One things for sure, anyone who reads trip advisor can't really fail to get an accurate assessment of this hotel. We returned this year for our second stay and as expected enjoyed every minute. Our room was in the original block nearest the road affording us plenty of opportunity for people watching from the balcony. Rooms are a little tired but everything works, the bed is made and the rooms cleaned every day. Unlike European hotels you dare buy things from the minibar, prices are so reasonable compared to European hotels. We ate at most of the local restaurants and had great meals at them all, rasa's, all spice, saffron court and the hotel itself all serve beautiful food, expect to pay between £8 and £12 a couple for a meal ( 2 coursesand drinks!)
I'd rather eat my own liver than suffer baga beach which is 5 minutes away by hotel bus, if you like mayhem, incessant pestering and sharing it with umpteen thousand others it could be right up your street. Personally I'd rather spend the afternoon by the pool watching the aerial displays of the kites, crows and the odd passing
buzzard or eagle.
Much is made of the breakfast area, they make great omelettes, swerve the porridge and treat the toaster as an object to be mastered not loathed! We take our own coffee to be honest, not over keen on the instant stuff or the percolated they serve at brekky.
Had a couple of gins at the bar each evening, sash and Peter are lovely lads, bar prices are less than half what you pay in England.
A few tips that might help if you're considering a stay. You need 2 pin continental adaptors for the wall sockets as used all over Europe, I take a small 3 way trailing extension lead for charging camera batteries, phone etc. a few lightweight coat hangers also come in useful. Also a small length of cord and a few pegs to fabricate a washing line on the balcony, there is a drying rack though to be fair. Last but not least a small ice tray for the freezer compartment is a must. Nip over the bridge and get your gin and tonic at the off licence on the right, £1.80 per litre!
That's it can't wait to go back, just wish I could do 6 weeks not 2!

Myself and my boyfriend just came back from Goa two days ago and are missing it like mad! The MD hotel is an excellent hotel to stay in if you want the quietness when you get back from a long and tiring day out as there is the beautiful lake stretching right across the resort.

If you want the hustle and bustle of Baga, there is a free shuttle from the hotel to the beach every hour from 9am to 6pm so you have that choice.

The staff were very friendly, great fun and helpful.

Breakfast was a bit basic and if you like eggs, it does help. The toaster had us in hysterics as it was very archiaic and you had to time the toast with the time the eggs you had cooked, ie poached, fried or omelete so the toast would invariably get cold whilst you waited for eggs to arrive.

When we ordered from room service, we noticed we were never given any change if the change amounted to anything up to 4 rupees which we just got on with. Apparently the Goans don't like to use their coins any more and in the great scheme of things, losing 1-4 rupes a day wasn't anything to stress about. We thought of this as their tip.

The entertainment was rubbish or non-existent so don't expect to stay in the resort every night with things to do.

There are peddleoes which you can hire out at 40 rupes pp and you can have a lovely relaxing peddle across the lake.

Location-wise, the MD was excellent and there is the Saturday night Mackies market literlaly next to the hotel so you have yet another market to try out and the entertainment here and food was fab! Just as good, if not better than the other Sat night market of Ingos in Arpora.

Stayed in early April 2011. It was the first time to Goa and trip advisor was very useful when choosing area/hotel to stay in. We think the Marinah Dourada was perfect for a first trip and a lot better than we expected. The room was nice and spacious with a great view overlooking a pool and one of the lakes; it was also very close to the outside bar that stayed open latest. The bathroom could have done with a touch up and a good scrub; black mould round the toilet rim as I discovered when I had an upset stomach. Issue with ants nest behind the shower resolved by staff. The mini bar was great (full size fridge) and very reasonably priced. We spoke to lots of people who returned there year after year and I think the friendly staff played a big part in this. There were a lot of business conferences on as it was the back end of the season and the behaviour of some of the men on these was not pleasant such as walking purposely round our sunbed by the pool.

During our stay we visited Baga, Candolim, Arambol, Mandrem and little Vagator beach (this one being the favourite of mine). We found Candolim beach to be a bit quieter that Baga and this was nice in the second week as you weren't pestered as much by sellers. We did the day out at the waterfalls and the spice plantation and really enjoyed this; we just booked a driver locally. We went to both night markets in Arpora and to Mapsua market. The men did a fishing trip with a local fisherman from Baga beach. In Baga we sepnt time at Cafe del Mar, shining star and fishermans shack. In Candolim we went to Ryans shack. We enjoyed eating at All Spice (Arpora), J & As (Arpora), Thalassa (Little vagator). Fire and Ice (Baga) and Over the Flames (Candolime were okay. We did not enjoy Jamies (Baga) or Poisson Rouge (Arpora) as much. We all love Indian food but I can only eat it once a day and the great thing was most places had a vast selction of choices to suit everyone's food tastes.

We loved Goa and would recommend the Marinah Dourada to any first time visitors. We are returning to Goa in March but trying another hotel just because I like to try different places and it is smaller, which as a personal preference I prefer.

My wife and I have spent another wonderful two week January holiday, based at the Marinha Dourada Hotel. This was our seventh stay in Goa, always at the Marinha. We chose it first back in 2003 because it sounded like our type of place. We have loved it from then and return whenever we can.
The whole team from Reception staff, room cleaning staff, waiters, bar staff, gardeners, security staff are all so friendly and try to ensure that every guest is looked after. They all have a smile on their face. Like us, many guests return year after year and we would not be doing that unless the hotel was as described. It is not a 5 star hotel but it does not claim to be. I would say it is a three star hotel.
Our package is always bed a breakfast. Breakfast is described as "continental breakfast" but is is by no means just drinks, juice and toast. Yes that is available but there is always porridge and cornflakes then a nuumber of hot dishes to choose from including one Indian vegetarian dish. Omlettes, eggs etc can be cooked fresh andare made to order by a chef located within the breakfast area.
The rooms have a very comfortable bed, a fan, air conditioning, a wardrobe which ideally could have more than the perhaps 8 hangers provided, a fridge stocked with 6 bottles of water soft drinks, beers etc You pay for the drinks of course and the fridge is restocked through the room boy ordering replacements when he cleans your room, which happens daily. There is a flat screen TV with many channels, for those who want to keep in touch with world news, say.
The two favorite hobbies of the guests staying at the hotel appear to be fishing and birdwatching. Whilst we were staying at the Marinha earlier this month more than one guest caught fish of over 20 pounds in weight in the two lakes in the hotel grounds. You need to bring your own fishing equipment though. My wife and I go birdwatching and North Goa and further afield too offers brilliant sites to see the huge variety of birds in Goa. We have seen over 250 different species in our trips.
Having not visited Goa for three years until January 2012, we were surprised at the increased traffic along the road where the Marinha is located. Even so, once you are in the hotel, peace reigns supreme. If your accommodation is in the blocks furthest from the road, as ours always is, you hear virtually nothing of the traffic noise, only the squarking of the crows.
Many guests enjoy nothing more than relaxing by the pools and swimming to keep cool. It was hot (I would guess 26-31 degrees at its highest) every day and quite humid too.
We ate at Nick's Place two minutes walk along the road but the hotel provides lunch and dinner for the many guests who want to eat in. We have eaten in on previous stays and the food was really enjoyable.
We all have different likes and standards. If you read about the Marinha and it appeals, I say go for it as I am sure you would not be disappointed. The volume of returning guests is praise in itself becuse they have voted with their feet and returned year after year, some for over 15 years.