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The Secret Garden Goa is a lovingly run heritage homestay. Set in the heart of Saligao, this is the perfect location to be 'away from it all' and yet have Goa's famed beaches, restaurants and culture just a short ride away.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Wow - a beautiful home with huge bedrooms, private wet rooms, gorgeous tropical garden and inviting swimming pool. A 200 year old Portugese style building which is the family's ancestral home, the colours, layout, space and decor is a real treat. So calming and peaceful, I didn't want to venture out on some days! Helene and Derrick are wonderful hosts and made me feel so welcome and comfortable. The breakfast spread is lso lovely, a great way to start the day. I got some great advice on local places to go and where to visit and eat, I felt like I got a taste of real Goa. Fish thali for lunch every day! I have found a home away from home and am planning my next visit already. Thank you for making my first visit to India so special. Ps: the dogs Merlot and Diver are so calm and laid back and always welcoming upon returning after a day of sight-seeing. I miss them too!
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Date of stay: December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 9 Jan 2016
We are so glad you enjoyed your stay with us, it was a pleasure to have you stay at The Secret Garden & introduce you to the 'real' Goa. Thank you for your kind words and we look forward to your return visit! You packed lots in and relaxed too - the perfect break! Merlot and Diver say hello - they are missing all that attention. :) Regards, Helene & Derrick
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What wonderful place, the secret garden is a beautiful house, tucked away from the hustle and bustle, with a lushous garden to explore. Helene is a wonderful host, going above and beyond for her guests.
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Date of stay: August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 9 Jan 2016
Thank you for your kind words - you were great guests. We look forward to welcoming you both back along with the latest addition to your family. Regards, Helene
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The secret garden created by the Menezes family is the Goa I know from the 80's.! Life is about simplicity and hospitality at the core of this unique state.
We were pampered by the hosts gourmet food made to our choice, insider tips on where to go and what not to do!
If one is looking for a private exclusive hideaway far ftom the 'new goa' this is it!
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Date of stay: December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 9 Jan 2016
So glad you enjoyed your time at The Secret Garden Ravi, it was a pleasure to have you stay with us. We are glad that you appreciate our attempt to put Goa on pause and encourage people to look beyond the obvious when coming to visit our little state. Thanks again, Helene
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We had a lovely 3 day stay here away from the craziness of Calingute. The Secret Garden is in an idyllic setting with a beautiful garden and fantastic pool to lounge by or cool down after a hot day. Recently opened, all the rooms are beautifully decorated, spacious and comfortable and we enjoyed all the home comforts. The family are very warm and welcoming and couldn't be more helpful. Great brekkie in the beautiful Portuguese style dining room. If you want to have access to the best of Goa and then be able to relax in a home away from home, this is for you.
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Date of stay: October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 9 Jan 2016
Thank you for review and appreciative comments. It was wonderful to have you and Wendy stay on part of your fascinating world trip. Hope you can drop by on your way back to tell us more tales of your adventures! Regards, Helene & Derrick
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Finding The Secret Garden was fun. It really is tucked away and mastering the labyrinth of path ways leading to house seemed daunting at first but worth it and not especially difficult once you get there. We were met at the gate by the resident dogs that are very friendly and sweet and like to follow you to the house. The homestay is truly amazing to look at like much of the architecture of Goa, combining a Portuguese and Indian heritage. The mix of colours is striking and reminds one of lovely ice-cream flavours! We were shown to our room and I was pleasantly surprised with all the little touches – lovely flowers in the bathroom, exquisite tiling, gorgeous bedding, etc.. You can really see the personality of the owners in this house and it is an experience worth having! The rooms are fabulous and each one is different to the others so each time you visit it might not be quite the same thing! The garden is crammed full of mature trees – coconut and magnolia as well as other exotic plants. The pool is a fairly new addition to the house and has an outdoor shower as well. Everything is clean and tidy but in a relaxed and informal way. Breakfast is European and delicious.
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Date of stay: November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 9 Jan 2016
Dear Kerry Thank you for your review and your kind words. It was wonderful to have you and your husband to stay with us. We are so glad you enjoyed your visit and made the most of your time in Goa. You'll be pleased to know the kingfisher who likes to take a dip in the pool was sighted again, I think he will be back for his daily bath again very soon. There are lots of sunbirds at the moment as well as a lot of butterflies. I hope you get to identify many more on your next visit. Kind regards, Helene
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The secret garden is a hidden retreat, tastefully curated by Helene. From cute wind-chimes at the doors, antique furniture, colourful garden decor, a well-lit pool to an AMAZING BREAKFAST that she cooks for her guests, using the vegetables and fruits that she grew herself in her garden!!! You’d see a ‘chikoo’ tree right by the pool side, and all the other vegetables growing around. The place is luxurious and yet authentic, in contrast with the nature around it. It can inspire anyone to create, learn and just to live fully in the moment, for a while! They try to provide their guests with utmost convenience, from booking a scooter for their stay to arranging a pick-up and drop, from the airport. And the best part is, you won’t even realise when the house- keeping will just quickly fix your room, while you’ll be having your breakfast or taking a dip in the pool. As soon as you come back to your room, you’ll see your bed, all made, water bottle refilled with cold water, cleaned bathroom and used towels replaced with the fresh ones. Our stay lasted for 3 days and honestly, the beautiful memories from this place have hijacked everything else that we did in Goa.
