If there is any place that synchronizes perfectly with the warm vibes of Divar Island, it is Moradia Dos Quadros bungalow. When we stumbled upon this gem of a place, we knew we had to stay here. On reaching, we realized that the property looked much more beautiful in real. So let us take you around this magnificent bungalow to show you why this is your best option to stay at when in Divar Island.
Accommodation types
The best part about this property is that it caters to all types of travelers and budgets. So whether you are a backpacker with little expectations and easy prices or a family requiring a suite-kind of accommodation, all these are available at Moradia Dos Quadros. There are two houses in the gated property and both are equally pretty. They have 8 rooms in total named after famous Goan neighborhoods - Baga, Anjuna, Colva, Vagator, Candolim, Bogmalo, Calangute, and Varca
This one is named South-Goa and is an Indo-Portuguese style house. It is suitable for backpackers or college students. These well-appointed petit rooms, come with teak-wood furnishings and are quite sufficient as well as easy on the pocket, but note that they aren't air-conditioned.
This is the main bungalow named North Goa Mansion. The host and owner Neves Quadros resides here. You will see a gorgeous grand entrance with Portuguese-style architecture welcoming you. There are different types of rooms to choose from depending on your budget and comfort.
We stayed in Baga - a comfortable double room with a shared balcony that overlooked the vast fields. This balcony is strategically built facing east so that, as a bonus, guests could catch the sunrise from the comfort of their rooms!
Interiors and accessibility areas
We loved how the entire bungalow is adorned with the gorgeous antique collection and fine wood furniture. Every part of the home exudes this welcoming warmth. Guests have access to the entire house, kitchen, hall, terrace, outdoors, etc. Then there is this open elongated porch surrounding the house on all sides and has cute sitting chairs and tables. We spent so much time on the porch, just sitting and listening to the birds chirping. We also had our own little party one night when Neves also joined in and we all talked endlessly, with soft music from our mini speaker playing in the background. It was great fun and lovely to hear some local stories from the host himself.
Kitchen, Fridge and the unique 'Honesty Policy'
The kitchen is huge with separate storage and dining areas. There are two huge refrigerators- one for the host, the other for the guests. You can store your stuff in the guest fridge, which is also stocked with a lot of stuff available for you to purchase and use. Beers, sausages, nuggets, etc. There is also a huge box next to the guest's fridge with all different sorts of chips, biscuits, instant noodles, etc.
You may wonder, how does Neves keep a tab on what is used when by the guests? Well, he doesn't. There is a register kept next to the fridge titled - The Honesty Book. Guests are to make an entry of the stuff they take and mention the quantity against it every time they take something. When you check-out, all that Neves does is sees your entries, calculates the amount and you pay- 'No Questions Asked'. That is the kind of trust he lays upon his guests, which is so heartwarming. This gesture is so humble and unique in its own way.
Outdoor wonders
Move over from the interiors and there's a whole lot to explore outdoors too. A woody garden area with swings and hammocks, a couple's bench, a stone artwork, and much more. Neves had built this home with such lovely accents that there's no corner you look at and not say wow! We wish we had more time to spend here.
Food
You can cook your mini-meals with stuff available in the pantry. Things like tea powder, sugar, coffee, etc. are complimentary. The rest, if you end up using anything just write it in the honesty book and it will be billed as per the prices. If you need to order meals, you need to inform the host in advance.
Our Experience
We had booked just a day's stay but Neves' hospitality made us extend our stay. He also gave us an upgrade for free (we had booked a non-ac room and he said we should take the ac one), which was so kind of him. On arrival, he handed us a hand-drawn map of Divar Island which had mentions of all the different routes and prominent places to see, which made going around hassle-free.
Given a chance, we would have stayed at Divar Island for more days, such is the charm of the place. We promised Neves to return again, and we'll surely do that as soon as we can.
Verdict
#BZeeApprove for sure without a doubt. So there are a few resort-style properties here, which may offer river views, etc. but we feel, you need to stay at a local's home when in Divar Island and it can't get any better than Moradia Dos Quadros. We have absolutely enjoyed our stay and Neves' hospitality and we assure you that you will have a similar experience. You can book this property on their website or Airbnb or Booking.com
Also, read 'Things to see and do in Divar Island Goa' to check the major sightseeing places and to get all your questions about Divar Island Goa answered.
