THE ST. REGIS GOA RESORT
Spread over 49 acres and nestled between the Arabian Sea and the Sal River, The St. Regis Goa Resort is a perfect blend of contemporary elegance and more than a century-old hospitality heritage
Customs, steeped over the decades, more often than not serve as the foundation of class and tradition. Caroline Astor, a 19th century American socialite, heralded one such tradition in New York’s upper crust when she made a habit of inviting 400 acquaintances, friends and associates to galas, high teas and midnight suppers, which led to
the creation of America’s first high-society register. The venue which hosted Astor’s exclusive and much sought-after group referred to venerably as ‘The 400’ was The St. Regis New York, that is now the flagship establishment among 50 luxury hotels and resorts across the world run by the Marriott International group of hotels.
In November 2022, the Marriott International unveiled The St. Regis Goa Resort – the second in India after The St.
Regis Mumbai – spread over 49 acres wedged between the open expanse of the Arabian Sea, alongside the scenic Mobor beach, and the Sal river in South Goa. The contemporary resort blends seamlessly into its surroundings with its confluence of Portuguese and traditional Indian architecture. But the foundation of tradition, exclusivity and luxury savoured by Astor’s ‘The 400’ in New York in the 19th century, continues to form the bedrock of the St. Regis experience in its luxurious Goa resort too.
Take the Bloody Mary for example. The cocktail was originally invented by Fernand Petiot, a head bartender at The St. Regis New York, before it featured on the menu of virtually every bar and drinking hole worth note
across the world. The Bloody Mary has now been re-invented by The St. Regis Goa Resort as the ‘Goan Mary’, a signature cocktail, which draws inspiration from the vibrant colours and the popular spicy and tangy recheado masala from Goa, infused with aroma and flavours which resemble the Goan ethos.
According to The St. Regis Goa Resort’s General Manager, Satish Kumar, ever since its inception, the brand has been committed to an uncompromising level of anticipatory service for all its guests. “Every St. Regis hotel and resort is a reflection of its locale, with its own distinct voice and culture, where guests consistently experience an exceptional level of service. The St. Regis butler is a hallmark of the brand, offering personalised, around-the-clock service that allows for each guest’s stay to be completely customised according to their individual preferences,” says Kumar.
Due to its advantageous and exotic location and its spirit of impeccable service, The St. Regis Goa Resort serves as a popular wedding destination and a favourite for corporate events. “It provides the perfect venue for guests who wish to experience a retreat along with receiving the best service. The F&B offerings spread across cuisines, from the best in Indian to delectable continental, Italian, Japanese, Asian, Mediterranean cuisine etc. The property boasts
of an array of cuisines tailored to your taste. The venue, the service and the F&B are the highlights of the property, due to which we are extremely sought after as a destination wedding venue. Our signature St. Regis Butler service enhances the overall wedding experience as ‘attention to detail’ is key for this segment,” Kumar said.
Located approximately 60 minutes’ drive from Goa International Airport The St. Regis Goa Resort features 206 guestrooms including 46 suites offering private terraces overlooking the tranquil lagoons or the golf course. For bespoke luxury of an exclusive kind, there are 20 luxuriously appointed suites and villas, 12 of which feature private plunge pools, private access to the beach and all-day indulgent dining at The Manor. All this spread over an acreage with sprawling freshwater lagoons and over 30,000 trees.
With its verdant bounty and water bodies inside and on the outer fringes of the property, The St. Regis Goa Resort is in a way a microcosm of Goa, where tourists flock to for a spell of fun, leisure and relaxation in the tropical oasis.
“Goa is a special destination where guests will find themselves surrounded by nature and sandy beaches. We embrace the Goan spirit of slowing down. This resort offers a place where our guests can renew and appreciate what is truly important. The St. Regis Spa offers the best in Ayurvedic and holistic therapies,” Kumar said.
And amidst the luxurious serenity and the tranquil on its grounds, guests at the property can also indulge in St. Regis Brand Rituals that include Afternoon Tea, The Goan Mary and Evening Ritual of Champagne Sabering by the beach, which are its key USPs.
“The resort features the renowned hallmarks and vanguard spirit of the iconic luxury brand, such as its celebrated rituals, innovative cuisine, and bespoke St. Regis Butler service for guests. The anticipatory service ensures that each guest’s unique preferences are understood, met and curated for each guest,” says Kumar.
