Prainha- Dona Paula Goa, Lovely Cottages, but Poor Servies

Dona Paula is an isthmus between 2 rivers - Zuri and Mandovi. There is a small harbor and a jetty point. And Prainha is at a stone throw from this point.
This visit to Goa was to attend a conference in Oct 2007. We had done our bookings from Bangalore.
The cottages are the best accommodation here, overlooking the beach. The resort shares its surroundings with a precipitously- walled cove of the beach. The restaurant is on an estuary and the pool is lovely.

The staff need to maintain the resort in all aspects. Although, they are friendly, they are not well organised and the services come to you at a very slow pace.  You also have rodents in the cottages to keep you company at night and also savor your food, while you are fast asleep. My friend's Bebinca (Goan preparation) was well chewed by this rat, which we discovered the next morning, when we were about to check out. The resort manager was benevolent enough to replace the Bebinca with a new one, and expressed that we were lucky to escape from just a rat, as there were also reptiles doing their rounds (at times) within the rooms!!!

Food variety is not that great and vegetarians beware!! Breakfast was slightly better and included quite a few South-Indian preparations.  I thought 4.5k, back in 2007, was a little expensive for this resort with laid-back services.

DonaSylvia Beach Resort, Cavelosim, Goa: Enchanting Property, Slow Services, and Ordinary Food!

Dona Sylvia, a Cavelosim beach resort in South Goa is a splendid, huge resort, expansive, and expensive property. The clean and peaceful beach is at a 5-minute walkable distance from the resort. When we went there last (Sep 2004), it was getting renovated to be upgraded into a 5* property. The food was just ordinary (could have been better as expected from a 4* resort)
and was overpriced compared to the quality. But, dining was fun due to the resort ambiance. Breakfast was ok and needed to be improved. We had a 3N and 4D package here that also included sight seeing.
The cottages again, were very fundamental for a 4* property and the furniture too seemed out dated, and so was the upholstery. The rooms were quite open with thin screens draping the windows. Some maintenance required here!
The resort had an appearance that was a blend of archetypal Portugal structure plus modern constructions. Wonder, how they are now after the renovation and upgrade. The toilet items in the washroom were nothing great and just too basic.
The place itself is calm and serene and you can get lost while wandering around the property. The pool is quite relaxing and clean, but can get crowded at times. There are lot of foreigners here!
The resort also encompasses an activity center for a meager set of activities in the evening. Quite a few indoor games are made available. Donasylvia is not a great hotel, but not a bad one either. We liked the place and have fond memories associated. I wouldn't mind staying here again, though we have never had a chance to stay, even with our multiple visits to Goa.. But, not sure if its still in the a 5*  range, when compared to the Club Mahindras, Hyatts, or the Leelas...
Try out the watersports at the Flamingo, which is very close to the resort.

Grange Resort - Yercaud (Poor Cousin of Ooty...)

Good experience, great location, and ambiance  Its an awesome weekend getaway (3-day long weekend) from Bangalore.  Its a fantastic place to relax and unwind.  Don't expect activities in the resort. You will not find a gym or a pool to swim. You can spend about a day or so in the local sight seeing and buffer the rest of the time to chill out. We travelled during the monsoon and it was a different experience. During the nights, the cottages become extremely cold and you need to watch out for the dampness all over the place to avoid skidding. Here, the place needs some maintenance. The resort itself is located amidst a vast estate, and you may feel a little isolated towards dusk as it gets darker. Make sure that you carry a torch with you. The food was customised to our requirements, which is a unique experience. However, the quality/taste can be improvised.

Waterscapes, Kumarakom- A Perfect Holiday Location

This is a wonderful, well-maintained property by the KTDC, which spans across Asia's biggest lake, Vembanad. Each of the cottages look and make you feel like you are living in an island, and this enchanting experience truly elevates Kumarakom to the 'Venice of the East' title. The rooms are categorised into Lake View, Canal View, and Sea View. The sea-view cottages give you an amazing view of the back waters and the colourful birds that Kumarakom hosts from various territories. The resort is close to the famous bird sanctuary, which will be a 'birdful' visit for you if you can make it early in the mornings.
Our package included a day in the house boat from Alleppey to Kumarakom, which is a fantabulous experience, with customised Kerala cuisines. I feel the most important part of a holiday is good food, combined with great services, which were totally present both in the house boat and the Water Scapes. You must taste all the veg preparations there to get a feel of the Kerala cuisine. The staff and the chef were very helpful and reciprocative, if in case we needed a special kind of food.
One must also not miss the evening shows of the traditional Kerala art form (Kathakali dance and Kalaripayathu) performed in the resort's open-air auditorium.
On the 2nd day, we took a boat ride to the nearby village and we could see the villagers performing their day-to-day chores. Understood that the small ferries were the only mode of transport for the villagers. We could also see children being ferried to schools.
The resort is definitely recommended for multiple visits and I would love to go back sometime again, cause we went there a few years ago, but memories are lingering afresh. The rooms were ok and quite clean, come to you at Rs.4500 per night. Loved the hammock below the cottage, which can be kept cleaner.