The land of the bone-warming sun, soft sand, towering palm trees, and ocean breeze calls me often. Roads and people that felt new a couple of years ago have now started to feel like a home away from home. I feel privileged to say that I have experienced both sides of this place: the glossy, unrestrained world of its parties and the quiet, calm, healing side.
This time, I found myself in an ultra-luxe yet design-led space, Renaissance Goa, that completely catches you by surprise the moment you drive along the cobblestoned path. Everything about this hotel feels modern, stylish, and elevated. Perched at the centre of North Goa’s thriving cultural and leisure corridor of Arpora, Renaissance Goa makes you feel as if you are in the middle of the buzz, yet able to step away from it whenever you wish. That sense of ease comes from the European façade and the tropical elements you notice in every little detail.
You cannot help but notice the brass Vanda orchid installations, hand-carved sandstone floral motifs, and botanical mosaic accents that echo the surrounding landscape. Distinct focal points are scattered throughout the hotel, including a large-scale cherry blossom installation in the lobby, a centrally placed lemon tree within their Italian restaurant, Casa Limone. There is also an LED-lit glass roof in the event spaces, La Sera and Fiore, designed to shift dynamically with natural and ambient light. Even in their food and drinks, flora finds its way in, appearing as delicate adornments on a cocktail or as an entire ceiling that mirrors its presence [pictured above].
When I say the hotel offers an elevated experience, I mean it in every aspect: the rooms, the amenities, the food quality, and the grand spa. Let’s start with the rooms. The hotel’s 133 guest rooms and suites combine contemporary layouts with tropical-inspired design details, including custom art installations and bespoke brass floral cabinetry. We were lucky to have a stunning view from our room, which overlooked the surrounding tropical valley.
Renaissance Goa has four distinct food and beverage options, each with its own design personality. Their main dining kitchen is called Bloom, where we enjoyed the Goan thali experience. The thali featured local delicacies such as chicken cafreal, fish curry, and prawn balchao. The meal was paired with cocktails inspired by the flavours of Goa. One was mixed with hyperlocal cashew-based feni, and the other with urak, which is now in season. For those who may not know, feni (also spelled fenny) is a traditional spirit from Goa and was the drink the region was known for long before gin started to get distilled here in bulk. Feni is produced through a surprisingly hands-on, almost artisanal process that involves a three-step distillation. Urak comes earlier in this process, at a lighter stage of feni, and feels like its fresher, more playful cousin. All of this feni wisdom, by the way, was generously shared with us by the head bartender himself.
One of the highlights of our stay was dinner at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Casa Limone. Designed with handcrafted ceramics, bright Amalfi-inspired colours, and relaxed sundowner settings, it transported us to the charm of coastal Italy.
If that was not enough to immerse us in the relaxed feel of Italy, we met Alessio Cosma Amodio, who completely bowled us over first with his charming personality and then with the lip-smacking, gorgeous-looking food. The pictures do not do justice to the dishes we enjoyed at Limone, all prepared by Alessio. The food at Limone is Renaissance’s hidden secret and one of its biggest assets. Inspired by his Nonna’s [grandmother in Italian] magical, instinct-led kitchen, his menu celebrates slow-cooked flavours, handmade pastas, and the soulful spirit of the Amalfi Coast. We had the bruschetta, the squid ink linguine with lobster, shrimp, and calamari, and a wood-fired pizza made with freshly prepared San Marzano tomato sauce.
The hyperlocal bar at Renaissance, R Lounge, is a gem that we discovered only on our last night, and thank God we did. The bartender, Priyanshu, deserves a special mention for serving us some of the best drinks we have had. He was very thorough in his knowledge of every ingredient in every drink, which promised us that we were in for a good time.
Semi Fim
We tried the Semi Fim, which featured turmeric whisky, banana peel saccharum, and Arpora saline. Our second drink was Coral Canvas, made with gin, kokum, and carrot, painted in coral hues.
Aerio is a rooftop bar with an infinity pool and a stunning sunset view. With panoramic valley views, it’s the perfect spot to experience Goa’s Golden Hour—sunrise or sunset—over tiki-style cocktails and small plates. To close this, I want to talk about another major asset of this hotel: its leadership. From the person serving us the welcome drink, to the marketing manager, Shruti Girdhar, to the Bloom staff giving us the best food recommendations, the team here takes exceptional care of you. Marriott Bonvoy is known for its excellent service, and this property certainly does not disappoint.
Words Hansika Lohani
Date 16.4.2026