DEAR GUEST -- Welcome to Blue Lotus! Our home-stay offers guests the unique opportunity of experiencing life in a small village, with privacy and a level of comfort afforded, along with a co-working space. Blue Lotus is the perfect choice for guests looking for a relaxed stay in beautiful, peaceful surroundings, with all the required amenities, right in the lap of nature.
YOUR HOST -- Meghna is your host at Blue Lotus. Tucked away in the Goan countryside, this 140 year old property in Ucassaim has been restored to host digital nomads and new-age freelancers from around the world. We offer day rates for independent professionals who are looking for a productive space to work, whether that's on a drop in basis or long term. Our Home stay is open to guests from around the world to give them a different experience of Goa that they can treasure forever.
LOCATION -- Blue Lotus is located 10 minutes away from Mapusa Market. Panjim and the Latin Quarter are approximately a 30 minute drive away and Old Goa 45 minutes. Baga, Calangute, Vagator, Anjuna are some of the busy beaches whereas Morjim, Ashwem, Mandrem and Fort Tiracol are the relatively unspoilt beaches of North Goa. It takes about an hour to get to any of the South Goa Beaches.
OUR FAMILY & OTHER ANIMALS – We have 2 Dogs (Laila & Rocco) and 1 Cat (Lama) who are all very affectionate animals. Our pets are accustomed to house guests; it goes without saying that they are a part of our family and we hope guests who choose to stay with us will be comfortable having them around. As always if you need any assistance please do call the staff for any help.
THE STAFF -- Our staff is always ready to help you with anything you need. Our Community Manager is available at the property in the mornings and on her phone after work hours if required. Monica is our cook and prepares breakfast, lunch & dinner as per our menu. Vinod & Meena, our caretakers, live on the property and may be called for help when required. For any other assistance, Meghna can be contacted.
THE HOUSE & GARDENS -- At Blue Lotus, the house is surrounded by a beautiful green garden and you are more than welcome to stroll around. We also have a small herb patch where we grow a few seasonal herbs that we use in our daily cooking. We also have books that you can borrow during your stay with us and lounge around the house and catch up on some reading.
MEALS AND KITCHEN -- The staff will serve you breakfast at the dining table in the dining room between 9am and 11am. You can choose from fresh cut fruit, juices or smoothies, home-made muesli, pancakes or eggs and upma or poha in rotation. We can provide simple, home-style lunch or dinner as per our menu, but need prior notice so that we can buy fresh and local produce. We also have a choice of herbal teas and filter coffee.
DRINKING WATER -- The drinking water kept in your room is water from the garden well which goes through a water purification system installed in our kitchen, and is perfectly safe for drinking. We do not support the sale of mineral water in plastic bottles. This is our contribution towards conserving the local environment. Our drinking water is much safer than the bottled stuff you buy in shops and our staff would be happy to refill your bottles should you want them to.
LAUNDRY -- Guests are welcome to use the washing machine in the laundry at a nominal charge of Rs.100 for a full load (approx. 3 kgs). Please make sure to wash darks and lights separately when required. Please do not take towels from your room to the beach or a pool.
EMERGENCY POWER BACK UP SYSTEM -- Goa faces occasional electricity problem and the power may sometimes go off unexpectedly from anywhere between 10 minutes to a couple of hours. If that should happen, we have a power back-up system that kicks in immediately. One light and a fan will work in every room. Air- conditioners are not on the back-up grid and will not work when the electricity fails.
HOUSEKEEPING -- All housekeeping is done in the mornings before 12 noon, so the staff cleans the rooms right after breakfast. To reduce water usage and detergent pollution, your bed linen and towels are changed on request only. Please ask the staff for fresh sheets and towels when you want them changed.
HOT WATER – Geysers (water heaters) can be switched on 15 minutes before you shower. Please remember to switch off geysers, lights, fans and ACs before you leave your room.
