As the aircraft descends on Goa, I am stuck by the vast expanse of green on one side and the misty Arabian Sea on the other, providing the first glimpses of monsoon-soaked Goan countryside. Post arrival and a 20 minute ride through scenic South Goa, we arrive at Planet Hollywood, Asia’s first branch of the Las Vegas-based hotel founded by entrepreneur Robert Earl.
In India, the property has been developed by Viiking ventures and pays homage to Hollywood and its stars, staring at you from photo frames set across the lobby.
We are lead to our rooms, lit in soft blue light, almost reminiscent of movies set in Las Vegas. I have a massive print of Wolverine to keep me company, with a foot massager, a giant Led TV, a balcony with a view of the pool and a glimpse of the private beach. It also has a complimentary wine bottle and a small array of chocolates with my name on them, for an added personal touch.
As we set out to explore the property, Anand Chaterjee, the general manager of the resort says, “Most of the property is green and full of open spaces. It has been designed as a space where you would be able to unwind.”
The walk to the private beach is picturesque, with huge trees and pathways lit up with bulbs making you feel that you are part of an actual movie set. We also discover an old Portuguese structure that has being remodelled into the presidential suite of the hotel.
The beach is beautiful, with huge, comfortable chairs that lets one unwind with the waves of the Arabian sea for company. Lunch was served at the Planet Dailies, where I sample some superb Goan fish curry and rice, which Chef Sudarshan whips up in quick time. He assures me, “The stock is very fresh. This is the season we get the best fish and prawns.”
The meal is excellent. If you are keen on seeing how your food is prepared, the interactive kitchen gives you that option as well.
We also have a look around at some of the rooms and recreational hot spots such as the Pink Room Spa that features five treatment rooms and several outdoor treatment spaces and a steam room where you can relax after the spa, Trance Fitness gymnasium with cardio-vascular, strength, endurance building equipment and the swimming pool that is lit up with led lights at night, which adds to the mood lighting in the rooms.
After exploring the Heart bar and kitchen and traipsing through the hotel’s version of the Hall of Fame, we headed to Fame for a dinner of grilled seafood, Asian stir fries, Chicken cafreal and Goan crabcakes alongside the main course of the Goan speciality fish and rice. If you are keen on it, you could try out Japanese bigiris to Thai curries, sashimis and teppanyakis to bento lunches at the restaurant.
A musician strums light music throughout the evening. Post dinner, I took a walk through the lit up walkways, the pool and headed to the sea in the distance, with an e reader in my hand and croaking frogs for company, with a slight drizzle for the monsoon effect. Rooms at Planet Hollywood are priced for Rs. 6,500 onwards. Call 0832 6751000.
The writer was at the Planet Hollywood Resorts, Goa on invitation
