Goa serves as the perfect break from daily routine, to put your feet up and just have fun! Unwind over a siesta, take a walk along the beach, or soothe your mind at the balcony with a hot cup of coffee and a book! So if you’re planning a Goa retreat which comprises pampering yourself with a relaxing spa and indulging in water sports, swimming and more, head to North Goa and immerse in a tropical escape surrounded by luxury amid a bustling nightlife!

Parsi Times took up the invitation to try out just that and headed to Novotel’s Goa Resorts & Spa and Novotel Goa Shrem Hotel, located on the arterial Candolim road, a short drive from the beaches of North Goa. Both these hotels offer a pleasant stay for Goa enthusiasts looking for relaxation. Novotel Goa Resort & Spa is an impressive property offering a blend of Indo-Portuguese elements and vibrant colours, coupled with modern interiors featuring high pitched roofs and wide verandahs; with a combined inventory of 271 rooms, multiple exquisite dining outlets, meeting spaces and spas. Another fun property to explore is the newly launched ibis Styles Goa Calangute located within walking distance from Tivai Beach and minutes away from Calangute and Candolim beaches.

For those looking for adventure and activities, the Novotel Goa Resorts & Spa organizes outdoor activities like basketball, pool activities like zorbing, beach football and beach cricket for larger groups at the Candolim beach beside their beach shack – La Brise. It also has a large kids club and sports facilities and a pool area with Jacuzzi. ibis Styles Goa houses an onsite souvenir shop, entertaining kids play area and recreational activities, bicycles for an enjoyable Goan expedition and outdoor jeep tours to Tivai and Calangute beach.

Both Novotel also properties provide multiple bars and restaurants including a Chic Mediterranean.

Bistro and Bar, Vero Cibo – a 35-seater restaurant featuring a diverse menu and modern renditions of classic cuisines from Italy, France, Turkey and Greece. La Brise is a dining restaurant lounge, situated on the seascape of Candolim beach. Under the starlit cover, the awe-inspiring property is the perfect hideaway from the chaos of Goa to enjoy a candlelight dinner with cocktails as the light breeze and serenity of the place rejuvenates you. The menu offers a balanced mix of Western, Oriental, Indian local influences and a varied beverage menu. ibis Styles Goa offers a blend of local and international cuisines.

Rest and wellness reign at Novotel properties with Novotel Resorts & Spa offering the Balinese-styled Warren Tricomi Spa along with a beautiful pool overlooking the lush paddy fields. The only Spa in Goa to feature a Couple’s heated stone Hammam bed, it boasts of housing 5 chalets, each of which has two treatment rooms, all designed to cater to various spa treatments from Indian Ayurveda to Asian Eastern Balinese, Thai style massages, western body treatments and facials.