The Tamarind Hotel

Separated from a busy-ish main road by a tall set of fence and gates, the Tamarind is a lovely boutique hotel situated around picturesque terrace areas full of leafy tropical foliage and gorgeous decor features. The predominant color here is a pale turquoise, inspired by a cotinga bird of the same color that visited right when the hotel was being reinvented from its former incarnation as a hippie guest house. As such, the restaurant here is called Cafe Cotinga and there are giant white bird-cage features in the garden terrace, painted white to coordinate with the white chairs, tables, sofas, and orb-like lanterns that decorate the space. Regular morning sitar performances at breakfast time are a memorable touch. Rooms and facilities are spread across two buildings, one of which is an old house that's believed to be upwards of 150 years old. The hotel attracts a predominantly domestic crowd, with lots of families and couples. While it's not a party destination, it can be a bit noisy late into the evening, with guests staying up -- even with small children -- until well after midnight. 

The Tamarind Hotel is located in inland Anjuna, about a 15-minute drive from Anjuna Beach, on the bend of a main road that it shares with a few shops and churches. Ozran Beach (also known as Small Vagator) is about a 10-minute drive from the hotel. The location is fairly central for those wishing to explore Goa by car. It's about a 20-minute drive south to happening Calangute and Baga, while the quieter Morjim Beach is about a half-hour away by road. It takes just over an hour to reach the airport by taxi, without traffic. 

This hotel offers 27 lovely rooms (including three suites), but because it occupies older converted buildings, no two rooms are the same, so there's a fair bit of variety in terms of room size and layout. However, decor and amenities are relatively consistent throughout. In general, rooms have off-white walls (often painted-on stone, though some have exposed stone in its original color) and soft lighting, plus turquoise accents in throw cushions, bed runners, and curtains. There's not a huge difference between Deluxe and Premium Rooms except that the latter are larger and situated upstairs. The Suites add extra beds for families (one has two double-bedded twin rooms) and one features lovely stained-glass that's been in the building for generations. Room 201 has a huge private deck with a patio sofa. Standard amenities include air-conditioning, coffeemakers, minibars, safes, and flat-screen TVs with satellite cable. Two big bottles of drinking water are provided daily. Wi-Fi is free but not always reliable.Bathrooms are particularly lovely, with huge showers featuring rainfall shower heads. Unfortunately, soundproofing in rooms is seriously lacking, and many of the rooms have common areas in front of doors that are shared with neighbors. This means that guests may be subject to not only street noise (especially if they are in road-facing rooms), but also the loud conversations of any neighbors who chose to congregate outside late at night. 

As a small property, The Tamarind offers limited amenities, but the amenities they do offer are excellent. The dining is particularly noteworthy. Cafe Cotinga restaurant offers baked goods and desserts along with a variety of cuisines cooked from local ingredients -- highlights include the delicious house-made jams and tamarind chutneys. While it's open for all three meals, the free daily breakfast is perhaps what they do best, with a huge spread featuring hot and cold items, that cater to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike -- vegan and gluten-free items are also readily available. Other features include a lovely outdoor swimming pool with a few padded lounge chairs that gets sun for part of the day -- most of the rooms face out on this area. There's also a small game room with a pool table and mini-foosball, and the hotel can arrange motorbike rentals for those who want to explore. Wi-Fi is free throughout the whole property, but the connection speeds can be painfully slow at times. There are a few spots to park cars and motorcycles right outside the gate, with a guard on duty day and night.