82%Villa Rivercat

Nestling behind the sand dunes of the sleepy Goan fishing village of Mandrem you will find the Villa Rivercat, situated in between ocean and river. The villa was the vision of Rinoo Sehgal, a creative mind, traveller and friend of animals, as well as Anne-Maria, an artist, and their daughter Sareka. Arriving on the site in 1991 all that lay before him was a beautiful river creek flowing into the Arabian sea. Rinoo, inspired by the surrounding nature, began to design and build a spacious retreat from local stone and wood. His dream was of a tranquil environment open to travellers and visitors: a space for creativity, good food, music and rest. Having realised his ambitions for the building Rinoo then began to furnish it with artefacts from his travels and contributions by artists who have since shared his home. Guests enjoy a close relationship with the tropical environment: exotic trees, shrubs and creepers line the garden which merges with the lush creek beyond. Visitors may read from the library, enjoy massage, gaze through the telescope, practise yoga, marvel at the sunset on the villa's private beach or simply relax in the array of hammocks on the airy verandah. At night they feast on an exquisite array of food by candlelight in the beautiful Miau restaurant. Villa Rivercat will be happy to arrange services for you including taxis, motorbikes, bycycles, doctor, travelling advice, yoga, massage, foreign exchange and tickets. Future plans for the villa include fully equipped stables, a beachfront restaurant and painting materials in each room, whereby guests may indulge their artistic desires. Rinoo understands the plights of developing artists and is pleased to offer a 10% discount to them. If they would like to contribute to the villa's art collection, so much the better. Villa Rivercat is the perfect place for e.g. meditation or seminar groups, if somebody wanted to organize it. Film-directors, scriptwriters, musicians, classical dancers and all kind of artists are welcome to use this place for their inspiration. It is even possible to rent the complete house for a period of time to use it for exhibitions or a film-setting. Villa Rivercat has enjoyed excellent reviews in international publications such as The Rough Guides, Lonely planet and Let's Go. The latter guide chose the house as the Best Kept Secret of India and Nepal: "Artists and pretty people commune in the calm glow of candle light at the Villa River Cat in the secluded beach town of Mandrem. Find it before it gets found out." "More of a retreat than a guest house, this sprawling, beautifully furnished home just off the beach. An international group of beautiful people is encouraged to light candles and bask in the Goan paradise, cooking and eating together. If you show up without a reservation and there's no room, you get a free hammock for the night." A friendly welcome awaits you...