Mira Hotel

If you want a more authentically Indian experience out of your trip to Goa, then book into the charming Mira Hotel in Calangute. The welcome will be warm and you won’t get that anonymous ‘big hotel’ feeling. Elegant colonial-style buildings with white balconies surround a small but pretty pool area, flanked by tropical vegetation. Here you can relax in the sun between sightseeing trips, and when you feel hungry the hotel has an open-air restaurant that specialises in Thai and international cuisine. There’s also a bar and library in which to while away the hours.

The accommodation at the Mira Hotel is plain and simple but always clean; some of the rooms have balconies and you may be able to upgrade to an air conditioned room. The hotel is about 400 metres away from Calangute’s fabulous beach, while the resort itself is bustling and fascinating with plenty going on – shops, restaurants, markets and the water front, all waiting to be explored.