3814
Beachfront location in chilled-out Mandrem, a 10-minute drive from Arambol
Elegant rooms with lots of dark wood, plus private balconies and big bathrooms
Lovely outdoor pool with lounge chairs, surrounded by greenery
Restaurant serves free and extensive breakfast buffet; room service
Privately run Ayurvedic spa with massages right by the main entrance
Yoga pavilion and outdoor activities include ATV rides, kayaking, and cycling
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Not much within walking distance
No fitness center
Sandwiched between the main road and a lagoon, with Mandrem Beach in the distance, Riva Beach Resort is a quiet, elegant, three-and-a-half pearl boutique resort with 78 rooms. All the units are spacious and elegant, and come with air-conditioning, dark-wood furniture, balconies (some with sea views), and lovely marble bathrooms. The facilities aren't too shabby either, and while there's no fitness center, there is a yoga pavilion that guests can use along with bicycle, kayak, and ATV rentals -- plus an Ayurvedic spa. There's a restaurant with a free extensive breakfast buffet and lovely views over the hotel's large outdoor pool. Travelers looking for a similar vibe closer to the action may want to consider Tamarind Hotel in Anjuna -- just note that unlike Riva, it's not on the beach.
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Scene
Elegant beach property with lush grounds; popular with vacationers and yoga groups
The gorgeous grounds at this upper-middle-range beachfront resort are perhaps its greatest selling point. After checking in at the open-air lobby, a rustic but elegant space with rattan ceilings, dark wicker chairs, and dark-wood walls and furniture, guests are escorted through grassy grounds filled with palm trees, Buddha statues, and all sorts of tropical greenery. A lagoon crossed by a wooden bridge separates the main grounds from Mandrem Beach. Most of the facilities and common areas are outdoors, save for the boxy interior of the main Waterfront restaurant, and Wisteria, an open-air bar-pavilion with a woven ceiling similar to what's found in the lobby and a large off-white buddha head statue at the center. Most guests are tourists, with couples and families from India and abroad (particularly Russia and the United Kingdom). The hotel is also a popular destination for small wellness groups, namely yoga retreats, and gets the occasional beachfront wedding.
Location
In Northern Goa, next to Mandrem Beach and a 10-minute drive from Arambol
Riva Beach is located in the far northern reaches of Goa, just off of Mandrem Beach. The hotel's entrance is on the main road and there's not much of interest within walking distance. The hotel is about a 10-minute drive south of the beach town of Arambol, favored by young backpackers and hippies. It's about a 20-minute drive south to reach Morjim, and another 20 minutes further by road to get to the Anjuna/Vagator area. Calangute is about an hour away by car, while the airport takes nearly two hours to reach.
Rooms
Elegant rooms, suites, and cottages with luxe bathrooms and private balconies, some with sea views
Riva offers a wide range of room types, from 300-square-foot (28-square-meter) Courtyard Cottages and Deluxe Rooms up to 500-square-foot (47-square-meter) Premium Suite Cottages. Room decor is relatively consistent across categories, with lovely rich wooden floors with a dark throw rug, dark-wood furniture, and white bed linens spruced up with throws and accent cushions in a variety of hues. Premium units add four-poster beds with elegant wispy mosquito netting. The Cocowood Cottages diverge from the standard decor scheme a bit, with dark-wood walls and floors that give them a different feel. All rooms have balconies (some with sea views), plus a similar selection of amenities that includes mini-fridges, kettles, flat-screen cable TV, and safes. Bathrooms vary a bit but are elegant across the board, with ample use of marble, walk-in rainfall showers, and some separate soaking tubs. Slippers, toiletries, and hairdryers are provided.
Features
Excellent wellness facilities include a lovely pool, a yoga pavilion, and Ayurvedic massages
Riva Beach Resort sits right across a lagoon from the sandy beach at the north of Mandrem, and while lounge chairs are available for rent, the service is operated by a third party unaffiliated with the resort. Back at the hotel, there's a pool with lots of lounge chairs and a good mix of shade and direct sunlight throughout the day, and it's long enough for swimming laps. The hotel also offers a good array of outdoor activities, with kayaks and bicycles available for rent along with ATV rides. For those who want something a bit more chilled out, there's a yoga pavilion, though it's primarily used for groups and individual yoga lessons aren't usually available. There's no fitness center, but the adjacent Spa Ceylon offers an Ayurveda-heavy menu of massages and other treatments. Wisteria bar and Waterfront offer a good variety of cuisine choices, with Indian and international items plus lots of fresh seafood dishes. Breakfast is included in room rates and the spread is extensive, with hot and cold items and a few de rigueur South Indian specialties. Room service is also available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.
