Picture this scene, you are in Goa for holidays and you have just spent a night dancing your heart
out at your favorite club, you return to the hotel late night early morning,
what thought do you dread the most? Waking up for breakfast, isn’t it?
After all who wants to wake up early for a breakfast while on
vacation, but also there is no denying that not just breakfast is the most
important meal of the day, but it’s almost always included in the room tariff
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This and many such lifestyle-based reasons gave emergence and
led to the rise of villa rentals and serviced apartments in Goa.
Experiences are now edging towards more relaxed vacations where
wellness, independence, and privacy are prioritized.
Hence it’s no surprise that luxury villas have become the trend,
and tempting travelers with offers of exotic locations, private beach access,
and personal chefs.
For the traveler eager to avoid crowded swimming pools,
expensive food, and the general busyness that a hotel atmosphere brings, these
are the perfect solace.
Not just luxury villas, but villas and serviced apartments
overall, have seen a dramatic growth in the business in the past 5 years.
Travelers are giving priorities to their privacy and the ability and freedom to
choose the way they want to spend their vacation. So if you return late from a
party, you don’t have to bother with the thoughts of missing a good breakfast,
as these villas either provide you personal chefs or you have the freedom to
cook your own meals.
“There has been a huge growth in the business in the past 5
years, more and more travelers are now opting for villa stays or taking up a
serviced apartment. It offers them privacy, convenience and yet all the modern
amenities that a hotel offers them and sometimes even more. Also, villas offer
a more personalized and local touch that people nowadays prefer. Hotels seem
too plastic and fabricated beyond a point, travelers want real experiences and
hence home stays, villas and serviced apartments are their first choices,
shares Mohit Gupta, Director Palacio Group.
The concept of villas is also gaining popularity when families
or friends are traveling in bigger groups. For instance, a family group of
10-12 people can easily take up a 5-6BHK villa, have their independent rooms
and yet the feeling of being together. Also, it is a big saving on the cost.
Whether you’re looking for two bedrooms or twelve, the room rates are often
more affordable than a 5-star hotel. And with self-contained facilities, like a
full kitchen, laundry, and other amenities like a swimming pool and gym,
travelers also save significantly on expensive charges for food, drink, and
activities.
One of the biggest perks of staying in a villa is privacy. And
it’s offered at a level that even 5-star hotels can’t beat.
When you book to stay in a villa you have a whole property to
yourself, for guaranteed peace and serenity. The exclusivity of your own
residence means that there are no neighbors, and no other travelers to share
your space with.
But not everyone agrees “Well, yes I agree that the villa
business has increased in Goa over the years, but not everyone enjoys
seclusion, also most of the villas are located at slightly isolated spots in
comparison to hotels, so travelers who prefer to be in a place which is more
approachable always prefer hotels”, feels the manager of a boutique hotel in
North Goa. This is true specially for first time travellers who do not know Goa
at all.
The concept of renting apartments, villas, and cabins has been a
very old one in foreign countries, and since Goa receives a lot of foreign
travelers, they relate to the concept even better. Plus the travelers who spend
longer durations always find renting out a private space more economical and
viable than staying in a hotel.
And then there are those (and there are many) who have lots of
money to spare and don’t want to move an inch to get service. And why should
anyone grudge them their comfort?
“I usually come to Goa with my female friends and although we
love the idea of independent villas and apartments, we find hotels a safer
option. Who wants to cook on a vacation, the joy of having a lavish buffet
breakfast at a hotel is something we always look forward to”, says Neema from
Delhi, who visits Goa almost every year.
For
the love of crisp white sheets, soft pillows and springy beds, the
room-service, hustle bustle of tourists and the buffet breakfast, there are
travelers who prefer a hotel, but there is no denying that villa rentals is a
fast-growing trend and here to stay!
