Hotels & Hospitality
The business of ‘susegad’ Five hundred years ago, when the Portuguese were here, life and living were easy. There could have been a word for it, if the Portuguese were living in today’s time. They called it ‘susegad’. Not a word but an experience.
C
idade de Goa has embraced and captured that experience creating a never-to-be-forgotten five star luxury holiday in a manner so ‘susegad’. It could be an evening walk, watching the birds and the waves and the palm trees, trying your hand at the beach barbeque or a stroll down the beach. At the Cidade you are on the beach and not just by it, just the way you want it. Clean, uncluttered, giving you your much needed space where you can soak in the strains of Konkani and Portuguese music at a Goan theme evening or laze around in the resort with soothing music around you all the time. Food is a vital component of susegad. From a barbecue at the beachside to elegant fine dining at the Alfama, wood fired pizzas and a selection of Goan and Indian cuisine at Café Azul, world cuisine at Laranja, and at the Docaria, the 24 hour coffee and snack lounge - there are plenty of options to whet the appetite of a gourmand. The Taverna near the lobby and Bar Latino, the seasonal poolside bar, can quench any thirst. Built by renowned Goan architect Charles Correa, Cidade de Goa is a vacation destination for family and friends, with a distinct Mediterranean feel to its colour and lines. The Cidade has a touch of pageantry and exhibitionism and is full of character. The mural of guards on one of the arched doorways and the three sculptures in the lobby of Vasco da Gama in his different personas of adventurer, statesmen and philosopher add a sense of drama to your experience. The coloured treatment of blank walls and windows and hyper-realistic scenes is a throwback to India’s own architectural past. The resort is not out of bounds for those who have a day job. At the Cidade, conferences, meetings and presentations are organised in a simple, quick and seamless way with finesse and professionalism. It boasts of facilities such as a conference space to accommodate 500, a meeting area for 175 with a beautiful terrace attached, ideal for after-business relaxation. Clube Saúde - the gym, Pavitra - the Ayurveda spa, water sports, outdoor and indoor games and the more sophisticated entertainment of the 24 hour casino Goldfinger ensure that you have everything you would want during your vacation right here.
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Best of Goa