Santiago Beach Resort

Goa has a rhythm—a mix of chaos and calm, grit and grace. It’s where travelers come to escape, to find sanctuary from the daily grind. Unfortunately, at the Era Santiago Hotel, finding that sanctuary feels more like a quest than a guarantee. Let’s start with getting there. Don’t bother asking a taxi driver; they’ll stare at you blankly. No signs will help you either. It’s a game of trial, error, and GPS prayers. By the time you arrive, you’re already halfway to regretting the booking. The experience doesn’t exactly improve once you check in. There’s daily cleaning, theoretically—if you crack the code. Here’s the trick: hand your key to the front desk during a specific, unmarked window of time. Fail to do so, and you’re stuck with yesterday’s grime. Even when the cleaning happens, it’s…well, minimal. Expect dirty floors, a slimy shower, and beds that are straightened but not refreshed. And then there’s the toilet paper. Or rather, the lack of it. You get a miserly ration upon arrival, and replenishment requires a shameful journey to the front desk to plead for more. This isn’t a luxury you expect to ration at a hotel. Oh, and don’t get suckered by the “standard vs deluxe” room scam. Here’s the truth: all the rooms are exactly the same. The only thing “deluxe” about the upgrade is the price tag. You’d think with all the other challenges here, they’d at least offer something genuinely superior for the extra money. They don’t. Then there’s the hot water—or, more accurately, the tepid water. Forget about a steamy shower to wash away the day. The best you’ll get is lukewarm at peak hours, and at worst, it’s just cold enough to make you question every life decision that led you here. This might work for a beach hut, but not a hotel that aspires to call itself a resort. WiFi? Let’s just say I’ve had better connections on a Delhi train platform. It’s patchy at best, maddening at worst. The smart TV in the room—fitted with paid services, Netflix, and Prime—relies on this broken network, so good luck streaming anything without a stiff drink in hand. It’s a tech scavenger hunt, one where you’re left pressing buttons and guessing passwords until you lose the will to try. One of the biggest disappointments is the lack of retreat from the constant clamor of Goa. The streets are filled with hard sellers, and you’d expect a hotel to offer some relief. Instead, you find them right there in the lobby: a jeweler, a suit maker, and a money exchanger. Don’t get me wrong, they’re nice enough guys. Heck, I ended up buying two shirts. But the hard-sell vibe at the start felt intrusive. And don’t even think about lounging at the pool unless you’re fast enough to snag one of the nine sunbeds—permanently flat, of course. For a hotel with 70 rooms, it’s almost laughable. But here’s where the Era Santiago redeems itself: the restaurant and bar staff. These guys are the soul of this place. They know your name, your drink, your mood. They’re like a team of mind readers

Rooms are not cozy. The washroom is smelly and the hotel does not provide any complementary washroom stuff. No lift, it's difficult if you get a 2nd floor room.

Room was clean and the staff was very kind. We have tried breakfast in buffet and that was awesome. Overall it was a good experience.