Fairfield by Marriott Goa Calangute — Hotel in Goa

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Kava, the in-house restaurant at Fairfield by Marriott in Calangute, and I’m happy to share my experience. My wife and I were celebrating our 1st anniversary, and while the location posed a bit of a challenge to locate, the overall experience more than made up for it.

Location & Accessibility: Kava’s location is a bit tricky to find. We opted for a taxi to get there, but even then, navigating the final few steps required some walking. The area around the hotel is quite busy, and the restaurant is tucked away in a corner, so it’s easy to miss if you're unfamiliar with the spot. However, once we arrived, the ambiance made the effort worthwhile.

Ambiance: The ambiance at Kava was relaxed and intimate, perfect for our anniversary dinner. The restaurant wasn’t very busy at the time of our visit, which worked in our favor, providing a quiet and peaceful environment. Despite it being a late dinner (it was already past 10 PM), the atmosphere remained warm and welcoming, with dim lighting and tasteful decor that made for a pleasant dining experience.

Service: The highlight of our evening was Satya, our server. From the moment we sat down, Satya went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable and well taken care of. He learned it was our anniversary and made sure we had a memorable experience. He was attentive without being intrusive, pacing the service well and ensuring our table wasn’t overcrowded. Even though it was late, Satya’s approach was steady, and the service felt unrushed, which was greatly appreciated.

Food: The food at Kava was exceptional. Though it took a bit of time for each dish to arrive, it was clear that everything was made fresh and served piping hot. Here’s a breakdown of what we tried:

Masala Papad: This was a great way to kick off the meal. Crispy and full of flavor, it was the perfect appetizer.

Spring Rolls: The sweet chili sauce served alongside the spring rolls was a standout. It was tangy and slightly sweet, elevating the spring rolls to a whole new level. They tasted absolutely heavenly, and we both agreed it was the highlight of the evening.

Paneer Chilly Dry: This dish was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly spiced. The paneer was tender, and the seasoning was spot on — not too heavy but still very flavorful. It paired well with the rest of the meal.

Mocktails: We tried a couple of mocktails, which, though not the best we’ve had, were decent for the night. They didn’t quite stand out in terms of flavor, but they were refreshing enough to complement the meal.

Special Touch: The most heartwarming part of our evening was Satya’s thoughtful gesture when he learned it was our 1st anniversary. As a surprise, he brought over a small plate of pastries as a special treat, which was a delightful touch that truly made our night. The little details like this show the level of care Kava puts into making their guests feel special. A big thank you to Satya for going above and beyond to make us feel celebrated.

Overall Experience: Our dinner at Kava was a truly memorable experience, and I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a special, intimate meal in Calangute. The food was fresh, flavorful, and well-prepared, and the service was exceptional. While the location can be a bit hard to find, the effort is well worth it.

Satya’s dedication to his work and his thoughtful gestures really made our night, and it’s clear that Fairfield by Marriott is lucky to have such a dedicated and attentive staff member. If you're looking for a quiet, romantic spot with good food and excellent service, Kava is definitely worth checking out.

Overall, Kava at Fairfield by Marriott in Calangute offers a great experience, especially for those seeking a peaceful, memorable meal with...

We visited Fairfield by Marriott for 6 nights in May. We were warmly welcomed by the staff, both at the gate and at reception. After check-in formalities were completed, we were shown to our room. It is significant that the gate staff (security, valet) were very warm, unlike in some other hotels (and in multiple cities) where this activity happens only as a formality, this shows the attention to detail the property places. Entering the room, it was luxurious, well maintained and very clean. The washroom contained all toiletries that we would need, and some extras. The room had a smallish terrace attached and had a nice coffee table and two chairs. We enjoyed having coffee here on some days. We unpacked and went downstairs to the lovely swimming pool. The ‘Kava’ restaurant has tables inside with air conditioning (very useful in the summer) and around the swimming pool. This is where we usually enjoyed our drinks. This is where I felt I was truly on vacation – people enjoying the swimming pool, a pint in my hand and happiness all around. They have a gym too, not a professional setup at all, but should get the job done for those on vacation. The restaurant has amazing food, with buffet available every night. The buffet, if all you want to eat is dinner and a few pints of beer, turns about to be cheaper than many restaurants in Goa! Of course, you don’t get a variety of cocktails or mocktails the other restaurants get, because while the restaurant has a working bar, I didn’t see a fulltime bartender. The housekeeping is on point, they used to come every afternoon and keep the room clean. The property has a policy of giving 2 small bottles of drinking water, so we got water from the outside. There is a bike rental facility just outside the hotel.

Special callout to the team for arranging a birthday cake and an anniversary cake for us! We were also provided snack bag for our travel back home. A simply lovely touch.

Pros: Very comfortable property, quiet location, with Candolim, Baga and Calangute beaches at 10-minute distance by bike. The staff is courteous and efficient and make every effort to make you comfortable.

Kudos: Chefs Mohit, Praveen, Lekhanath and others. Ms Sunita K and Jasraj from the housekeeping team and Michelle, Duane, and others from their lovely staff.

Cons: They have limited car parking within their premises and use a vacant plot just opposite to the hotel. The valet drivers were available on some days and not others – not a big problem for us since we used a bike every day. Their 2-wheeler parking is big enough.

Other points to note: Goa (and other states too) suffered from constant power cuts during my stay, and sometimes the air con would switch off and not turn back on again. We had to manually do that. Manage your expectations – while a Marriott branded property, Fairfield is on the lowest tier of their brands. I went in with no grand expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The property is luxurious, but not as extravagant as you would expect from a JW Marriott, Sheraton, W and others.

Overall: I would rate...

I Booked this hotel after seeing Marriott in the name thinking of that it would be very comfortable and classy stay as i was travelling with my wife for the first time . But the opposite happened as I entered this property . first of all the front desk don't know how to communicate with the guests , I think they are not trained well to welcome the guest in 5Star like properties . I booked 2 Rooms and already mentioned early check , when i asked them they simply told me we are seeing only one room booking in our system , I told them its not my fault because i have already paid full amount on cleartrip and i showed them the mail as well . She replied we cant do anything because You didn't booked with us . ( Really WOW Answer ) Then I called cleartrip customer support team , they told me to give the phone to receptionist but receptionist denied to talk to them , it was really pissed off situation for me . They made us wait for more than 2 hours and didn't even checked on us that they got the 2 room booking confirmation or not , after 2 hours of waiting i went to their desk and asked them then the other guy on desk told me yes you have two room bookings we can see . and when i asked him for early check in he replied that its chargeable . i was like what the hell is going on. If this hotel cannot provide early check in then they should have replied to me on my mail when booking was done . thats not the way how 5 star property works. they are literally spoiling the brand value and name of Marriott hotel chains. Rooms Were Really Small And Washrooms Were Not well Maintained ( 3Star Hotels Might Have Better Washrooms ). we booked the city view rooms but they gave us GENERATOR VIEW Rooms . Room Service is low quality as well , I ordered chilly potato and they forgot to send it , i called them twice and i got it after 1 hour of waiting . Only The Cleaning Staff is nice and well behaved . Restaurant staff is too lazy , they cant provide you anything on Time . all you have to do is keep waiting. Literally this is my first and last stay there , It felts like i wasted my money by staying there. Worst Hotel Experience Of My Life. Marriott Should Look Into This Otherwise They Will Spoil Their Brand Value For Sure . I have never written this long review , But They Deserve it so i did it.

My Advice - Never Stay In This Property , Look For Some Airbnbs Instead.

Rooms - 1.5 Reception Staff - 0 Restaurant - 1.5 Cleaning Staff - 3 Room...