Arco Iris Boutique Homestay Goa, India

Arco Iris Boutique Hotel – the rainbow you’ve never seen!

While travelling in India, we discovered a unique place - Arco Iris Boutique Homestay. This hotel is so different from all other numerous and popular Goa hotels. It is located off the beaten touristic tracks – in small Goan village Curtorim in South Goa.

Arco Iris Homestay Goa Heritage India

Arco Iris Homestay is fenced by a huge garden full of birds. The majority of tourists don’t even suspect that Goa can be so peaceful and quiet.

Arco Iris Boutique Homestay garden
Arco Iris Boutique Homestay heritage

This manor house is more than 2oo years old, and it was built by the Portuguese long long time ago at the colonial period. Arco Iris Boutique Homestay is furnished with unique antiquarian furniture from different parts of India; as for the building itself is was reconstructed so that to immerse you in the atmosphere and splendor of colonial times. Arco Iris Homestay is a real museum with only one difference -   you can use the exhibits actively  - sleep in the 200 years old bed or rock in the creeping chair, which is a contemporary to the bed.

Arco Iris Homestay living room Goa heritage

Photo: the main hall with an excellent library and a large DVD collection 

Arco Iris Boutique Homestay dining

Photo: the dining room

Arco Iris Homestay room Goa Heritage

Photo: our "violet room" with a fantastic antique bed

The mansion had bad times in its 200 hundred years old history, when it did not shine with beauty or fine decorations. For nearly forty years the building stayed without any maintenance or care, all forgotten, and turning into ruins good enough only for bats.

Arco Iris Homestay Goa India travel films
Arco Iris Homestay Goa travel films

But thirteen years ago the new owners appeared – the Ganesh family from Bangalore. Bennita Ganesh, the hostess of Arco Iris, at first sight has realized that it’s the very place where her family will start a new life!

“I didn’t look at it as a ruin, I saw the result at once! I saw what could be done out of it!” told us Benita.

They started the reconstruction; it turned into a big adventure and challenge for the Ganesh family. Neither Bennita, nor her husband had any building skills or architectural background; at that time, they lived with daughters in Bangalore and were not experienced at restoring buildings from ruins. I must say I admire that. I really admire people who are not afraid to take the first step without any guarantee that it is right, people who risk everything for their dream and believe in their dreams so much that nothing and nobody could stop them!

The reconstruction has lasted for 3 years and look what happens!

Arco Iris Homestay Goa
Arco Iris Boutique Homestay Goa

Photo: the main building and the garden

Arco Iris Homestay travel films
Arco Iris Boutique Homestay hall

Photo: the main hall in Arco Iris Homestay

Arco Iris Homestay South Goa travel films
Arco Iris Boutique Homestay Main Entrance

Photo: the main entrance

Arco Iris Homestay boutique homestay
Arco Iris Boutique Homestay South Goa India

Photo: "our" terrace

Arco Iris Homestay South Goa
Arco Iris Boutique Homestay India Goa

Photo: interiors

For 8 years the Ganesh family has been accepting guests from all over the world in Arco Iris Boutique Homestay. But the work hasn’t finished yet, every day the family try to do something to make the guests more comfortable, and to make this perfect hotel even more wonderful. Just look at Tripadvisor or Google reviews to ensure that the guests of the hotel appreciate this work, care and attention.

But what about a rainbow??

After the purchase of the house, when the parents brought the eldest daughter Trusha into the house, she looked at it and exclaimed: ”This house looks like a rainbow!” And even though nobody except Trusha could see any similarity between the half-broken house and a rainbow; eventually, the hotel which has been opened in the building, was named Arco Iris which means Rainbow in Portuguese!

I asked Trusha some questions about the hotel and she told me how it was built, how she liked this idea though she was only 6 years old and how it is to accept every day at home guests all over the world! Watch the video! 

Anna and I stayed at Arco Iris Boutique Homestay one beautiful week, enjoying the peace and quietness of this place, admiring its beauty, exploring the surrounding areas and finding inspiration in communication with the Ganesh family. Extraordinary people are behind this extraordinary project. I was so inspired by their story! I suppose each of us has our own “rainbow” which we want to make spick and span! Well, one should start and do!

Adress and contact data of Arco Iris Boutique Homestay

House No 1384; Sinai Bagh, Near Carmel Chapel and High School, Curtorim, Goa 403709

+919604964482 / +919689995688

beni@arcoiris.in