Check into The Brook for Luxury, Serenity and a Different Kind of Goa

If you thought Goa couldn’t get any better, think again. And then make your dream of living in a Portuguese mansion, lounging in an infinity pool surrounded by nature, come true at The Brook.

We all know that the world flocks to Goa for the beaches. But what happens when you’ve had enough of that? Well, try checking into The Brook, and you’ll discover Goa from a different perspective.

A mansion, complete with sloped wooden roofs, charming old-school patios and a swimming pool, The Brook will lure you in before swanky bedrooms and an open verandah {to lounge and read, of course} take over. If you’re a poetry fan, you’ll have already thought of Lord Tennyson’s poem The Brook, and you’d be smart to do so.

The rooms are named Driftwood, Pebbles, Sunbeam and Waterbreak, all from the poem, and they take on exactly those kinds of avatars. We love Driftwood and Pebbles for the cosy set-up and a patio that overlooks the surrounding greenery. Not to mention the gorgeous Kerala-style bathroom.

But our favourite is Waterbreak. Leading straight into the infinity-pool and the paddy fields beyond, it’s great for the adventurists in the group, or for the couple looking to up their poolside romance. They also have a little extra room called Stonyway, but that is more of a study-cum-sleep area.

Since there are no beaches nearby, this is your chance at discovering the other Goa. Nature walks are a fine option here as old tropical-style, mango, jackfruit, chikoo, guava, teak, jagomas and other trees loom around for historic company. There is also an in-house organic vegetable garden which you can get to know intimately if you are green-thumbed.

Or, skip across to a tributary of the great Mandovi river and amble along the canyons, far from the madding crowd.

We love that there’s a place which allows you to experience the lesser talked about aspects of Goa, and it’s not all about the beaches. Who knew that the nature walks, lovely paddy fields and backwaters could be so satisfying?