This is a really lovely place to stay. Everything is extremely well run and organised and the food is delicious. It's worth coming just for the food! Phil, Juliet, Lyndy and the rest of the staff were brilliant, so friendly and helpful.

I stayed in a tent which was gorgeous and felt very luxurious. The other people staying there at the same time were very friendly so I didn't feel like a weirdo staying on my own. The pool is really beautiful and I'd recommend the massages with Vishnu.

The only thing I would recommend to others is not doing the package for the yoga classes, if you want some flexibility. I think it is probably better to try a few classes and see if they and the teachers suit you before committing to and paying for a whole programme of them.

Overall this is wonderful place to stay if you just want a bit of a rest and some chill out time and I'd love to go back one day.

I loved everything about this place.
we stayed in a suite- LOVELY, amazingly well decorated and pretty.
food was DELICIOUS.
Yoga clases really good.
amazing staff.
tranquil and quiet lazy days by the pool reading were great for relaxing.
good massage.
i liked that it was a bit away from everything out on the filed.
liked the eco theme, which they took seriously.

disliked:

BUGS BUGS BUGS!
there were several roaches in our suite and bedbugs.... it ruined 4 days of my stay.
the staff were helpful, but only using eco friendly chemicals, it was impossible to do anything about it really, and that did not have a spare mattress.
i had lots of itching bites and it looked ugly.
i would expect a place like this to have those things under control. sad, cause it is the oNLY thing i disliked. everything else was paradise.

i still dont know if i would go back. i hate bugs and everythme i think of the sleepless nights... i kind of dont think i want to risk it again.
its a shame, cause the place is one of a kind.

I have been to at least four luxury tent-style hotels in Africa, so I
am well versed on what is possible in terms of service, amenities and
comfort within the constructs of a eco-friendly or tent variety hotel.

Yoga Magic met and exceeded all of my expectations for a fraction of
the price. Yes, locally it is expensive as the previous reviewer
pointed out, but it is well worth it. The staff was very warm and
helpful and, indeed, very pleasant and even fun to be around. If you
are looking for a western-style luxury hotel, as the previous reviewer
may have been, then Yoga magic is not a good choice. Part of what makes Yoga Magic magical, is the closeness to the earth that you feel while you are there, which would not be possible without the eco-toilets, and outdoor sun showers, and local, healthy food, and tented homes. Yes, it is rustic, but not at all uncomfortable (quite the opposite) or unromantic.

The yoga instruction was among the best (clearest, hands on, knowledgeable and committed) I have experienced (and although I am not what you would call experienced, I have sampled a lot of different instructors) . But I think my favorite aspect was the dining experience- orchestrated by the attentive staff, incredibly fresh, delicious, healthy food and the stars above your head and the wind blowing through the open aired dining area.

Actually my favorite part was walking into my tent to see it decked out with an elaborate flower decoration, that set the tone for a beautiful stay with my fiancee.

I loved my stay at Yogamagic. From the moment we walked into the place we felt completely relaxed. The grounds were gorgeous & so peaceful, the pool was clean, the staff were AMAZING and so helpful. We felt more like family than guests by the end of our stay. I can't recommend it highly enough.

And I have to say I'm a bit confused by some comments in the poorer reviews of this resort. From my recent experience of Yogamagic, I thought I'd clarify a few things in those reviews:

- I know people have different experiences of a place, but in the end I guess it comes down to what you are expecting from your stay at a hotel or resort. First of all, if you want 5 star luxury close to the beach and action, do not stay here. It is an eco resort & yoga retreat - great for kicking back, relaxing and recharging the batteries. It's back to basics, with a touch of luxury and difference.The fact it was more isolated, quiet and peaceful MADE this place. It would not have felt as relaxing closer to the action.

- The location was not close to 'town'. But Goa is made up of a series of villages anyway, so there are quite a few towns around. The beach and surrounding villages were only a very short, cheap taxi ride away, and staff arranged taxis in an instant. Management had even organised fixed prices with drivers at the beginning of the season to save guests from being overcharged.

- The included breakfasts were fantastic - a huge variety of fresh fruits, and yoghurt, muesli, honey, the most amazing fresh bread rolls and butter, and a variety of hot food (western and Indian), which differed each day. A variety of teas (herbal and normal) and coffee WERE included in the price. Juices were not (they were freshly blended, more like smoothies, and delicious!) And you could eat as much food as you wanted. I was dreading coming home to my weetbix. We had wake-up tea delivered to our tent each day at no extra cost. And the dinners we had there were really tasty. I did not get sick after eating the food.

- We were fully informed of the extra luxury tax from the time of our email enquiries, right through to confirming our booking. It was never a hidden cost for us, as previously suggested.

- There's a shared shower block with running hot water (the view from each individual cubicle out to the paddock is great!) as well as the terracotta wash bowl in your tent. I'm not sure where the waste water in the shared showers ran to - a previous reviewer felt it went into the dry creek nearby. If this is the case, Yogamagic actually asked us to ensure our toiletries were eco-friendly prior to our stay. If we all do our part and use environmentally safe products at Yogamagic, I'm hoping the impact on the environment is minimal.

- The water in the terracotta wash bowl in our tent was not stagnate. It was very clean. If you used the water to wash daily (which was a beautiful experience pouring water over your body in the warm sun looking up at the palm trees and listening to eagles shriek), then it was changed daily. If you do not use it, then I guess it sits there until you do. I loved getting back to basics. I loved the wash bowl & the eco toilet. It all felt really normal by day two.

- It's true they did not serve alcohol. But Yogamagic felt more like a health retreat, so the detox was one of the nicest parts of our stay! And I felt awesome by the end of our ten days there. We bought some alcohol (very cheap) from town, and the staff put it in the fridge for us, but we found we didn't even feel like drinking it (which is unusual for our lot!)

Overall, this place was amazing. The daily yoga was great, and not that expensive - Pete was an awesome and fun instructor, the staff were beautiful & went out of their way to assist you in any way possible (Lyndy, Annu, Chinnu, Pete & Dorothy were standouts in making our stay awesome), the interesting range of people staying there made it great for people watching, they arranged some good weekly activities (we viewed a fantastic Indian fusion music concert there), & the tents were a unique and great experience.

One thing to note was that the lights in our tent were so dim we could barely see at night, so had to use our torch a lot - we informed reception of this, though.

Go with an open mind and you will really enjoy Yogamagic. It is different, but that is all part of the fun! If you want grog, a lot of action, shiny floors, plush bedding and hot running water at your fingertips, choose a 5 star resort on the beach. If you want peace, relaxation, yoga, an interesting vibe, great service, great food, along with easy taxi access to everything Goa has to offer, Yogamagic's for you. Personally, I would have chosen Yogamagic any day. I was sad to leave this place. And it's my ambition to go back one day.

Nina
Australia