Ravissant Goa
Come as a guest, leave as a friend
Ravissant Goa
Come as a guest, leave as a friend
Set in prime locations in the famous scenic, legendary beaches of Mandrem, Ashwem and Morjim in North Goa, Ravissant Goa are four cozy smaller boutique hotels. Here we share all the simple luxury of serene nature, comfort, relaxation and warm, friendly personal service at most reasonable rates. The finest tribute to our hospitaly, and our great pride, is that many of our clients are no longer guests but friends who keep coming back again and again, year after year. Welcome to join our Ravissant family! Pets are also welcome!
Located on the outskirt of Mandrem village, 150 meters walk from the beach, Ravissant Mandrem is a recently opened boutique hotel setting a new standard with private pools in each double deluxe room. A short walk takes you down to the famous Mandrem beach, arguably one of the world’s most magnificent beaches. Ravissant Madrem is the perfect getaway from which to enjoy this splendidly serene, uncrowded spectacular scenery. A couple of kilometers north awaits another world-famous attraction, the vibrant scene of hippie legend Arambol village.
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The only boutique hotel in Goa with private pools in deluxe rooms
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20 deluxe double rooms, each with access to private pool
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150 meters walking from spectacularly scenic Mandrem beach
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Restaurant serving full Indian and international menu
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Open air barbeque
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Located outside Mandrem village with easy access to shops, bars and restaurants
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In-room dining
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AC all rooms
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Free Wi-Fi
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Car/bike parking
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Car/bike rental
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24 hour lobby service
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Room safe
Goa is in many ways an exception in India. The former Portuguese, not English, colony, is India’s smallest state in area and the fourth smallest in population, with less than 1,5 million inhabitants — a miniscule number in the huge Indian population. Each year, this small paradise attracts millions of lovers of the beauty in life from all around the globe. Its location between the mighty long beaches along the Arabian gulf, and the Western Ghats mountain range and its djungles in the east — host to a large part of India’s biological diversity — gives Goa a natural beauty and richness that is unique in the world. No wonder perhaps that the local population is known for its relaxed friendliness and welcoming hospitality to visitors. Life is good in Goa, which also has by far the highest per-capita income in India. Goa — in so many ways a fantastic exception…
The northern Goa beaches are famous as among the most beautiful and magnificent in the world — for a number of reasons. You can say what you like about hippies, but they always had the capacity to seek out the most magical places in the world, where the sunsets are the most spectacular and the ambiance uniquely spiritual. Goa became one of the most important stops on the legend “hippie trail” in the early 60s, after Beatles having famously visited, along with Allen Ginsberg and fellow beat poets, and many other superstars and celebrities. These beaches still attract connaisseurs from all around the globe. You simply can’t beat the beauty or the atmosphere of these beaches — or the singular friendliness of India’s smallest state, Goa, with its Indian/Portuguese heritage.
Hippie culture no longer dominates Goa like in the old days, but the vibe is still there as part of the unique Goa charm. Tiny Goa is a tucked-away paradise where crowds are never overwhelming and where you can always find that rare, vintage Goan peace, tranquility and fulfillment. It’s sometimes called “India Light”, an expression meaning that Goa is a good start and introduction to India, free of the extreme buzzle of many other places in this wonderful, peerless sub-continent, with its very own, irresistible charm…
Fantastic beach, magical sunsets, good food and nice staff at Ravissant. Unique accommodation near the beach. Wi-fi is available almost everywhere.
Fantastic beach, magical sunsets, good food and nice staff at Ravissant. Unique accommodation near the beach. Wi-fi is available almost everywhere.
Ravissant Mandrem is a boutique hotel near Mandrem Beach, offering 20 deluxe rooms with private pools, just 150 metres from the shore. Ideal for a peaceful North Goa escape, it features an in-house restaurant, warm hospitality, and easy access to nearby attractions.
