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Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat

3.5 star property
your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat

Beach nearby
Property grounds
Premier Room | View from room
Exterior
Pool

Reviews

7.6 out of 10

Good

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Parking included
  • Room service
  • Air conditioning
  • Laundry
  • 24/7 front desk

Explore the area

Map
Vainguinim Beach, Panaji, Goa, 403004
  • Vainguinim Beach
    3 min walk
  • Upper Coast Cafe
    1 min walk
  • Vasco da Gama Dabolim Station
    42 min drive
  • Goa (GOI-Dabolim)
    45 min drive

Room options

View all photos for Suite, 1 Bedroom

Suite, 1 Bedroom | Living area

Suite, 1 Bedroom

  • 50 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Premier Room

Premier Room

Premier Room

  • 41 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed OR 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Penthouse, 2 Bedrooms

Premium bedding, memory-foam beds, in-room safe, desk

Penthouse, 2 Bedrooms

  • 93 sq m
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Compact Room

Premium bedding, memory-foam beds, in-room safe, desk

Deluxe Compact Room

  • 21 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed OR 1 Twin Bed

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About the area

Panaji

With a stay at Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat in Panaji, you'll be by the sea, within a 10-minute drive of Deltin Royale Casino and Vainguinim Beach. .This family-friendly hotel is 13.2 mi (21.2 km) from Calangute Beach and 13.2 mi (21.3 km) from Candolim Beach.

What's nearby

  • Vainguinim Beach - 3 min walk
  • Goa University - 19 min walk
  • Dona Paula Jetty - 4 min drive
  • Deltin Royale Casino - 9 min drive
  • Dona Paula Beach - 11 min drive

Getting around

  • Cansaulim Verna Station - 28 min drive
  • Dabolim Airport (GOI) - 45 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Padaria Prazeres, Panaji - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Taleigao Community Center - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪The Goan Room - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Bay 15, Oxcel Beach - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Baskin Robbins - ‬4 min drive

About this property

Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat

Family-friendly hotel with a 24-hour front desk and a restaurant
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat offers 30 air-conditioned accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Rooms open to balconies. Memory foam beds feature premium bedding. 36-inch LCD televisions come with cable channels. Bathrooms include showers with rainfall showerheads, and complimentary toiletries.

This Panaji hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones. Additionally, rooms include coffee/tea makers and ceiling fans. Irons/ironing boards and hair dryers can be requested. Housekeeping is provided once per stay.

Recreational amenities at the hotel include a children's pool.

Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

Make yourself at home in one of the 30 air-conditioned rooms featuring LCD televisions. Your memory foam bed comes with premium bedding. Rooms have private balconies. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature rainfall showerheads and complimentary toiletries.
Take in the views from a terrace and a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access. Additional amenities at this hotel include supervised childcare and an arcade/game room.
Enjoy a meal at the restaurant, or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours). Buffet breakfasts are available daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM for a fee.
Featured amenities include express check-in, express check-out, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Free self parking is available onsite.
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat has a restaurant on site.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.

Languages

English, Hindi

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and public transport

  • Free self-parking on site
  • Free off-site parking within 328 ft

Food and drink

  • Buffet breakfast available for a fee daily 7:00 AM–10:00 AM: INR 550 per person
  • 1 restaurant
  • Room service available

Things to do

  • Arcade/games room
  • Children's pool

Conveniences

  • Front-desk safe

Guest services

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Dry-cleaning service
  • Housekeeping (once per stay)
  • Laundry facilities

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Pool sunloungers
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • This property does not have any lifts

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Air conditioning
  • Bed sheets
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Ceiling fan
  • Cots/infant beds (surcharge)
  • Memory-foam mattress
  • Premium bedding
  • Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hairdryer (on request)
  • Private bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Shower
  • Towels

Entertainment

  • 36-inch LCD TV
  • TV channels

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Free bottled water

More

  • Connecting rooms available
  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board (on request)
  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 11:30 PM
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
A late check-out fee will be charged
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
To register at this property, guests who are Indian citizens must provide a valid photo identity card issued by the Government of India; travelers who are not citizens of India must present a valid passport and visa.

