Osborne Hotel

me and my family have been staying at the osborne for the last 5 years, NEVER AGAIN
the room was not clean, the reception staff was very rude, the rest of the staff was great as usual. next time i will be staying at the CSM, i wont be put off of going to goa, the place is wonderful, the best place i have eaten is the chinese restaurant called Kim Faa.

WARNING WARNING WARNING
We visited the Osborne Hotel in Dec 07. This was my fifth time in Goa however the first at the Osborne.
Last week my son received his mobile phone bill for Dec to his horror there was £155.00 of calls on his phone which was made to local numbers in Goa. I know your own items should be safe in your own room, do not get caught out like we did. Friends of ours who stayed there at the same time also confirmed that their two phones had been used with a bill just over £100.00. I kept mine switched off.
It is a shame the Nizmar hotel has gone all inclusive because it puts the Osborne to shame. Check your room bill for the mini bar also your bar bill. it might be only a few pounds but they should not be allowed to get away with it.
Breakfast is a joke, that's the staff and the food.
If you have not booked yet, go to another hotel or be well prepared for the above.

we have just got back after a fantastic holiday this is the second time at the osborne rooms are basic but clean every one friendly and helpful. room boys work very hard every day. most of the waiters are very nice and friendly but watch for raj he comes across as very friendly and helpful but be warned he is very dodgy and only out for what he can get dont buy any theme night tickets from him give one of the other waiters a chance. james the manager is very friendly and takes time to talk to guests.calangute has somthing for everyone.the best beach to go is mandrem its very clean and quiet.

Well what can I say, have been going to the Osborne for 8 years same time of year for Xmas and New Year. The place is basic but clean all you need it for is a base. The room boys are very good to you and will do anything for you, they even make animal shapes out off the bath towels. The bar staff are also good lads but keep a check on your bar bill, they try to charge you for beers you never had. I got hit with a 2500rps bill for one days drinking, this is impossible when a beer only cost 40rps????
DO NOT BOOK ANY TRIP WITH THE HOLIDAY REP. HOLIDAY RIP MORE LIKE. Just outside the reception there are taxi drivers that will do trips a a quarter off the cost and they will not have your pants down. They are a real freindly bunch; Big Dave, Sebbi, Das, Ash and Monkey.
Just outside the hotel make sure you visit a small bar resaurant called Zicos, this is a good friend of mine, their names are; Conni (mumma), Gracie, Anthony, Agnello and Rambo (the lazy one). The food is some of the best I have ever had in Goa, good breakfasts, lunches and dinner. The sea food is fresh and the tandor is good too. I went down Chaporra harbour and bought a lobster took it back to Zicos and they cooked it for me lovley mmmm. I D.J out there and can often be found spinning the discs inside, so not only good food but also good music, so if you go inside say hello from Paul, Clare and Aimee Mae.
The club scene is very good; Paradiso, Club Westend, Titos and Mambos are all good. Also go to Ingos saturday nite bazare, you can get pie mash n mushy peas, plus many good bargains. The music is good live bands.
Right time for me to go, might see you out there in Dec 2008 for three more weeks of fun.
Peace out D.J Bubbles (Paul)

This hotel is in a word a DUMP! Do not stay here if you are expecting in any way comfort, the hotel room was like a prison cell, our door was awkward as the lock was broken.
I have read books and the Bangkok Hilton came to mind! The towels and bed linen have a foul smell and the towel even had an insect steamed into it. The beds are rock hard and the pillows are like bricks. The wardrobe was like a metal filing cabinet.
We could not open our windows, as there were no mossie nets, only a ceiling fan. If you know Goa you know they have regular power cuts, this hotel do not have a generator, so all you have is a candle!
We were under no illusion that it was going to be plush, we went the same time of year in 06 and stayed at the Nizmar (very nice!) but we did not expect such a hole. When we booked the holiday, the hotel gave the impression that air conditioning is available on request. By that I stupidly presumed that they have air con and you pay a supplement - NO. It is pure luck which room you get.
This hotel is set over a number of blocks; we were in block 3, just a short walk from the main reception area. The only rooms they have with air con are the ones that are right next door to the main reception area. If these rooms are full then there is no air con available and let’s face it, there is only 6 months of the year you can go to Goa, so in reality the whole season is peek time and the rooms will more than likely be full.
We were so unhappy we went to see our rep that was very very helpful and arranged for us to be moved to another hotel. All was well in the end but as we were only there for a week it wasn't a good start to our holiday. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Visited Goa in 2007 with my wife Julie and friends Jim and Kath. We stayed in the Osborne 2 and though basic, it was very good value for the money. The staff were great , the rooms were very clean and the food in the hotel is as good as most of the restaurants and cheap.
Tip though don’t pay for the air conditioning - this is very expensive. All rooms have a large roof fan which is quite adequate. Do go on the trips use the taxi drivers outside the hotel who are very honest people who give you a price first, and only take your money when you are safely back to the hotel.
When we first arrived we were quite shocked with the poverty and the roads; no pavements, cows in the streets - you just have to get over this remember it’s not Europe. The beaches are brilliant, and the food is to die for. Plenty of places to eat and drink and its so cheap. 20 pounds will last you all day and most of the night, that’s for 2 people.
East meets West is a very good place to eat though a bit more upmarket. Mollie Mallones Irish bar is also good if you prefer English food. All four of us are going back again between Feb/March 2008, same hotel this just goes to show what we thought of our last holiday, yes it was great. Just to mention the hotel manager we were there when the semi finals of the FA cup were on, he kindly opened the indoor bar and allowed people to watch the matches into the early hours in the morning even though everything officially closed at midnight.

