Tucked away on a mist-clad hill in Sindhudurg, just 45 minutes from Goa’s MOPA airport, Araqila Resort by SaffronStays feels less like a hotel and more like a carefully guarded secret. The drive itself sets the tone: lush foliage and veiled clouds part ways to reveal a fortress-like retreat where the sea unfolds in sweeping panoramas. Derived from words ‘Ara’ (Arawali) and ‘Qila’ (fort), Araqila lives up to its name with a dramatic half-moon structure echoing Sindhudurg’s coastal heritage. Yet the mood inside is strikingly serene. A glass of chilled kokum greets guests in the airy lobby, where calm interiors frame an uninterrupted view of the Arabian Sea.
The 25 sea-facing suites are spacious, pared-back, and television-free—gently nudging you into a slower rhythm. Here, the real entertainment is nature: the hush of the waves, the play of clouds across the horizon, and the sight of the sun slipping into the sea from your private balcony. Connectivity is patchy, but perhaps that’s the point; Araqila is designed as an antidote to the constant hum of city life.
Food is a central experience. At the hotel’s restaurant, pastel interiors and breezy seating give way to the rich, layered flavours of Malvani cuisine. Expect platters brimming with prawn curry, masala rava-fried fish, gawarichi bhaji, and the earthy Johari Bakri, all sourced from the local land and sea. A glass of tangy, garlicky sol kadhi completes the meal, while dessert arrives as a delicate rice kheer—warm, comforting, and quietly perfect.
Days unfold in a rhythm of discovery and repose. Morning yoga by the lawns, with the sea as soundtrack and blackbirds tracing the skies, feels almost meditative. Afternoons might lead to a dip in the infinity pool or a lesson in Malvani cooking, where age-old spice blends are revealed in all their aromatic depth. By evening, the private trail to Mochemad Beach beckons—an unspoiled stretch where langurs watch from treetops and the setting sun paints the waters in molten light. Beyond its present charms, Araqila hints at a future rich with promise. An open-air bar under a tensile dome, a spa and gym underway, and even plans for water villas suspended above the ocean. But at its heart, the resort remains a sanctuary of stillness.
Sindhudurg itself is the star; an unsung corner of the Konkan coast, dappled with coconut and cashew trees, temples, forts, and the sort of raw, unvarnished beauty Goa once had. At Araqila, time seems to pause; conversations with nature (and with oneself) feel inevitable. It’s not just a getaway, it’s a gentle invitation to step back into another era, where silence, sea, and self take centre stage. And we took notice.
Images: Araqila Resort
