Silver Sands Holiday Village

2 readers found this review helpful

My partner and I travelled with first choice which I would highly recommend.
The new 767's they use are great, loads of leg room, I’m 6" 2".The 9 hr flight passed quite quickly with the in seat entertainment, films, TV, games. Arrival at the airport wasn’t as bad as expected although if the local lads left the luggage on the belt instead of putting them on the floor it would help.
When you get outside let the boy's take your bags it's easier than saying no and give them a pound. Abit of a shock as you walk down to the coach, traffic, cows, noise etc. A taxi is faster, but the coach is more interesting.
The apartments on arrival look ok; we had the superior room, very large, air con, fan, and fridge and cleaned every day, nice attempt at towel sculptures as well.
We had breakfast 1st morning, but walk round the corner to Alexandra's good food, very friendly.
The beach is gorgeous, a bit messy but remember where you are and accept everything for what it is. Look out for the sunbed boys running to you on your first visit but say you have a sunbed and go to the purple one’s, owned by Santana and he and his lads will look after you all day every day, drinks, moving you near the sea etc.
We only went for 7 days, our 1st time so didn’t explore much, but there are loads of good eating places and to sit and watch the world and his dog and cow pass by. Mango grove on the main road to the right was our fav.
Take a cab to Calangute for a bit of a culture shock but again all part of the Goa experience. When leaving for the airport take a cab 15 mins before the coach is due, get there early, you’ll be further up the queue outside. It is unorganised chaos inside but relax, getting uptight doesn’t get you anywhere.
Flight home just shy of 11 hrs, but again comfortable. As an overview go for 2 wks minimum, 3 would be better, settle as quickly as possible to enjoy everything about this wonderful, friendly place.
There are possibly bigger and better apts to stay in but we would go back to the Silver Sands 52 wks of the year if we could. Fantastic time.

1 reader found this review helpful

Have stayed at Silversands three times now and find here, everything you need. Spacious rooms, clean, hot water, great location just on beach road and 2 minutes from the beach.
Selection of bars and restaurants on your door step and away from the busy main road.
Two minutes from the beach, whereby you will find Shack upon Shack. Which one do you chose? They all offer free sunbeds?
Well from my experience and having been to Goa four times in 2007, head towards the shipwrecked boat, i.e. turn left once on beach.
keep walking, about ten minutes and next door to the impressive looking Club 21 Shack, you will find 21 COCONUTS. A small friendly shack will loads of extras. The extensive menu caters for everyone and this year will be introducing a kids menu. Never had a problem with dodgy tummy here and the staff are very friendly and accommodating.
They look after your towels and creams over night and will even wash them if you ask them too. There is toilet facilities, weekly BBQS at night, a selection of books, if you fancy a read, and the staff will help you in any way they can.
Every time we come to Goa we come here and we have met some great friends. Truly the friendliest and best Shack in Candolim.

We stayed at Silver Sands in nov 06 and made the most of our visas and returned in March 07. We were not disappointed. The hotel is clean and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. We now consider as I'm sure lots of other guests do that the staff at Silver Sands are not just staff they are friends. They are special people who play a huge part in making our holiday everything we wish it to be. We will be returning in Nov this year and it can't come soon enough. Can't wait to see Guru, Ajay and everyone at the Silver Sands again.

I went to Silver Sands with my brother, sister-in-law, her daughter (5)and my daughter (12).
I personally feel the accommodation was terrible. We were first put in two rooms in a tower block, my brother, his wife and daughter in one and my daughter and I in the other. It was very cramped especially for my brother. As they had 3 beds in one single room. We were then transferred into two bigger rooms but of course that came at a cost.
We had to rent a fridge, safety boxes and air conditioning. Very costly.
The facilities were terrible for children, the pool was extremely dangerous. Breakfast was terrible.
I personally feel that Silver Sand is not worthwhile.

