Mysterious, unpredictable, wild and beautiful India attracts restless adventure and novelty lovers. The service here is significantly different from what Turkey, Egypt and even Thailand offer us, and you need to be prepared for this in advance. We will introduce you to the inexpensive Hotel Don Joao 3 *, where the whole atmosphere is modest, but the staff is trying to ensure that guests receive maximum comfort and are always satisfied. This is probably why many tourists coming to Goa every time stay in this hotel.
Location
Don Joao 3 * is located in India, in the state of Goa, in the small picturesque village of Anjuna, famous throughout the country for its unique beaches. Hotel guests will plunge here into real, not cinematic Indian life.
All the buildings in the village are only one-story, sacred cows roam the roads, there is a lot of tropical vegetation everywhere, the local population is friendly, but not intrusive, although they try not to miss out on their benefits. Goa is the smallest state in India, lying on the western side of the Hindustan Peninsula, approximately in the middle of its coastline. Administratively, the state is divided into northern and southern parts. Anjuna is located in North Goa, 18 km from its capital, Panaji, about halfway between the famous resorts of Candolim and Arambol. The hotel is located in the center of the village, but not on the coast, but closer to the private sector.
How to get there?
With different comforts and at different prices you can get to Don Joao 3 *. North Goa has the only international airport Dabolim, located in the village of the same name. There are many flights from Russian cities, but only during the season, that is, from the beginning of November to the end of May (the schedule needs to be clarified, as changes are possible). If you are going to Goa in this particular time period, fly from Moscow to Dabolim for about 220 dollars (one way). Spend a little over 7 hours in the sky. There are many routes from the airport to Anjuna. The shortest of them is about 42 km. But the roads in India are unpredictable, so even on a comfortable transfer, which must be provided by representatives of the travel agency where the tour to Don Joao 3 * was purchased, the journey takes more than an hour. On your own, going to Anjuna from Dabolim is very troublesome. Railroad stations are 5 km from the airport. There are three of them, all located close to one another. It is necessary to take a train ticket only in advance, back in Russia. You need to get out at Tivim station (46 km to it), from there get over to the bus station, where you take the bus to Anjuna. It is much more convenient for tourists traveling in India on their own to take a taxi at the airport, which can also be booked in advance.
If you gathered in Goa out of season, you will have to fly from Russia to Delhi or to Mumbai, and from there get to your hotel by any means convenient for you.
Description
Don Joao 3 * began work in 1995. Then he had only 2 stars, but, apparently, the service has expanded significantly since then, so now it is the average Indian "troika". The last repair was carried out in 2007, so all the interior items do not look too new. But the area is still impressive with its tropical exoticism. It is small in area and is really buried in greenery, and the fruits of fruit trees, for example, mangoes or bananas, hang directly above the heads of tourists. The hotel has four buildings. Among them there are two- and three-story ones, all painted in bright colors. Near the main building there is a parking for scooters and bikes. A pool and relaxation area are available on site. Walking around the hotel garden, you can often meet small representatives of the local fauna, but this does not interfere with relaxation.
Infrastructure
Don Joao 3 * welcomes guests in a simple, simple furnished hall. There are soft sofas where it is convenient to wait for your turn to settle in your room. At the reception staff works in shifts. The employees are very welcoming and friendly, seeking to help in everything, but there are indifferent to the problems of tourists. And they both know only English. At the reception, laundry services, currency exchange, excursions, scooters for rent are offered for money. Here you can hand over valuables to a safe (locked with a small key, carefully kept by the reception desk attendant), call a doctor or taxi, use the mail service, buy a password to access the Internet. Free WiFi is only in the lobby, but its power is small.
Rooms
The hotel has 45 rooms. All of them are in the Standard category, but each has a bedroom, a living room, an entrance, a kitchen area and a large cozy balcony. The furnishings and design in the rooms are very simple, the furniture and electrical equipment are not new for a long time, but unpretentious tourists are happy with everything, since there is no person flying to India to sit in the room. This applies even to those who arrived in Goa in September, October or May, when there are more rainy days than sunny ones. Usually in their room, tourists spend time to a minimum, only to relax from the beach and excursions. Each room has beds, a set of upholstered furniture (sofa and armchairs), a table, an old refrigerator (freezes very well), the same TV, showing up to 150 channels, but there are no Russians among them. Ceiling fans help fight the heat, and some rooms even have air conditioning.
