Gods of Small things

Pousada Tauma, Goa 

Nobody in Goa knows about Pousada Tauma. Ask around and taxi drivers stare at you blankly. But never has a struggle with directory enquiries been more worthwhile. Pousada Tauma is in Calangute, Goa's former hippy mecca that has suffered the brunt of package tourism with a beach that is dirty and crowded. Few guests will make the 10-minute walk to the sea - except teenagers, who will be grateful for the nightlife. But within the confines of the hotel, you get a taste of Goa before the charter flights: quiet, slow-paced, indulgent. There are 12 suites well-positioned around a pretty pool with swim-up bar and water cascade. More like a private villa than a resort, Pousada Tauma is run by Neville Proenca, the delightful hands-on owner. The rooms are simply decorated with cotton bedspreads, copper-pot lamps, colonial-style furniture and playful, Gaudí-esque bathrooms covered in shattered, brightly coloured tiles. Each clean and comfortable room has a private terrace, satellite TV and direct-dial telephone. There's a small Ayurvedic spa run by professional Keralan therapists and the Copper Bowl restaurant serves superlative Goan specialities.

                                                                                                          Sophy Roberts