The St. Regis butler for example is a hallmark of the brand, offering personalised, around-the-clock service that allows for each guest’s stay to be completely customised according to their individual preferences. “We continue to fine tune our Butler Service experience across our portfolio,” according to Kumar.
When asked if the upcoming Mopa international airport in North Goa, could impact the footfalls of Goa’s newest icon of hospitality, Kumar states that guests who stay at The St. Regis Goa Resort are primarily seeking exclusive experiences. “We have positioned ourselves as a ‘soulful sanctuary’ which cannot be replicated in terms of location and impeccable services. A few of the immersive experiences provided by us are celestial pod dining by the pool, Island camping at Serenity Island, Experiential dining at the Golf course, Evening Ritual of Champagne Sabrage, Aerial Yoga at Serenity Island, Floating breakfast at plunge pool, just to name a few. We have strengthened our position as luxury market leaders providing such immersive experiences, and guests seeking these will visit us nonetheless. Hence, we do not foresee any challenge in terms of difficulty of getting business with the operation of the second airport in North Goa,” he said.
The St. Regis Goa Resort is also tinkering with the idea of setting up a helicopter service for its guests, in order to cut down on road travel time.
“Most of our guests travel to the property in their personal aircrafts. However, we are in talks with leading helicopter service facilitators on a possible collaboration to transform valuable hours travelling on the road to a couple of minutes in flight,” Kumar said.
The tourism prospects for Goa in the coming years are bright, the top official said, with the sentiment of ‘revenge tourism’ extending into the international market, especially with guests streaming in from UK, Russia and Kazakhstan returning to The St. Regis Goa Resort.
“Volumes are picking up and we hope they improve over the upcoming season. The current trends are looking very encouraging. The common thread unifying both our domestic and international travellers is a sense of purpose in their memory-making, a desire to indulge an aspirational version of themselves, and the time, space, and ease to achieve this.
At our soulful sanctuary we embrace the Goan spirit of slowing down to relish life’s moments to their fullest. For us, what the best address means is having a hotel either where it’s the energy centre of a destination, or the hotel becomes a destination within a destination. I think we’re helping to re-imagine what luxury means in any specific destination and that is what makes our guests visit us year after year,” Kumar said.
THE ST. REGIS BUTLER SERVICE
The St. Regis Butler Service is a signature experience with personalised and anticipatory attention to guests’ needs.
The St. Regis butler is a hallmark of the brand, offering personalised, around-the-clock service that allows for each guest’s stay to be completely customised according to their individual preferences.
According to Amit Malhotra, Executive Assistant Manager – F&B, the butler service was first introduced at The St. Regis New York by John Jacob Astor IV. “The St. Regis Butler service is a signature experience with personalised and anticipatory attention to your needs. The St. Regis Butler is a hallmark of the brand, offering around-the-clock service that allows for each guest’s stay to be completely customised according to their individual liking. From unpacking and packing, beverage service to garment pressing and round-the-clock accessibility, the St. Regis Butler Service ensures each guest’s unique preferences are understood and realised,” he said.
Champagne Sabrage
The signature tradition dates back to the heady age of Napoleonic war. The great French general Napoleon Bonaparte himself would open a bottle of champagne with a sabre in the evenings to dull the rigours of battle.
“It is a unique evening ritual at The St. Regis Goa Resort by the beach. Its history can be traced to the battles of Napoleon Bonaparte, who famously opened Champagne with his sabre, in both, victory and defeat. The art of sabrage is the signature ceremony of the resort’s Evening Ritual series, it happens at Susegado (our seasonal beach restaurant), every evening at 6 pm,” according to Amit Malhotra, EAM-F&B at The St. Regis Goa Resort.
Soulful Sanctuary Section
“The positioning statement of The St. Regis Goa Resort is a ‘Soulful Sanctuary’. The inspiration for this concept is in the location of the resort and the immersive experiences provided for its guests. The resort is a sanctuary located between the Sal River and the Arabian Sea near India’s south-western coastal city of Goa, famous for its palm-fringed tropical beaches, historic Portuguese-era architecture, enticing seafood, and distinctive culture. Amidst the buzzing of life and exotic spirit of our landscape, we invite curiosity, empowering you to dive deeply into creating your idea of happiness. The St. Regis Goa Resort is a soulful sanctuary where senses are delighted, moments are treasured, and memories are made,” says R. Srijith, Director of Sales and Marketing.
