OT Favourite hotel in the world
Alexander Frater Used to be The Oriental in Bangkok with its Writer&rsquos Room, powerful historical resonance &mdash Joseph Conrad once moored his ship off the end of the garden &mdash and suites so luxurious even the butlers had butlers. But it&rsquos been 10 years since I last checked in, and I&rsquove no idea what it&rsquos like now. So I shall nominate the Aashyana Lakhanpal in Goa.
OT Last visited
Alexander Frater August 2008. I stayed, I think, for four days.
OT The experience
Alexander Frater It&rsquos a lovely, intimate little hotel taking only 22 guests and created by a local entrepreneur named Ajai Lakhanpal. The shadowy garden, with its coconut groves, lime, cashew and guava trees, contains a dragonfly-spangled swimming pool, a gate to Candolim beach, also a pavilion from which to watch Goa&rsquos stupendous oceanic sunsets.
The suites are airy, homely and comfortable, a feng shui expert having ruled on the choice of colours, also the placing of plants, mirrors and water bodies. &ldquoWhere we wanted a fountain,&rdquo I learned, &ldquoshe said no, you will have a tank. And you must put fish in it.&rdquo There is an informal gallery where guests may ponder a unique collection of modern Indian art. Lakhanpal, before he turned his home into a hotel, threw it open to any young painters requiring free board and lodging, and in return asked only that each give him a picture. They&rsquore hanging there today, among the most interesting a portrait of Lakhanpal himself by Goa&rsquos most famous son, Mario Miranda.
One point to bear in mind is that, during the month of February, the entire place is taken over by a party of British aristos. (They include the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, the Marquis and the Marchioness of Douro &mdash he will be the next Duke of Wellington &mdash and Lord and Lady Irwin Irwin&rsquos great, great grandfather, it turns out, was a Viceroy of India.)
OT The food
Alexander Frater Outstanding. Each day Jagat Singh, the chef, asks guests what they want. He&rsquoll cook them anything, but fish is most popular &mdash and served so fresh it&rsquos almost skidding around the plate.
OT The hotel&rsquos &lsquoUSP&rsquo
Alexander Frater In a word, peace.
OT Repeat visit
Alexander Frater You bet. Towards the end of the year.
The information
Location Candolim, Goa
Accommodation Three 2-bedroom cottages, one 5-bedroom villa
Tariff from Rs 45,000 (cottages)/from Rs 1,99,500 (villa)
Contact 0832-2489225, www.aashyanalakhanpal.com