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Date of stay: March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGarden Goa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 29 Jul 2021
Gosh, your lovely feedback brought tears to my eyes! So thoughtful of you to take time out and write about your time with us. There is an enormous amount of effort that goes into each guests stay, but we try not to make that too apparent - it is really important to us that our visitors have the best experience in Goa, and take away memories to cherish. Looks like we did that with you guys, seems that you not only noticed all the details but you really appreciated all that we do. On behalf of Team TSGG THANK YOU!! Hope to welcome you back again soon, be well. Team TSGG
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I revisited India after 50 years to make contact with some old friends. Goa was the place to meet and The Secret garden was recommended. I was there for 5-6 days. it all went too quickly. It was like a home away from home without the housework! The place was amazing. Like a big stuffed cushion. You could relax anywhere- in your airconditioned room, in the large lounge area overlooking the daily attended pool or the large well-groomed gardens with abundant with plants and birdlife. More importantly, was the informality of it all. We Australians are a pretty informal lot and Helen and Derrick are just so welcoming. Her breakfasts are to die for. Souffle omelettes from heaven. Helen is a pommy (can't play cricket mind you) and has had the most interesting life. She always has time to chat and make you feel welcome and indeed pass on vital information for your trip in Goa and even ongoing information. She has encyclopaedic knowledge. She even worked for Richard Branson in her long life. They are a wonderful team. I also happen to be a dog lover and fell very much head over heels for hers. By the way, she makes fresh bread every day. Recommend it. I think I have made two great mates for life. I really really wish them well. And I hope you have as good a time as me. 11 outta 10 kids
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Date of stay: November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 23 Nov 2019
G'Day Mate! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 11/10 - wow that's humbling!! A special thank you to Anita to introducing you to us - it is always lovely to have guests through a personal recommendation. So happy that your return to India after so many decades turned out to be everything you wanted and more. We really enjoyed having you to stay - the hounds are missing you! Glad that you enjoyed the breakfast spread - I love to cook and it is such a pleasure when it is enjoyed with such relish. Fabulous that we could help with the onward part of your journey down memory lane - it was fascinating listening to your tales of the good old days in Bbay at clubs we go to now! Not much has changed as you could see from your visit but they must have been such fun in those days. Thank you for your kind words - stay safe and stay in touch - welcome back as soon as you like! Helene, Diver, Merlot and Luna and all the rest of the team say hello!
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The Secret Garden Goa is a sprawling Portuguese styled villa homestay. Located in the village of Saligao, it offers a unique experience with a perfect blend of the old world charm of a bygone era and modern amenities and a swimming pool. It provides seclusion and yet is close enough to Calangute & Baga beaches and it's night life.
Run and managed by the lovely Helene Menezes, it is the perfect getaway for the discerning traveller.
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Date of stay: October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 8 Oct 2019
Hey Arti Thank you for your kind words! So happy to have you at TSGG for your mini staycation! Looking forward to many return visits!
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If you’re the kind of traveller who likes sterile, homogeneous hotel rooms with 24hours room service in a hotel chain with 100 other guests and multi-cuisine restaurants, The Secret Garden is NOT for you.
The Secret Garden is tucked away from the main road and the narrow approach does not prepare you for the surprise that this beautiful old house is. The three rooms that the property offers are an extension of the home of the owners- Helene and Derrick. The entire place is a labour of love and each room distinct in its decor and vibe. The common areas are comfortable and invite you to feel at home.
We were lucky to have booked all three rooms so we had the place to ourselves. The highlights for us adults and kids were definitely the delicious breakfast cooked by Helene and eaten on the never ending communal dining table. The freshly baked bread and the sour dough pancakes need a special mention. And the swimming pool set in middle of the garden. The luxury of going for a swim at any time of day or night and the pleasure of watching butterflies and dragonflies hovering around.
Helene and Derrick are terrific hosts. They were very helpful with answering our questions and guiding us around Saligao and other places, from local transport to food to museums. The three dogs are friendly and good to have around. We really enjoyed our stay and couldn’t recommend this place enough.
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Date of stay: October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 8 Oct 2019
Wow! What a really wonderful review to read this morning. Thank you so much. You really summed up the kind of guests we dont want at TSGG in your opening line! And of course, you guys are exactly our kind of people and the perfect sort of guests - those that feel at home enough to be super comfortable but spoilt enough to know that you are on vacay and can relax and indulge! It was my absolute pleasure to feed you all - great appetites and clean plates are a cooks best friend! Looking forward to seeing you all again - the gates of The Secret Garden will always be open for you... much love Hx
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We had an absolute amazing holiday with friends at the secret garden. Starting off with a breakfast which can only be explained as a big hearty healthy breakfast. A pool which spent alot of time in and the most gracious hosts in H and D, who made it even more special.
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Date of stay: October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TheSecretGardenGoa, Owner at The Secret Garden Goa
Responded 8 Oct 2019
So happy that you had the holiday you so wanted and that it all happened at The Secret Garden. Special friends are worth cherishing and nurturing - you guys all got on so well and had a great balance between you - was lovely to see. Glad that you appreciated the details - I can't stop finding other bits and bobs that our home 'has to have' - quite funny for someone who doesn't like to shop! Thank you so much for enjoying the food with gusto! It was our absolute pleasure to host you.... till next time! Love to you and the family, Hx
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Hi there
Firstly apologies for the delay in responding - I have only just seen this message as for some reason I do not know the alerts have been turned off....
The nearest beach is Calangute and it is about 8 minutes by scooter. Goa has many beautiful beaches further North but there are some lovely spots along that stretch. Warmest, Helene
There are 3 rooms. Two of the rooms can accommodate two people, one is a single room. Children/third person may be accommodated in the double rooms but it'll be a stretch.
There are more places to choose from in the Saligao area.
LOCATION
IndiaGoaNorth Goa DistrictBardezSaligao
NUMBER OF ROOMS
3
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