The Postcard Hotels has nailed the ‘one-key hotel’ concept in India.
Simply gather a few buddies, book one of their historic houses, arrive, relax. That’s it - someone unpacks your bag if you can’t be bothered. Your schedule is your own, no caveats. Swim at midnight, breakfast at noon. Whatever. It’s your home – and how alarmingly easy it is to get used to living in a carefully restored historic mansion with full staff and delicious local food on tap! The vibe is authenticity - from tiled floors to an 17th century chapel hidden behind the lobby - matched by unobtrusive can-do service for whatever you crave. It could be a simple poolside snack, a BBQ in the garden, or perhaps cocktails on the beach, a fishing trip, an outing to the movies, or just about anything else that you or the inventive staff can dream up.
For anyone who stays in hotels for work, this could be the perfect kind of wellness experience – not a uniform or an in-room dining menu in sight.
The Postcard Hotels has three beautiful, restored properties in Goa, each totally secluded with no sight or sound of a hotel. Just peace. The Postcard Moira is north of Panaji, inland in unspoiled countryside. The nine-bedroom, 250-year-old house is ideal for taking walks to see farms, pottering through Moira village to meet locals, and ending your day with a Punarnava Ayurveda treatment. The Postcard Velha at Old Goa (‘Velha Goa’) is a 6-bed house sheltered in a huge garden, a short stroll from the spectacular remains of 'Goa Durada' (Golden Goa), the lucrative capital of Portugal’s maritime empire in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Finally, there is The Postcard Cuelim, an elegant 6-bed mansion sat amid paddy fields yet a 15-minute walk, or quick bike ride, ride from a quiet beach where fisherman mend their nets. The magnificent dining room with its long table, tiled floor and display of blue and white porcelain, all softly lit through lofty windows, persuades you that, yes, it’s time for another meal…. perhaps discuss green pea xacuti with cook?
p.s. The Postcard Hotels are rolling out another eight hide-aways across India, from Gir in Gujarat to Mashobra in the Himalaya.
The Postcard buzz phrases: 'Let's discuss dinner with cook'. 'I've just had a great siesta'
Ideas for unpacking your kind of slow-down wellness at The Postcard Hotels in Goa
Ideas for unpacking your kind of slow-down wellness at The Postcard Hotels in Goa
The Postcard Velha's balconies, verandahs and French windows overlook two acres of lush and undulating gardens where snoozing in the hammock post-swim, under the stars or on return from Panaji, the capital, becomes a necessity.
Be seduced into relaxation by your environment. Authenticity is key to The Postcard Hotels' success - restoring coloured glass, seeking out vintage-colours for curtain fabric, or having period furniture mended or copied.
Beautiful patterned floor tiles in soft hues are a distinctive feature of Goa's historic mansions which were mostly build by the Portuguese. They help keep rooms cool, are wonderfully smooth to walk on barefoot, and just gazing at them is calming.
If eating good food promotes to wellbeing, you can triple that effect by shopping for the ingredients and learning how to cook them, too. At Moira try your hand at the local Rava banana snack or their signature Uddamethi mackerel dish. At Velha, master Prawn Balchao; at Cuelim, fresh onion bhaji with a G&T hits the spot.
Do whatever takes your fancy - all of Postcard's Goa properties are fairly near chic fashion and design boutiques, great restaurants, upbeat bars. And a picnic or cocktail can be set up almost anywhere - half-way along a walk, at a forgotten fort, or at the end of a sunset beach stroll.
Good news! There is 'vaccine light' shining into our Covid lives! Is it now time to start planning your Unpacking Wellness experience?
As we emerge into a more cautious world, I have designed some slow-travel Unpacking Wellness experiences that can be enjoyed privately or in a small group. They are suffused in wellness, interaction is controlled, crowds are avoided. You pick and mix your selection from four week-long, in-depth visits to South Indian spots I especially love - on plateau, coast, forest and delta. Do one, two, three or all four.
Dates: October 2021
Email me here to know more.
If you have not traveled with me before ....
Please know that we experience great sights in the best possible way, with lots of add-on encounters and visits to off-beat places.
We meet conservationists, curators, craftsmen and musicians, we walk with naturalists, we cook with local chefs.
In sum, we imbibe the essence of each area thanks to my four decades of studying and visiting India - and making great friends who I share with you.
For private travel ....