Little Siolim
I bought Little Siolim way back in 2005 while I was still working as Head of Production & Operations at MTV India in Mumbai. The property consisted of 2 side-by-side, small, train compartment like houses that had been neglected for years. The gate bore an inscription of 1920 but I believe the houses were built even earlier. At the time I would frequent Goa often as my elder brother owned Siolim House, a 350-year-old manor that belonged to the Portuguese Governor of Macau which today operates as one of Goa’s most famous heritage hotels. He bought this house in the mid-90s as a dilapidated property which he painstakingly restored by the late 90s. In the year 2000, Siolim House was listed in UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Heritage Awards for best restored properties across Asia Pacific. Today Siolim House is easily one of the oldest houses in Goa that’s available to stay at. The inspiration for Little Siolim undoubtedly came from Siolim House which essentially put the sleepy village of Siolim on the tourist map of Goa. Back in the late 90s tourists would seldom venture beyond Anjuna or Vagator and today its almost the center of North Goa. Little Siolim was created to be Siolim House’s younger brother and operates as a 3-bedroom villa available for rent in Siolim, North Goa.
The architecture and interiors of Little Siolim is an amalgamation of Portuguese, Sri-Lankan and South East Asian styles. Portuguese, as the original 2 houses were built in Portuguese architecture. Sir-Lankan, as when the 2 houses were combined, I created a pool or water body in the courtyard inspired by the works of the famous Sri-Lankan architect Jeffery Bawa. And South East Asian, as in 2008 I moved to the region spending a lot of time in Thailand & Bali. I was so inspired by the art & craft here that I handpicked almost every piece of art furniture & furnishings and shipped these back to adorn Little Siolim. A few of these items to note is the black coffee table in the living area which was created from a single piece of volcanic lava from a scared Hindu volcano in Bali and then fused with stainless steel. Another is the dining table, a single slab of wood that measures 5m long x 1.2m wide x 12cms thick. This is a rare size to find in one piece of wood and was sourced from deep in the jungles of Java. Even the unique dining chairs, not easy to lift are created from natural pieces of teak wood fused with stainless still and therefore each of them is slightly different. The wardrobe in the Master Bedroom was made from hundred-year-old reclaimed wood from local Balinese fishing boats. A lot of the art & sculptures that you will find around the villa is unique to the region, thought provoking and hopes to inspire guests. The statues on the pillars at the entrance gate are the Balinese incarnations of the Hindu deity Sarasvati while the one at the pool a Thai representation of Indra’s Apsara. Almost everything you find at Little Siolim has a story to tell.
The design theme of Little Siolim is based around Mangoes and Coconuts which can be found in plentiful all around the 35,000 square feet estate. The is also reflected in the rich mango yellow colour of the house as well as the coconut tree pillars that surround the pool in the courtyard. Little Siolim has 5 large “Mankurad” mango trees on the estate. Those who have tasted a Mankurad mango will tell you these are tastier than the famous Alphonso mangoes but as these local mangoes are highly perishable, they rarely make it past state boarders.
Little Siolim was designed to be that perfect place to spend your days vacationing in Goa. Our villa is ideal for a reunion with family where you bond with each other over your meals or catch up as you laze on the comfy sofas in the living room. Or friends who want to have fun and party in the pool or even just a romantic getaway for a couple who enjoy their privacy. Our villa is fully serviced and equipped so you enjoy the comforts of being at home.
I now live in Thailand where I operate 2 businesses, Jabudays Yacht Charters & Jabu Events which are also in the tourism and hospitality sector but I still love coming back to Little Siolim as often as I can. I hope you will enjoy your stay at Little Siolim as much as I enjoyed creating this space for people like me and you.
Vishal Sood – Owner
3
Ensuite Bedrooms
8
Maximum Occupancy
100
Years Of History
1
Private Pool
Conscientious & Professional
EXPERIENCE
Little Siolim has been welcoming guests since 2008. With over a decade of experience we’ve learnt how to pamper our guests and take care of their every need. Its not just the experience of hosting guests but the experience we offer guests, one of living in a hundred year old Portuguese home with all the comforts of modern day living
TRACK RECORD
Our reviews speak for themselves. Take a moment to see what other guests say about us on TripAdvisor, Google, AirBnb and other OTAs. Some of our guests come back year after year and some even multiple times a year, they just can’t get enough of Little Siolim, their home away from home!
