Shanti Morada
Housed in the Casa de Morada, a restored mansion that dates back to 1897, this cozy boutique hotel has been updated to modern standards, with air-conditioning, LED TVs, and rain showers in all 20 of the rooms. Yet it retains many of its historic touches thanks to antique furniture, claw-foot copper bath tubs, and vintage decorative pieces. Shanti Morada offers easy access to Saligao—a beautifully preserved village with a whitewashed neo-Gothic Catholic chapel, the 1873 Church of Mae de Deus (Mother of God), that’s often illuminated at night—but beach bums beware: the nearest shore is two miles away in Calangate. The large pool area makes up for that shortcoming with a lively Jacuzzi bar with sunset views and a scenic waterfall fountain dotted with tropical foliage. Come evening, guests retreat to the on-site restaurant to dine on Tandoori kebabs by candlelight.