Regenta Beach House Resort, Goa

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Regenta Beach House Resort, tucked away on that little lane behind Baywatch Resort in Benaulim, I wasn’t expecting much from a 3-star place. But you know what? Sometimes these smaller properties surprise you, and this one actually gets a lot of things right that the bigger resorts mess up.

The location is what really sold me on this place. I mean, Benaulim is already one of those Goa beaches that hasn’t been completely overrun yet – it’s got that laid-back South Goa vibe without the chaos you’ll find up in Baga or Calangute. The resort sits just far enough back from the main beach road that you don’t get the constant honking of scooters, but honestly, it’s maybe a 3-minute walk to the sand. The beach stretch here is wide and clean, especially if you walk south toward the fishing boats – there’s this little shack called Martin’s Corner nearby (well, sort of nearby) that locals actually go to, which tells you something about the area.

What I really appreciated was how the staff seemed to actually care about getting things right rather than just going through the motions. Check-in was smooth, parking was easy (which isn’t always a given in Goa), and the rooms were clean in that properly-cleaned way, not just surface-level tidy. The property itself has this relaxed, family-run feel even though it’s part of a larger group. The pool area gets good afternoon sun, and there are enough trees around that you’re not baking all day. Food was decent – I mean, it’s hotel food, so don’t expect miracles, but the breakfast spread was solid and they make a surprisingly good fish curry. The 7.7 rating makes sense to me; it’s not trying to be something it’s not, just doing the basics well.

Here’s the thing about staying in Benaulim versus some of the other beach areas – you’re close enough to hit the more happening spots if you want (Colva’s just up the coast, and you can get to Margao pretty easily for shopping or the train station), but when you come back at night, it’s actually quiet. I stayed here during peak season in December and still managed to sleep without earplugs, which says something. The beach crowd is more families and couples than party groups, so if you’re looking for all-night beach raves, this probably isn’t your spot. But if you want to actually relax, read a book by the water, maybe take some decent photos without crowds photobombing every shot – yeah, this works. Just don’t expect luxury resort amenities, because that’s not what you’re paying for here.