FULLY SERVICED
Our villa is fully serviced so you don’t need to lift a finger while on holiday. We include daily housekeeping, pool cleaning and gardening services in our rates. The services of a cook, baby-sitter, car & driver and masseuse are available on request and at a supplementary charge. We also organize boat tours and other excursion on request
FULLY EQUIPPED
Our villa is fully furnished and equipped with almost everything you could possibly need including a kitchen complete with equipment, utensils, cutlery & crockery. All bedrooms are air-conditioned and come with flat screen TVs. And if there’s something we don’t have and you need we’ll try to arrange it for you
BACKUP PLAN
For those who know Goa will tell you that Goa still lacks infrastructure. To deal with power outages we have 24-hr power backup enough to operate our air conditioners. And for our business travelers who need to be connected we offer 2 broadband connections, so if one is down there’s always a back up
LOCATION
Surrounded by nature, located on a hill in Siolim, we are in close proximity to restaurants, bars & shops. The North Goa beaches of Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim & Ashvem are a 15-20 min drive while Baga, Calangute & Arambol 20-30 mins away. Arpora Night Market and the Greek restaurant Thalassa are a 5-10 min drive
Bespoke Experiences
Customer Satisfaction
The Best!
This place looks quite simple from outside but man oh man, did we get a surprise when we walked in! Beautiful open pool right in the middle of the building. All the 3 bedrooms and bathrooms are huge and so beautiful. We had a tough time selecting our bedrooms and finally agreed to take turns to spend a night in each bedroom, lol. One of the bedrooms even had an outdoor bathroom with the open sky being your roof. Being at Goa, the last thing you want to do is stay indoors but that’s exactly what we did. Rain over the pool, great music, Green trees around, best friends, cold beer and warm scrumptious food. Why would anyone want to step out? At the end of 3 days, we just didn’t want to leave this place and promised ourselves that we will be back again for our next reunion!
Ann J – TripAdvisor Reviewer
Goa Oasis
We had the most incredible stay at this home! I can’t say enough about how beautiful the property is – walking through the front door and seeing the beautiful swimming pool and open concept home was so memorable! One of the first rains of the monsoon started toward the end of our stay and turned the pool green and cloudy – so we had accepted that we were done swimming on this trip. But after a half day excursion, we came back and found that it was perfectly clear and ready for us again – it’s details like this that made our stay so worth it! We can’t say enough about this oasis
Asayre1985 – TripAdvisor Reviewer
Secret Gem of Siolim! The Best!
Where does one begin? From the most kind hospitality to the absolute gorgeousness of Little Siolim, we found our secret gem in Goa. The rooms are all so unique and stunning, spotless and so well designed. The main area has such a unique Portuguese villa feel and a beautiful clean pool. The entire home was ours and we had a beautiful time with our family. This place has given us many memories in our life. It’s the perfect place for a small group to bond and experience Goan hospitality at it’s finest. It’s our home away from home. We don’t think of anywhere else to stay when we come to Goa. It HAS to be Little Siolim. Thank you all so much for always welcoming us so warmly
Natalie – TripAdvisor Reviewer
One of the best kept secrets of Goa
Little Siolim has become many things for me. It is a home away from home (the only place I stay in Goa whenever I come), A “Lifestyles of the rich and famous”-style crib that I love showing off to my friends and family, and a place where I come just for a breather from hectic Mumbai actor/producer life. From the rooms to the bathrooms, living space and courtyard, everything is extremely thoughtfully designed. I’ve come here many times, alone and with friends, and this time I brought my parents, who’ve somehow never visited Goa before, to Little Siolim. And they claim this place as the best part of their Goa experience! Hospitality, food, vibe, everything highly recommends Little Siolim.
RaghuRajiv – TripAdvisor Reviewer
Little Siolim with a Big Heat
Every time I visited Goa I used to wonder what it must be like to live here in a Portuguese villa with high ceilings, big rooms, artistic architecture and many many warm memories…and then my wife and I spent a few days in Little Siolim.
Beautifully done up, open kitchen and lobby, an indoor pool, a big room with a gorgeous bathroom..and this old world charm comes with all the modern amenities. Little Siolim is comfortable, cozy, exotic, warm and just a perfect little villa to experience Goa in…private yet accessible, old world yet modern, perfectly managed and organised and gives you total space to relax and enjoy a holiday….We went there for 3 nights and ended up staying for 9… Fantastic place to stay
Ramon C – TripAdvisor Reviewer