According to tourists, linen in the hotel with a gray tint, but this is not because the laundry service is of poor quality, but because there is such water. They try to clean the rooms here regularly. Towels are also included in the cleaning.
In the bathrooms of each room there are autonomous water heaters, a toilet, a sink, a shower without a shower cubicle and without a curtain, a small window.
Nutrition
Don Joao 3 * has a bar and restaurant, divided into two zones - in the building and on the platform in front of the pool. The furniture here is simple plastic, but non-stop birdsong is offered as a bonus. In this hotel, many tour operators offer packages with food "BB". The complimentary breakfast here is more than modest. It includes a portioned small cup of coffee and a sandwich with bread, buttered margarine oil and jam. For money, you can order fried eggs, porridge and pancakes. In this case, you need to pay separately 6% of the cost of dishes for the service. In view of all this, absolutely all tourists recommend taking tours to Don Joao 3 * without meals, and bring along various products and an electric kettle, which will help to get used to the local cuisine gradually. There are two shops near the hotel, where it is also recommended to buy some products. In Anjuna, especially in the beach area, there are dozens of cafes, so you do not have to starve on vacation.
What can you do in the hotel?
In high season, very few tourists relax on the territory of the complex. They have a small but clean pool. There are no sunbeds and umbrellas around it, but tables and plastic chairs are installed. Free WiFi on the street does not work, you can entertain yourself with a glass of drink bought at the bar. In the central building of the hotel there are tennis tables, which, of course, will be appreciated by fans of this sport. At the reception, guests can rent bicycles and explore the surroundings. For little tourists, Don Joao 3 * has almost nothing to consider for couples traveling here.
Beach vacation
It is more favorable to go to Goa from late autumn to mid spring. At this time, there is a high season, which means that there is almost no rain. The days are hot and humid, the wind is insignificant. During our summer, there are powerful tropical showers almost daily, although the air and sea are still warm. Goa in September is also acceptable for relaxation, but more for sightseeing than for the beach. It rains frequently, but not every day, it is windy on the ocean, and high (80% or more) humidity is felt in the air. You need to count on a full beach vacation only in winter. The hotel in question is located only six hundred meters from the Indian Ocean, the road to it lies through the village. But the closest Anjuna beach is located another 1500 meters away, which can be walked along the shore along the water's edge. It is large, sandy, with a wonderful smooth entry into the ocean. On this and all other beaches there are many sunbeds and umbrellas. They are free, but, taking them, you must buy food in the nearest cafe. Otherwise, the sunbed will cost 100 rupees. There are no usual entertainments like “bananas” and “pills”, but here is a paradise for fans of windsurfing and parasailing. Another feature of the Anjun beaches - on many of them, women bathe dressed.
What to do outside the hotel?
The bulk of tourists travel for the sake of impressions in Don Joao 3 *. Anjuna is famous, first of all, for its night discos, arranged right on the beach. Everyone here can entertain themselves as he wants. In all coastal cafes, live music is heard, dishes prepared right there in front of visitors are served everywhere. In addition to the beach, in Anjuna it is interesting to visit the local market, which is open every week. You can buy souvenirs, clothes, food, a variety of products on it. Among the attractions of the village, temples are popular. In Anjuna, it is advantageous to rent a bike or taxi and travel on your own. Tourists recommend trips to waterfalls where you can feed wild monkeys, to the capital of the state of Panaji, to the city of Mapusa, a tour of the monasteries.
Don Joao 3 *: reviews
The rating of this cute modest hotel is an average of 4 points out of 5 possible. It is designed for young people and active tourists of any age.
Noted advantages:
- a very green beautiful area;
- clean pool;
- low prices for the tour;
- spacious two-room rooms, where everything works fine;
- friendly helpful staff;
- A unique beach near the hotel.
Noted disadvantages:
- there is no staff who understands Russian;
- the rooms have old furniture, electrical appliances, bedding;
- not in every room the windows are tightly closed, due to which insects get inside;
- unusually modest breakfast, included in the room rate;
- The beach is far from the hotel.