This place is so good - we had to go back and of course it didn't prove us wrong. Beautiful house, fabulous team and amazing hosts, great food, impeccable service and really nice guests too. Beat that! Vivenda just gets it right and luxury for me is somewhere that you feel at home (if only) and are well looked after.... More

I stayed solo at Vivenda dos Palhacos for 3 nights in mid-December 2011, towards the end of a 17-day India trip. I really enjoyed this place, it's like a high-end hostel and I mean that in the best possible way! It's truly a gorgeous house and they've struck just the right balance of eclectic furnishings, coziness, and beautiful decor. They... More

Our group stayed here for a week and experienced wonderful hospitality and food every day. Charlotte and Simon, the caretakers, were perfect hosts. Most of the rooms are splendidly decorated. Only a short walk to the beach and village, and then a delicious dinner in the garden each night. Highly recommend!

Vivenda was recommended to us as a good location to conclude our trip to India. My initial reaction when we drove up to the property was "Oh Dear!" - it is located down a side road that looks like the first step into a tropical jungle. Once we got inside, my view changed entirely - it was wonderful. Our room... More

This was by far the nicest place we stayed in south Goa. Sadly we had only booked two nights there, but wish we had stayed longer. Vivenda dos Palhacos is a beautifully restored old Portuguese mansion, run by brother and sister team Simon and Charlotte Hayward, who as children experienced colonial life in India. Charlotte, who manages the house and... More

Great place to go & CHILL, we've been to Goa, plenty no. of times but this is the 1st time we went & didn't feel the need to go to the beach. Gorgeous Villa that has been converted to a resort with just about 6 rooms (all differently done) & can be taken by 1 big family or a group... More

You will not fail to fall in love with the Vivenda. An eclectic and somewhat eccentric mix of Portuguese colonial architecture and English country house hotel in the depths of Southern India. As the website says - you are in a real village. Yes you might be woken in the morning by crowing cocks, snuffling pigs, or local families laughing... More

We stayed here for a few days after a hectic trip around India which involved a lot of travel and early mornings. We did not want a soulless large hotel but somewhere with a bit of character which we found in abundance here. The house has been carefully restored to retain many original features while at the same time provides... More

After our visit, we decided that every trip to India should end with a stay at Vivenda Dos Palhacos. It has been nine months, and we miss it and still talk about it regularly. It wasn't the most luxurious place we stayed in India (it was our honeymoon after all), and we loved most of the places we stayed, but... More