This was the first time for me and my fiancé in Goa - and certainly not the last! We loved every minute of the holidays.
I have to be honest, it was quite a shock when we first arrived, as the poverty and very low living standards are visible everywhere you go. But that’s about the only bad thing about Goa.
Hotel Osborne is a very nice hotel, with basic facilities, but kept very clean at all times and all the staff are very helpful. We stayed in phase 1, which has been recently renovated and is now the best part of the hotel. We had AC and TV without having to pay extra for it like some of the other guests. Only bad thing was that I found the beds were quite hard so I put the cushions from the sofa below it.
The next day, our room boy stopped us and told us that he put an extra mattress on the bed for me! We didn't even have to ask. And it was like that with everything. Our mini bar was refilled daily and as the prices were the same as in the bar ( very cheap) we made the most of it.
FOOD: We tried many different restaurants and never had a bad meal. Actually, I thing I never had less than a fantastic meal. My partner had one or two 'average' curries, but they were no worse than back home.
I would definitely recommend East meets West and also All spice. The food quality was outstanding in both these restaurants. Also if you don't want to leave the resort, you can take a walk about five minutes down the road from the hotel and try Garam Masala, small but excellent restaurant. Try the lobster Garam Masala there - it’s the best seafood dish I ever had - and I eat a lot of seafood :-).
I would also recommend the theme nights in the hotel. We went to almost all of them during our 16 day stay and really enjoyed it. One night, we went on a fishing trip and managed to catch a lovely fish. We took it back with us to the hotel and for 150 rupees, they cooked it for us tandoori style with all the salad and potatoes. It was lovely.
BEACH: I don't really know which beach to recommend. We never went to the same one twice as there were too many and everyone was better than the previous one. They are all gorgeous :-) My favourite was probably paradise beach in South Goa, but that was only because we stayed there in a beach hut over night and the whole experience was superb. I would recommend to stay there, but only if you can get a nice beach hut facing the sea as they are very basic and I think if we didn't have the stunning views, it wouldn't have been that special.
HAGGLING: it is expected for you to haggle. Me and my partner are rubbish at it. The prices they are charging are often so low, that you feel a bit stupid haggling over 20 or 30 pence. But definitely try and haggle a bit as the first price they say is often at least three to five times over what they will except. I would aim at getting about 40% off.
TIPS: just a few tips to make your holiday easier. Don't book anything through the tour operator as it will cost you a fortune. Go outside the main reception and speak with one of the taxi drivers. They are all really good and will take you on any trips for far less money. We were using Sebi as our taxi driver and our guide. He has been working there for past ten years and knows his way around. He took us to ride elephant, feed wild monkeys, watch dolphins, fishing, and at least ten lovely beaches all for a very good price.
If you like fish and seafood, eat as much as you can as the quality is exceptional. Even the curries taste better with the fish.
Do try some of the trips as Goa is so beautiful and there is so much to see.
Don't forget a good mosquito repellent as there are mosquitoes everywhere :-)
And enjoy Goa!!!

