The Leela Goa Hotel

India

Many still associate Goa with dreadlocked backpackers, suspicious-smelling cigarettes and all-night parties. But look beyond the hedonist hippy cliché and you’ll find The Leela Goa resort. It still offers the susegado (laid-back) spirit synonymous with the South Indian state, albeit on a significantly more luxurious scale.

Set in 30ha of verdant tropical grounds between the Sal River and the Arabian Sea, its terracotta-hued, Portuguese- style architecture is a reminder of Goa’s colonial past.

Inside the 206 rooms, club suites and villas, expect to find Leela’s trademark opulent and contemporary Indian decor, with dark timber floors leading to private balconies which overlook quiet lagoons filled with lotus flowers.

Start your mornings in the yoga pavilion, then move on to the 12-hole, par-three beachside golf course to practice your putting. Afterwards, work up an appetite lazing by the pool or on the private stretch of pristine Mobor Beach, then get your fill of fresh Konkan and Goan cuisine at one of its four restaurants. There are two fine-dining options here, including Leela’s signature Indian restaurant Jamavar, which serves up authentic thalis, fish curries and the popular prawn balchao.

If it’s privacy you’re after, The Club offers exclusive suites with outdoor showers, plunge pools and butler service. AD. Jet Airways flies from London Heathrow to Goa International Airport via Mumbai from £525 return.

Villas from £170.

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