It's the ultimate in relaxation. To be at a beachside restaurant, slunk in a comfy chair, unconcerned about your  crumpled attire, doing nothing more than gazing into the Arabian Sea, looking so pale blue and tranquil. With no nagging thought hovering on the edge of your consciousness, the feeling amounts to nothing short of spiritual. That was my state of mind as I waited for Executive Sous Chef Kyomarz Bharucha of The Leela, to rustle up all that I was going to taste.

And he did some job of it! Crab Souffle, Grilled Seafood Platter, Fisherman's Catch, (all deep fried and all the better for it), New Zealand Lamb Chops, Norwegian Smoked Salmon and of course the Susegado Salad, which takes its name from the restaurant itself. The character of which changes completely by night. Dinners at  Susegado, with live music and gentle sea breeze allows you to get into a mellow mood, like it did a Russian couple at the table next to me. They were enjoying the whole experience so much they ran up a bill of over Rs. 100,000. No, however tasty, it was not the food, but a rare bottle of wine that the romantic couple indulged in. Yup, the cellar of Leela is something foreigners write home about.

If the beach is not your scene, you have another option to choose from, an alternative location where you can be seated and enjoying the good life. Frankly it's my preferred option.  The  Riverside Restaurant, is where I like to be for dinner - on the deck, not indoors. Candle lit tables, crisp white table cloth, immaculate service, fine wine, good Italian food. All this and the cool breeze from the River Sal, touching distance away from you. The sound of chugging motor boats and the lapping of the water is sufficient to help you make up your mind to take an early retirement from your active work life. It’s a thought that keeps coming to you on a daily basis when in Goa, actually.

Chef Rajiv Vimal created magic for me. One dish better than the other...Deep Fried Bocconcini, Crispy Potato Pancakes Stuffed With Assorted Mushrooms, Lamb Ravioli With Jus, Gratinated Warm Salad With Arugula. Spinach, Rocket and Risotta Ravioli, Crispy Fried Prawns and Squids with  Spicy Tomato Coulis. Mushroom Fagottini...What I detest about my job sometimes is that all I do is just taste, taste and taste. How I long to be able to eat a full plate of whatever it is that I want to eat. But I must not complain, I must instead help you decide what to order when you go for a few days of R&R at The Leela. And my recomendation is: Eat anything anywhere, it's good fare everywhere.  Susegado, The Riverside Restaurant, The Café, Yali Lounge even Jamavar, the Indian restaurant.

The Leela Goa is a favourite with me ever since it came into existence in 1990. Situated right on the beach, the hotel is set amidst landscaped gardens in 75 acres and is just 45 minutes drive from the Goa Airport, through verdant coconut groves.

I truly admire the man who envisaged this project and had the will and the passion to translate his vision into concrete and mortar infusing it with soul. A reality interspersed with plenty of greenery, something the world can well do with. Capt C.P. Nair's green thumb is pretty well-known and is evident in all beautiful landscaping not just at The Leela in Goa but all the group properties throughout India. The man has done the world a huge favour. To think The Leela Group started from a small lace manufacturing unit!

For me the calming aspect of The Leela itself is a big inviting factor. To have the opportunity of wandering around amidst such soothing surroundings, a golf course on the one side and the blue sea on the other, with vast spaces of privacy on what is almost a private beach, is a sheer delight. And then to be able to retire to a villa with it's zen interiors, so subtle, so understated, so classy, it's pure nirvana. And then much after dinner, take a moonlight dip in your very own plunge pool at midnight, wow!

This resort offers various accommodations, depending upon one's need. The newest wing, though that's not the most appropriate term, is The Club. A part of the surrounding has recently been rebuilt into 15 one-bedroom suites. The epitome of luxurious living, The Club has its own private lap pool and a personalised check in. Situated away from the main lobby, you have to drive through a private gate that leads to The Club. The accommodation is very exclusive, with beautiful interiors in a stark sort of a way, opulent bathrooms, marbled and shinning under halogen lamps. You could if you choose have a shower in a separate section, a luxurious bath, or even an open air shower, under the stars. It's attached to your bathroom, no fears.

The spacious suite at The Club, without doubt is designed with painstaking care to cater to every creature comfort. And no expense has been spared to give it the ultra luxurious touch, either. Right from a high-end
coffee maker to a Bose CD player, LCD and flat screen television and a DVD player for visual entertainment, that is if the beautiful sunsets from your own porch were not enough.

The exclusivity of The Club is as such that you have your own butler and should you choose to eat privately, there is the Café specially for guests residing at these quarters. It's discreet and private. You might have Shah Rukh in the next villa and not know. I realized I had  Twinkle and Akshay Kumar as neighbours only when I bumped into them at the airport on my way back to Bombay!

Over breakfast by the poolside with Mr Akira Moreno, the Resident Manager of the hotel, I was happy to learn the world is appreciating and recognizing Leela's contribution in the field of exclusive hospitality. It has been
winning a fair share of international awards, the most recent being the World Travel Award as Asia's Leading Resort as well as the Imperial Mark for it’s excellent service and providing world class hotel facilities and spa services.

Well deserved and may there be many more. Being at The Leela Goa is like being far, far away from the
maddening world.

The Leela Goa,
Cavelossim, Mobor, Goa 403 731
Ph: (91) (832) 2871234