The Best Five-Star Hotel In Goa? Goa Marriott Resort Full Review

Goa is nostalgic, Goa is timeless, Goa will always be a vibe. As a Mumbaikar, travelling to Goa is very convenient, hardly a forty-minute plane ride and with the plethora of great five-star resorts, you can be assured of good service, good food and great sea views. Goa Marriott Resort, located in the heart of Panaji, is a place I have stayed at many a time since I was a kid. I have visited many hotels throughout Goa and each has its charm, but I will tell you more in this blog post about why I think Goa Marriott Resort is right up there when it comes to the best hotels in Goa.

Hotel Location and Views

The Hotel is located in Panaji, right in the centre of the capital city of Goa. Still being right in the midst of a city, once you enter the property, it is its own little slice of heaven, with nothing but bay views and lush gardens. But if in case you wish to explore more outside the resort, the city and all its attractions are right at your doorstep.

The main highlight of this property is the sweeping bay views, as it is situated at the confluence of the Arabian Sea and the Mandovi River. And the way this property is designed is such that when you enter the lobby area, it gives an infinite bay view right from the lobby and takes your breath away; it is that stunning.

Rooms

Marriott Goa's bay view rooms are especially exquisite because they are located very close to the bay, as the entire property is at a height but right next to the bay.

This is very unique as compared to many other five-star hotels in Goa, which do have a sea view, but the sea is at quite a distance from the room, usually separated by large gardens, etc. The rooms look recently renovated and modern, even the normal rooms are quite spacious, 38sq mt or 409 sq ft as per their website.

I do believe spending that little extra for the bay view rooms is worth it, especially when you wake up in the morning or sip your tea in the evening in the comfort of your room and watch the calming waves. The rooms are well thought out with a large, comfortable bed, a sofa and seating area, a baggage rack, a minibar area stocked with branded tea and coffee (when I visited, there were Sleepy Owl coffee sachets) and ample closet space. The bathroom, as well, is well-appointed and has a large tub and a separate shower area. Some five-star hotels that I have visited in Goa, the rooms are a bit dated, but Goa Marriott I love because the rooms are refreshing and modern.

Food

The food is where Goa Marriott really shines. There are only two restaurants and one lounge, out of which one was Simply Grills next to the pool area outdoors and seemed mostly catered towards seafood lovers. There is also a separate patisserie.

But the Waterfront Terrace & Bar has some of those beautiful bay views and also extensive a la carte menus and buffets. You know, when you visit a five-star in Mumbai and then you visit a five-star in Goa, you do find a difference in the quality of the food. It is not as top-notch as Mumbai (or maybe it's just me!), that is the feeling I used to get at many other five stars in Goa.

However, at Goa Marriott, I felt differently. Due justice was done to each cuisine, and the flavours were authentic and punchy. Many a day, I went for the buffets as the choice on offer was so extensive that every craving was satisfied.

The patisserie department goes above and beyond when it comes to the cakes and other desserts created. The breakfast spread is on another level, enhanced by the fact that I was informed by the chef when I visited in May of 2025, that all their baked goods are made eggless (not sure if since they have changed it), but the flavour of each of those baked goods was top-notch. I highly suggest taking a breakfast package as the variety is simply amazing.

We also got a high tea package, and the kinds of finger sandwiches and food we were offered on some of the days were overwhelming.

On other days when the rush was less, we were offered to order some items directly from the Azur lounge menu itself. I may not be able to properly describe it, but I am sure my pictures do justice to what I am trying to say.

Also, the chefs went out of their way every day to come and speak to us, ask us about our preferences, and on one morning I had requested for some hash browns, the next day onwards whenever I came for breakfast, a plate of hashbrowns was sent over to my table without me even asking. This was all thanks to Chef Vivek.

Service

As mentioned above, the chefs went out of their way to make us feel special, even if we requested a particular item to be made in the buffet later, it was accommodated. The check-in team was wonderful. The housekeeping department gave us special surprises almost every day with their towel art. Everything was always spick and span whenever they had cleaned our room.

Recreation

Other than two pool areas, one of which has beautiful bay views, they also had a games room with billiards, foosball and table tennis, along with carrom and other board games. They also had an area for badminton. Other than that, the Miramar public beach close by has its own water sports and boat activities. Of course, they also have a fully equipped gym, spa and salon. So loads to do.

We made it a point to burn off some of our heavy breakfast calories by playing some table tennis every day. Hey, every movement counts!

To sum it up, yes Goa Marriott/s property is not as big as other five-star properties in Goa, mainly because it is in the middle of a city. That being said, the views are unlike any other, the food and service are excellent, and I personally do feel that Goa Marriott is one of the best five-star resorts in Goa!

Thank you for reading ❤️