We have given this hotel a score of 5 because of the upgrade we had to pay extra for.
When we arrived on site, we were allocated a room in a block that looked like a set from "Prisoner cell block H". All concrete and peeling shiny paint, with very little light.
Seeing the room was a traumatic experience. It was bare with two beds made totally of wood including the bases and mattresses of dubious cleanliness, barely three inches thick. Needless to say, hard as a rock.
The paintwork was gloss brown like the shade used to paint fake dog mess. The "bathroom" was a barely partitioned off part of the room with a worn out maroon suite and the same brown paint.
Apart from the beds there was a table and a sort of wardrobe plus a ceiling fan. The only decor on the walls were the partly disintegrated corpses of various flying insects that had the misfortune to alight in the room.
The door had a large sliding bolt that looked like a cast off from the set of Hammer house of horrors. Because the beds took up most of the width of the room, I managed to painfully knock my shin on the sharp corner of one of them which was the last straw.
We went to reception and I swear the woman behind the desk was more than half expecting us because before I had finished my sentence about how bad the room was, and was there any possibility of an upgrade, she was saying "upgrade is 600 rupees a night".
We went to look at the room in one of the new cottages on site and it was much better.
It was clean. At least twice the size with a new bathroom, proper wardrobe, a dresser and much more comfortable beds.
There was a ceiling fan and aircon plus a TV. Well worth the upgrade money and our unhappiness was allayed.
We never availed ourselves of the breakfast after the first morning as the ants all over the cups, two slices of hard toast and fluorescent jam never appealed.
We discovered that Goa is full of restaurants of a very acceptable standard who will serve a meal at a very reasonable price, to say the least. We used the Alexander Restaurant about three minutes from the Hotel.
After the first day, things improved greatly. This was our first visit to Goa although not to India. The Goans we met were nearly all of the same ilk. Friendly, helpful and you got a sense of honesty that surpassed anything we had experienced on our extensive travels.
The good restaurants and bars were excellent. We are not beach dwellers but the beaches, with a few exceptions, were as good as we have seen.
Having travelled with Cox & Kings on a few of their Indian tours and staying in the best hotels, perhaps we have been a bit harsh on the Silver Sands, paying a fraction of the cost but there is no excuse for poor basic cleanliness and accommodation.
We will go back to Goa but it will be worth paying a little bit extra for a three or four star hotel.
The First choice flights were very good. We didn`t use the services of their staff in Candolim so we cannot comment.

3 readers found this review helpful

A very basic hotel but one of the friendliest places I have ever been to.
The staff could not do enough to help you. The hotel is just minutes from the beach and minutes from 22 fabulous restaurants (not that we had time to go to every single one!).
The whole of Candolim is just one chill out zone and we definitely would have no hesitation returning to Silver Sands.
You can upgrade locally e.g. to a superior room or to one with air con and this is probably much cheaper than doing it with your tour operator.
During our two weeks at Silver Sands we were made to feel so special.

2 readers found this review helpful

First time in candolim, very friendly and helpful at all times. The staff are just great john, neil and ajay, at silversands.
Already booked for next year we will be staying for three weeks. Very clean accommodation highly recommended. Great bunch of guys at teama local bar and restaurant can’t wait to return. myself and my partner lorraine and grand daughter keeley had the best two weeks holiday ever.

2 readers found this review helpful

Just returned from three weeks in Candolim, had the best time ever. This was our fourth year, the Silver Sands Annexe was brilliant. The guys at the hotel were just fantastic as were the guys at the Angarra restaurant.
Already looking to book for Mar 08, would recommend to anyone, location, cleanliness and staff exceptional.

1 reader found this review helpful

This was our second time to Goa and our first time at Silver Sands.
We will be back again to visit the staff especially Ajay and Ram, as they looked after us for the two weeks we were there.
We will see them all in January although we are stopping in Baga, but will definitely book into Silver Sands for next November - see you all soon.
This hotel is very close to the beach, bars and shops where everyone will make your stay enjoyable.
The trips at johns travel are well worth going on as they are a lot cheaper than with the reps.
The food at the hotel is excellent as well as the service. All the best from Caron and Bill.

Went to the Silver Sands hotel its a great little hotel its only a 5min walk to the beach.
There is nice swimming pool there at the hotel also the room boys do keep the rooms very clean. Its only a 2 star but for being a 2 star its great for what it is 7-10
When I was there in March the hotel was not busy at all so you can just sit and chill all day if one wishes. I am back to Goa in Feb. 07 for a week staying at the Santana hotel.
You will love the Silver Sands.