This was my first visit to the Osborne and Goa itself. I went with my fiancé who had stayed many times at the Osborne.
The rooms are basic, but clean and more than adequate for the amount of time we spent inside. The staff at the Osborne were fantastic. James the manager runs the place very well and he's not a bad snooker/pool player either. Vencat, Chris, Vinney, Dennis (captain),Owen, Iggy, Peter to name but a few of the excellent waiters/bar staff, who were so very hard working and so friendly.
We often played snooker in the quiet new looking snooker room where staff kept the liquid refreshment coming. We also met Polly and Wrestler, the two hotel dogs, well behaved and well cared for by James.
I especially loved the quieter beaches Kieram, Morgem and Ashwan as these were quieter with no sellers or beggars.
The restaurants to die for such as Little Italy, East meets West, Tibetan kitchen, Frances's and Casandre's just to name just a few.
Overall such a welcoming resort, very relaxing time along with the Honey Bee brandy which certainly hit the spot as a nightcap. Excellent holiday and we are hoping to go back Xmas- New Year 2008 to get married on Ashwan beach.

Just come back from our first visit to Goa and stayed in the Hotel Osborne phase 2 and after being a bit apprehensive of going I really enjoyed it, so much that my wife and I are booking to go again next year.
The hotels rooms were basic but at the end of the day they are only there for you to get your heads down. The hotel was in prime location as it gave us the best of both worlds, in other words you was only 5 minutes walk if you wanted the hustle and bustle of Calangute or you could just sit in the relaxing setting of the hotel with the many cocktails and entertainment that just played in the background.
The hotel staff were very helpful and very very friendly which was genuine and not forced not like in some holiday resorts that I have been to. There was only one thing though if you get a taxi don't get them from outside the hotel as we was talking to some people and they where saying that they were unreliable. One couple was taken to the beach and arranged a time for them to be picked up and they never turned up even though they had paid the fair first, if you do get a taxi use the ones just down the road (if you turn left outside the hotel down the street and right you will see them all there). We used the same driver all the time and we couldn't ask for anyone better his name was Balu he would take us anywhere we wanted to go and wait for us till we was ready to either go back to the hotel or to another destination. We actually said to the manager about the taxis outside the hotel and they told us that they was nothing to do with them and also advised us to go up the road so they must have complaints about them before.
If you are going to buy jewellery while you are there we found a really good place which is situated in the Santa Monaca Hotel called Mustaffahas and sons we found him really cheap and friendly and for a very quiet and tranquil beach you must try Ashwan beach and beach shack p.n.s very friendly and very helpful and the food was very nice.
Talking of food there are loads of places to eat, there is Moonshine just at the end of the road from the hotel which is owned by Gary who is from Manchester and only uses english food, try the sizzling chicken its to die for. There is also Molly Mallones and the Hotel Osbourn where we found we ate most nights mainly the food was of high quality thanks to Denis who would not let any food move from the kitchen unless he though it was cooked right and also the friendly atmosphere and bar staff such as Vinnie and Chris.
So if you are thinking of going to Calangute please try the Hotel Osborne as I am sure that once you have been there you will not want to go anywhere else.

Me and my good mate stayed in Phase II in November last year. It's quite possibly the best hotel (Albeit basic) you'll ever stay in.
The bar staff, waiters and room boys can't do enough for you - I cant big them up enough, especially Chris and young Raj who couldn’t have been more friendly and actually sent us a Christmas card after we came home to thank us for the presents we left behind for them!
Each room has a well stocked mini-bar which you can easily dry out every night before you go out and have filled up the next day for less than £5. Loads of restaurants and pubs nearby in Calangute and Candolim and Club Cubana is only a short taxi ride away.
Entertainment in the hotel is fantastic, Fire Dancers, Karaoke, Goan Dancers, BBQ Buffets and raffles (we won 18 litres of Kingfisher in one!)
Having taxis outside is a life saver - don’t bother with the excursions set up by the tour operators, try and pin Ashish down (He's an Osbourne Taxi Driver) he'll take you everywhere you want and need to see and you'll learn more about the Goan way of life from him than anyone else.
Get him to take you to Ashvem beach - its the best place on the planet and his mates beach shack boasts the most chilled out and hands on hospitality I've ever experienced. The beach is beyond clean and you can walk out into the water for miles!
I'd also recommend Jims boat tours, we did Grand Island and monkey Beach - there’s nothing like the feeling of floating around a remote part of the Indian Ocean on a Monday morning in November when you know everyone back homes trudging their way to work through the snow!
To some it up - if your going to stay in Calungute, stay in the Osbourne you wont regret it.