MOSQUITOES -- Mosquitoes can be a nuisance especially at dusk and early in the morning. Please keep the doors/windows shut from 5pm onwards to avoid being bothered by mosquitoes at night. We suggest you carry and use mosquito repellent spray. We also have a Dhoop (Incense Ritual) in the evenings to help with the mosquito problem.
CREEPY-CRAWLY EMERGENCIES -- We are located in a forested area that is home to a number of colourful insects including frogs, lizards, and millipedes in the monsoons and the (very) occasional snake. Most are benign but if you are uncomfortable you can call one of the staff to help you deal with the situation.
VALUABLES -- We do not have safety deposit lockers in the rooms. Please keep any valuables and important documents, particularly air tickets, passports, jewellery and money, in a locked suitcase.
DRUGS / SMOKING -- We follow a strict NO DRUGS policy at Blue Lotus. Anybody found consuming drugs of any kind will be asked to vacate the premises immediately. Smoking is permitted in the open areas but strictly not allowed inside the rooms/bathrooms.
OUTSIDE VISITORS -- For security reasons, we do not permit visiting masseurs, yoga instructors, hawkers, travel agents or touts on the premises. As this is first and foremost our home, we value our privacy and want you to enjoy yours. We do however bend the rules to accommodate George, Renita and Malu for massage and Princy who does massage and also beauty treatments like manicure/pedicure, facials and skincare for ladies only. Sherree is our visiting foot reflexologist. Please call them directly for appointments/rates.
LIBRARY -- We have a well-stocked book cupboard in the living room and guests are welcome to borrow any book they like. There are several books on birds, snakes and the local flora and fauna. Do please return borrowed books before you check out. The books have been collected over the years and while we would love to share them with you while you are our guests, we would be grateful if you did not take them off the premises.
HONESTY BAR -- The bar cupboard in the living room is stocked with most of the basics. You can help yourself to soft drinks, mixers and ice from the fridge in the kitchen. Please write down what you have consumed in the Bar Book inside the bar cupboard so we can put it on your tab.
INTERNET -- While we do have WIFI, internet connectivity in Goa is not faultless, and we do face issues from time to time, but we also have a back-up dongle just in case.
TIPPING -- Our staff works hard to ensure you have a relaxed and comfortable stay. If you feel you have been well looked after, a token of your appreciation by way of a tip would be much appreciated.
GUEST BOOK & TRIPADVISOR -- Please sign our guest book before you leave. Your comments and suggestions are very welcome. Please also take a moment to write an honest review on www.tripadvisor.com. It is a website used by many independent travellers.
TRANSPORT OPTIONS
1. TAXIS -- Taxis are ubiquitous in Goa, and we are happy to provide phone numbers and a rough guide to rates. Guests are requested to negotiate independently with the drivers before engaging them.
2. SELF-DRIVE CARS -- Dominic at Vailankani Car Hire in Candolim has a fleet of taxis and self-drive vehicles in good condition. Small, self-drive vehicles are also available for rent from locals for rates that vary depending on the time of year which means they shoot up during the busy X’mas/New Year time. Please note that these vehicles will be delivered to you with just enough petrol to get to any one of the little kiosks that sell petrol by the litre in plastic mineral water bottles.
3. BIKE HIRE – You can hire an Activa scooter or a bike at nearby Mapusa market. You can also call to have the bike delivered at your location and we can help provide numbers of some local renting companies. Please check the condition of the scooter properly in the presence of the owners before accepting the vehicle to avoid having to pay for scratches and dents you are not responsible for! Please ask for and unfailingly use helmets and ensure the bike papers are valid in case you are stopped by the cops and for your own safety. We suggest you only use bikes for short distances as driving on the highways can be daunting. It goes without saying you need a valid two-wheeler/light motor vehicle licence or an international driving licence if you want to rent a vehicle. Helmets are mandatory but only for the driver.
We hope that this information about the house has been useful and trust you will enjoy your time as our guest. Thank you for choosing Blue Lotus.
