Breakfast at Amaraanth, a newly opened boutique stay in South Goa, is a delight. Photo: Amaraanth
Breakfast at Amaraanth, a newly opened boutique stay in South Goa, is a delight. Photo: Amaraanth
Breakfast at Amaraanth, a newly opened boutique stay in South Goa, is a delight. Photo: Amaraanth
Breakfast at Amaraanth, a newly opened boutique stay in South Goa, is a delight. Photo: Amaraanth

Amaraanth hotel review: Art-centric curated luxury lands in South Goa


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India’s beach state of Goa is a travel hotspot with a clear divide. North Goa boasts trendy hotspots, while the south offers a slower pace and a more tranquil escape. Amid this landscape, the recently opened Amaraanth is a refreshing alternative to the typical South Goan big resort scene.

Taking its name and spirit from the Amaraanth flower, the intimate boutique hideaway has been carefully designed to appeal to those seeking an escape from the urban bustle. Conceived by founder Shradha Binani, the former mansion is now a welcoming escape assembled by a team of India's top talent including architect George Seemon of Stapati Studio.

Infusing his signature style, which seamlessly blends vernacular architecture with contemporary sensibilities, Seemon has realised a serene ambience amid the Goan landscape where laterite-clad buildings emerge from the lush foliage, complemented by local materials like bamboo and natural stone.

There's also a collection of art from celebrated local artists including Subodh Kerkar and Thomas Louis, imbuing the already tasteful interiors with personality. The National checked in to see what awaits travellers staying at the newly opened escape.

The welcome

Arriving at Goa's Dabolim International Airport, I have a smooth exit and a driver from the hotel is already waiting to meet me. We get in the car and it whizzes past Goa’s ocean-side highways and villages. An hour later, I arrive at the hotel where a sign reads 'Amaraanth: rooted in the real.'

My check-in was done in advance, so all I have to do is sign a form as I sip on a cool coconut water and a kokum spritz, a regional favourite. My butler, Surenra, arrives to escort me to my spacious signature suite.

The neighbourhood

South Goa is less populated with restaurants and tourists than its northern neighbour, so it's ideal for those looking for a relaxing break. Amaraanth is walking distance from the little-known Fatrade Beach, one of the cleanest and least inhabited stretches of Goan shoreline.

The sea here has gentle waves, perfect for taking a dip, or sitting on the soft sand to catch what can be spectacular sunsets. The capital city of Panjim is only 45 minutes away, offering plenty of restaurants, shopping and entertainment options for those who prefer more hustle and bustle.

The room

A signature room at Amaraanth is huge. Photo: Amaraanth
A signature room at Amaraanth is huge. Photo: Amaraanth

Amaraanth is an all-suite hotel with three categories of accommodation: comfort, luxury and signature suites. I'm staying in a signature suite on the ground floor and it's huge – 77 square metres to be precise, with a leafy outside area that boasts a sofa, and small dining table.

Cane accents, art by Subodh Kerkar and luxurious fittings complete the look. The bathroom is well-stocked with Molton Brown toiletries and there is a separate bathtub with a bamboo screen. The minibar is also stocked with interesting local snacks like salted banana chips and Goa’s famous cashews. Coffee lovers like myself will delight in the French press and freshly ground beans provided for quiet, contemplative mornings on the terrace.

The service

Staff are warm-hearted and knowledgeable. Guests will be delighted to discover that every single suite is assigned butler service and, if the staff are at all like Surendra, everything will be flawless.

The scene

The Amaraanth landscape can be enjoyed. Photo credit Amaraanth
The Amaraanth landscape can be enjoyed. Photo credit Amaraanth

There’s a lovely pool area next to the hotel restaurant where loungers are submerged in the water for perfect relaxation vibes. The hotel curates some lovely experiences for guests such as a tea ceremony by the lotus pond and a styling session with Saanya Khatwani, a local fashion designer and boutique owner committed to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices.

One the same site is the first international outpost of London’s The HVN, a wellness centre that offers innovative massages, scientific facials, and healing rituals.

The food

There’s only one restaurant, where chef Ritu Dalmia has mastered the craft of Italian cuisine creating handmade pastas and melt-in-your-mouth pizzas that keep my stomach and soul happy. In addition, Amaraanth Kitchen serves Asian salads and bowls that sing with flavour. I particularly enjoyed the Smashed Cucumber Salad (Dh24) and the Thai Tomato Salad (Dh22).

Breakfast here is a delightful affair of top-quality cheeses, cold cuts, freshly baked breads like sourdough, focaccia and croissants, in-house preserves, granola, lemon curd and a made-to-order hot menu, too.

Highs and lows

The HVN wellness centre at Amaraanth. Photo: Amaraanth
The HVN wellness centre at Amaraanth. Photo: Amaraanth

Apart from the stellar art and design, having access to the internationally acclaimed The HVN is a big plus for wellness enthusiasts. There’s no specific activities here for children, so if you're travelling with kids it might not be the best pick.

Insider tip

If you need some reading material for poolside days, there's a small library in one of the lounge areas where guests are encouraged to take books and leave behind titles they'd like to share with other travellers.

The verdict

There aren’t many boutique hotels in South Goa that offer curated luxury for discerning travellers in the way that Amaraanth does. The combination of good design and quality food make this hotel an attractive proposition while the proximity to a pristine beach is simply the cherry on top.

The bottom line

From Dh1,315 plus taxes per night, inclusive of breakfast and one-way airport transfer. Check-in is from 3pm, checkout is by noon.

This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel. It reflects hotel standards during this time, services may change in the future

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

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Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

The Penguin

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

Creator: Lauren LeFranc

Rating: 4/5

How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go

The flights

Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.

The trip

Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.

While you're here
The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full

1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA

Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore

Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com

The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

The biog

Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi

Age: 23

How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them

Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need

Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman

Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs 

Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing

A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

Updated: January 03, 2025, 6:01 PM`