One of our best vacation decisions was to stay at Arco Iris during our trip to Goa last December. My husband and I were looking forward to a tranquil, relaxing stay and that is exactly what we got. Beni, Ganesh and their wonderful family made us feel welcome and they took such good care of us. The food was simple, nourishing and so delicious and their lovely home was such an experience! If you're tired of the crowded and noisy beach parties that Goa has increasingly come to stand for, then Arco Iris is the ideal getaway!

Writing this takes me back to a wonderful home-stay experience at Arco Iris made unique and memorable thanks to Beni, Gani, their sweet daughters T1 and T2- and the latest, very welcome addition to the family- F1 or Feni (a friendly lab) :)

My wife and I were looking for a small break from the madness and hustle of city life and it was a bit of a gamble going for a (first-time) homestay experience in a village far removed from the usual touristy beach-church-hippie market circuit. And this during the monsoon off-season when the beaches are essentially a no-go (even the shacks are closed!). The gamble really paid off in spades thanks to the Arco Iris family!

The location is beautiful, the hospitality warm and welcoming, the house restoration was evidently a labor of love with an incredible attention to detail and aesthetics. This is the kind of home most folk would aspire to making, in the kind of location they would love to settle down in- beautiful, green, quiet, idyllic but with convenient access to the city.

The rooms are spotless and beautifully furnished, with modern and well equipped attached baths, and lovely antique/local style fourposter (and very comfortable!) beds. The food was excellent and well-balanced between local Goan and continental cuisine, which just added to the comfort factor. Beni, Gani and family really went out of the way to make this the experience so memorable- from arranging and guiding us on local sight-seeing to producing a romantic midnight birthday celebration for my wife, complete with cake, flowers and candlelight out of nowhere on a single request. And I know they cooked for us when the regular cook took a day off!

I'm a bird-watcher and nature lover and I was blown away by the sheer variety of bird-life around the house- starting right from the house garden to its immediate neighborhood where I spotted hornbills, orioles, kingfishers, munias, tickell's blue flycatchers, orange-headed thrushes, rufous woodpeckers, lesser whistling ducks and several varieties of other waterbirds... all this during the monsoons, which is offseason for bird-spotting! I am sure (and I intend to try it out!) the setting is perfect for the winters as well!

Thanks, guys, for making this a wonderful getaway! :)

This was our second time in Arco Iris... and must admit that Beni and Ganesh are really developing thier place in a true goan style.

Go there and just relax.... every thing is perfect for a "take a break and relax" holiday. As located in South Goa it is an ideal place for people who like "less crowded" n "secluded" beaches than visiting goa's other popular and noisy beaches.

Arco Iris, Goa, is a dream come true. It is a 200 Year old Portuguese House, renovated to modern standards by Ganesh and Beni, a most charming pair of hosts, with their two lovely daughters Trusha (10) and Trikhaya (07). The house stands on an extensive property that Ganesh and Beni are developing further. It has a small number of rooms, each decorated with that delightful difference that makes it all the more charming. And so cosy, unlike a big Hotel. I think Westerners would particularly love this Home Stay Property. Breakfast is complementary, and what a breakfast that turns out to be. Beni would be happy to advise tourists on where to go and what to do, and there is plenty of that in Goa in any case, and arrange taxis! Goa has miles and miles of practically private Beaches, palm fringed, white sands, and almost everywhere with a Sand Bank to keep away dangerous predators, so that you can let children wander about in the sea without a care. A real tropical Paradise!! Panaji is a small town, with an old world charm, with a nostalgic touch of the now nearly vanishing whiff of Portuguese background. For those historically minded there are Forts (Don't miss Fort Aguada!!), Churches (Particularly the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which houses the relics of St Xavier). You will enjoy the Boat rides in the evening up the river Mandovi....Goans are probably the only Indians who know how to live it up!! I am sure an Arco Iris stay will be remembered for years!