Milan Luthria

OT: Which is your favourite hotel in the world?

Milan Luthria: The Taj Holiday Village Goa, when I first visited 10 years ago, now a Vivanta (from Rs 8,000, vivantabytaj.com). I had heard about it a lot, so had avoided it for the longest time fearing the usual party crowd! But when I finally got there, I fell in love with it and have been visiting every year since then.

OT: And you love it because…

Milan Luthria: Staying there is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. The cluster of cottages, the beach at hand, the ocean beyond, with great food and wine in the middle of a busy tourist spot.

OT: What are the rooms like?
Milan Luthria: The Portu­guese-style cottages are the most serene and beautiful in the world, each one in a different colour, fully kitted out. Though there are several cottages, they are beautifully placed, with lush greenery all around, and so there’s a lot of privacy.

OT: Service?

Milan Luthria: Service is excellent, actually, with most of the staff being around for ages. I know most of them by name! Derek the guest services manager, Pravin the bartender, Ramesh the bell hop…!

OT: Your favourite nook in the property?

Milan Luthria: The pool at the Village is its highlight, with underwater stools around the bar, Pravin’s mindblowing Bloody Marys and a fabulous sea breeze floating through… Sitting there is always absolute fun!

OT: Good drinks, then, but what about eats?

Milan Luthria: They serve a massive buffet break­fast, but my personal favourites are the Goan prawn curry and prawn balchao with poi, the traditional Goan bread, Goan brown rice and sannas.

OT: Visiting again soon to chow down and drink up?
Milan Luthria: As often as possible, as soon as possible!