Anjuna flee market and night market
Originally a hippie flee market, the Anjuna market has expanded into a world-famous attraction where the you can find most anything and where hippies are nowadays just one of many features. The day market is staged every Wednesday, the night market on Saturdays. In addition to a vast array of shopping, ranging from cheap souvenirs to genuine craft by artisans coming from all over India and the world, the market also offers a rich fare of music, entertainment, performances, restaurants and bars. To enjoy the Anjuna market in high season, you must be ready for crowds larger than usual in Goa — if still very peaceful by Indian standards…
Arambol
The old fishing village in the far north of Goa became legendary in the 60s, when hippies settled in recluse here (the village was then separated from the rest of Goa by two rivers, now bridged), and celebrities the likes of John Lennon and Allen Ginsberg made pilgrimages here to indulge in the psychedelic spirituality of the famous Arambol sunsets. Things have changed immensely since those distant days. Arambol is a modern and expanded village that attracts a broad range of visitors. Still it maintains its hippie soul and status as a pilgrimage for spiritual seekers, these days yoga devotees in large part. Every sunset throughout the season, the hippie market opens up along the beachfront as sunset approaches, while musicians and performers of various kind entertain and the famous drums of Arambol sound through the sunset hour: a must-see…like the Eiffel Tower in Paris…
Old Goa
Established by Sultan Bijapur in the 15th century as a trading port on the southern banks of the Mondovi river, Old Goa is an historic city that served as the capital for the Portuguese rulers from the 16th century until its abandonment, due to the plague, in the 18th century. It is said that the city at the height of the Portuguese era had up to 200,000 inhabitants — a main center for Portuguese trading worldwide. It was also the main center for the Portuguese Christian Crusade in the Indian subcontinent (to this day, Roman Catholicism remains the majority religion in Goa). The Arch Bishop of Old Goa holds the title Patriarch of the East Indies, a subject directly to the Pope with a status similar to that of the Patriarchs of Lisbon and Venice. The historic city, included on UNESCO:s World Heritage List, features more than a dozen churches, basilicas and chapels, built from the 16th to the 18th century, some of which are ruins. A major attraction for anyone interested in history, architecture and religion.
The party scene: Baga, Vagator, Anjuna, Chapora, Arambol, Calangute and more
Though many come to Goa to find utter tranquility and relaxation, there’s no denying that many also travel here from all around the globe for the world-famous Goa party scene (and many of course for a combination of both). If partying, music and clubbing of the more or less outrageous kind (all levels of the scale are available!), then Goa is the place for you. At our hotels, we of course offer information on what’s on at the time. You can be sure that there’s always something happening every night throughout the season.
Panjim — the capital of Goa
Panjim, located on the Mandovi River’s outflow in the Arabian Sea, where it meets Zuari, a second main Goa river, about a 45 minute car ride from our hotels, is the Capital of Goa as well as the headquarters of the North Goa district. When the Portuguese colonial Capital was moved here from Old Goa in the 18th century, a terraced street grid was designed, centered around the main square and the baroque Lady of Our Immaculate Conception Church, originally built in 1541. Panjim was officially elevated from a town to a city in 1853, making it the oldest civic institution in Asia. Panjim is a beautiful, pleasant city with a cozy atmosphere, featuring a seven-kilometer beachside promenade as a main scene for shopping and socializing. The city, with some 115,000 inhabitants, offers an attractive array of shopping, art galleries, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, as well as a casino. It also has a number of highly interesting and beautiful historic sites and landmarks, dating back to the 16th century. Panjim has been named one of about a hundred Indian “smart cities”. It has also become an important center for local, national and international fairs and events. A visit is highly recommended.
Vasco da Gama
Founded in 1543, Vasco da Gama is Goa’s second city, spectacularly located on the cape of the Mormugao peninslula, at the mouth of the Zuari river, about 30 kilometers from Panjim. Though bereft of the historic attractions of Panjim, Vasco, as it’s shortened, is a harbor town, built around the port and shipyards, with a pleasant atmosphere.
South Goa
South Goa is a separate part of Goa, its own district, about a 3-hour car ride from our hotels in North Goa. South Goa features sensationally scenic beaches such as Palolem, Colva and others. Generally speaking, you might say that South Goa is even more relaxed, calm and laid-back than the north, without the intense party scene of North Goa.
Goa backwaters — the hidden gem
Though not as famous as its equivalent in Kerala, the Goa backwaters are a major attraction for nature lovers. There are vessels of various character and sizes departing from Panjim on cruises of various lengths. Here you can stay in a comfortable cabin, enjoying food and drinks while watching the wildlife, with a multitude of birds and monkeys, and crocodiles resting on the beaches. The sunsets in the backwaters are attractions in their own rights. In our hotels, we offer you all information and reservation service.