Smell the Sea, Feel the
Breeze, Hear the Ocean, Be at Ease- talk about travel goals and the one place
that everyone has or wants to put a pin on is Goa. From bustling streets to
calm beaches, late night shacks to sunrises, historical churches to n- number
of party places; Goa has it all.
Soaked in the essence of this coastline is the
property of Taj Fort Aguada. Open up the dictionary and every word that spells
out grandeur, luxury, richness, perfection, heaven and beauty can be used to
describe the splendour of Taj.
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| Welcome at the resort |
Weaved with history is the
regal 42 acre property on the beautiful Sinquerim Beach. Situated in the
vicinity of the hep and happening Baga & Calangute, built on the ramparts
of the 16th century Portuguese Fort- it is the perfect blend of the
past with the present. Earlier functioning under the name of VIVANTA, it has
now been changed to be only Taj. Getting finer and more enchanting by the time,
this property is about 40 years old.
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| Main Block |
I walk you through our stay here and let
me establish the fact that no words are enough to explain how lavish each
moment was.
Enveloped in the beauty of
nature, we were welcomed with warm greetings and a freshly plucked tender coconut
to welcome us. With a traditional shell necklace and a troop singing the
welcome song- the tone was already set for a great stay.
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| Lobby |
As you walk through the
main block you can witness the influence of Goan and Portuguese culture in the
architecture and interiors. The main block is bifurcated into the east wing and
the west wing.
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| Pool Side |
With a swimming pool at the ground floor and rooms at its both
sides.The shuttle took us to our villas on a hill face. About 700-800m from the
main block, some of the villas are sea facing and others are garden facing.
Talk about wind in your hair, the whole property is wrapped by the winds
flowing in from the coast and the scent of sand.
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| Sea View Villa |
Our gateway to heaven was
Villa No. 515, a magnificent and modernized suite at the Bay View Point. A sea
facing grandeur oozing out the look and feel of the Portuguese culture. To put
it in simple words, everything that you ask for in the world was there in one
room.
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| Villa - Bedroom |
A luxurious living room with a vintage writing desk and a 49 inch LED in
each room, a dining room, a personal
mini bar loaded with the finest scotch, wine and beer of course, an assortment
of fresh fruits, nuts, teas and coffee- I mean the list just goes on and on.
Both the bedrooms were with attached baths and a sprawling sea facing lawn- mark
my words you would never want to step out of this. It was pure unadulterated luxury!
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| Villa - Living Room |
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| Villa - Dining Room |
All the
villas have been recently renovated and trust me you would not find even the
minutest of things to complain about. They have carefully handpicked and designed
an experience for you-every bit of which you will cherish as long as you live.
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| Villa - Bathroom |
The property is so renowned
that all the delegates and celebrities that fly in trust on Taj for a
memorable, comfortable and welcoming stay. Even the former PM of UK Ms. Margaret
Thatcher had graced Taj with her presence and the best part is, she stayed in
the same villa. The Ambanis of the world as we all know the Reliance guys also grace this property with their stay and presence.
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| Villa - Lawn |
What next struck our hearts was the sheer level of hospitality.
One thing is being courteous because it is your job and other is being so
dedicated to pleasing the guests that you go out of your way to make sure that
everything is A-perfect.
Each one from the staff is trained in the best way
possible. You can imagine the experience that Taj offers to its employees also
that most of them have completed more than 10-15 years with Taj at this
particular property only. I can say with assurance that no one wants to leave Taj,
not the employees and definitely not us. That is Tajness for you.
Also, adjoining to this
property is the Taj Holiday Village at Candolim which is at a stone’s throw
from here and so is there restaurant Banyan Tree and as the name suggests it is
hypnotically beautiful. Next are the dining options complementing the Taj, each
in-house restaurant helps elevate and glorify the status of this luxury
property.
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| All Day Dining |
First, is the
all-day-dining earlier known as Latitude now the Kokum Kitchen (name undergoing another change as informed by the management) - it offers a delectable
spread at breakfast especially and the other dishes are like grilled fish and
salads are a must try.
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| Morisco & Martini Bar |
The SFX lounge needs a special mention, its location is just perfect alongside the Fort Aguada with unparalleled view of the beach and sound of the waves. Its like enjoying a shack but in a sophisticated and upmarket setting. Loungers are just perfect, one can just chill for long hours over some good drinks and great finger food.
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| SFX Lounge |
Then comes the Martini Bar, a sea-facing space for you
to enjoy your spirits. The best in class is Morisco- dedicated to seafood, it
serves the freshest of produce. From prawns to lobsters to fish, the goodness
of nature can be tasted in every dish that comes out of their open kitchen on
to your tables facing the Arabian Sea.
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| Morisco - Goan Thali |
To spoil you for choice
even more they have Il Camino that serves all things hearty and focuses on the
Italian cuisine. Chef is highly talented fellow at this restaurant and we had a
great time at dinner. A beautiful Italian meal with each dish just outperforming the earlier, it was just amazing.
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| Il Camino |
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| Italian Fare at Il Camino |
A special mention for the waiting staff especially
Vincent, who is an encyclopedia on this property as has been part of the system
at Taj Aguada since last 3 decades. Fine food, fine wine and excellent service-
it is pleasure calling out to you.
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| Vincent - More Than 3 decades of experience at Taj Aguada |
To get you even more
relaxed and to pamper you, The Jiva Spa offers you a royal-traditional
rejuvenation session. Abiding by the texts of Ayurveda, they provide some exquisite
and carefully crafted natural treatments. The spa is just next door at the Taj Holiday Village and is shared by both the Taj properties, you are well escorted in a shuttle whenever you wish to visit it.
For those who enjoy the company of
their thoughts and like to ponder there is also a meditation room. The word
finesse in our vocabulary was replaced by ‘Tajness’ by the time our stay came
to an end.
Bring everything good in
the world together and still it won’t match the experience, the level of luxury
and the degree of satisfaction that Taj Fort Agauda has in store for you.
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| Sunset Ritual at the Lobby |
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| Moi with Exec Chef, F&B Dir and Sous Chef |
No
matter how many times you visit Goa, but the one time that you will stay here
will become your most memorable and cherished one.
We all wish to land up in
heaven in our afterlives, well let’s get that done a little early by booking a
stay here now because - It is pure. It is luxury. It is Taj.
Coverage By : Vickrham
Pics By : Vickrham
Compiled and Edited by : Ritika Dhawan
Email: vickrham.m@gmail.com
Labels: BEACH, blog, blogger, BNB, CURATED, exotica, fly, food, GOA, GOAN., hotels, MUMBAI, NEW DELHI, SPA, taj, taj mahal, tourism, travel, TRIP