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Children up to the age of 5 years can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are available for INR 2000
Cribs (infant beds) are available for INR 1000

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for buffet breakfast: approximately INR 550 per person
  • A late check-out fee will be charged
  • Cribs (infant beds) are available for an additional fee
  • Rollaway beds are available for an additional fee

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation
A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property
Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool without adult supervision

Property is also known as

Hotel Retreat
Hotel Sandalwood
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat Dona Paula
Sandalwood Hotel Retreat
Sandalwood Retreat
Sandalwood Retreat Dona Paula
Sandalwood Hotel Retreat Dona Paula
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat Goa/Dona Paula
Sandalwood Hotel And Retreat
Sandalwood Hotel Retreat
Sandalwood & Retreat Panaji
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat Hotel
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat Panaji
Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat Hotel Panaji

Sandalwood Hotel & Retreat Reviews

Reviews

7.6

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 25 out of 77 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 77 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 17 out of 77 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 77 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 6 out of 77 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

5.0/10

Amenities

7.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

2/10 Terrible

Patrick

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hotel is overpriced given its very mediocre facilities. Major drawback: the only option to move around was to use the only taxi driver made available by the hotel, who was charging 2 to 3 times the normal rate and proved unreliable. Foreign tourists should avoid this hotel.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

2/10 Terrible

Yash

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

6/10 Okay

Liam

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
The room was large and had more space than expected. It was clean also. However, there was a kitchen with no cutlery or plates. The restaurant was okay but empty throughout. The bar wasn't open. There were no sunbeds around the pool. There were advertised sunbeds on the beach but these didnt exist. The nearby beach is essentially a private beach for the guests in the neighbouring 5 star hotels. This means you cant use any pf the facilities on the beach (cafe, bar, sunlounger) unless you are a guest from one of those hotels. There are security guards who escort you off the property even when enquiring if the restaurant/bars are open to non-guests. The nearest shops and restaurants are 30 minute walk up out of the valley and into Dona Paula so it is not ideal unless you have your own transport. The reception staff, when asked if they could book us a taxi, simply gave us the mobile number for a taxi company and refused to assist in arranging. The same goes for laundry. We enquired about the laundry, were given a mobile number of someone who no longer works in laundry and when we explained this was now the case they shrugged their shoulders as if that was the solution. Overall not a great hotel. It is not 4 star, probably 3 at best.

10/10 Excellent

Rudra

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good stay
It was a good place but the place wasnt in actual Panji. The hotel is split by 2 brother's and the pool belongs to the other half. The actual hotel room was large.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2022

2/10 Terrible

Sanjeev

Business traveller
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Most Pathetic Hotel
Terrible hotel rather it’s not a hotel it’s a lowest quality of railway she’s with no professionalism and ethics...I would request any one or every one do not book or stay at this hotel as they have no staff ..lowest quality of food and untrained staff to handle the hotel guests . The hotel management has no involvement and have no idea of the word meaning service or hotel or responsibility...
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2020

10/10 Excellent

Arica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely service, food, pool, clean
We were so well cared for and got to know the staff. Clean comfortable rooms, tasty and affordable restaurant. A fantastic bargain. The only take away is it is not a walk to Panjim and cabs can be pricey—but you’re next to the nicest cleanest beach in town.
Stayed 8 nights in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

santosh

Business traveller, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Rach, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous authentic Goan food. Walking distance to a small, quiet beach.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Very noisy neighbours made for an unpleasant stay. Rooms were great for the price. Gym equipment wasn't great. Not the best location but it is walking distance from the beach and nearby Cidade Resort. All in all,
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
It is difficult to find from Google Map. Also Collier food with less options for order. Far away from famous beaches. However nice breakfast
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2017

10/10 Excellent

KSK, NJ, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice Hotel with Amenities
We were in Goa for just 4 nights, and wanted a nice hotel with some facilities and amenities (pool, spa, restaurant, etc...). Sandalwood Retreat was perfect for us, while it isn't a 5-star hotel, it was a nice, affordable alternative close to our Where we wanted to be. Would strongly recommend it, keeping in mind it is nice, simple place with attentive staff.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

Alexandra

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing
Enjoyed our stay. Nothing much in the immediate area. Beach almost deserted. Sunbeds and umbrellas there. Free shuttle into town every day. Nice pool. Breakfast good. Restaurant good, Phillip the head waiter very helpful and good English. Good place to chill out and relax. Nothing hectic here.

4/10 Poor

Bernard, London

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Adequate, but not recommended
A very modest hotel. Some pleasant features, but rooms could be cleaner and more up to date. I asked several times for the AC to be fixed; it didn't happen. Requests seem to get lost in translation. A bit in the middle of nowhere, and the beach - 4 minute brisk walk away - not as nice as Miramar. A bit overpriced for the quality of the hotel. All in all, it is ok, but I wouldn't recommend

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean hotel, but expensive commute
The stay wasn't worth the money, especially because we spent a lot of money on commuting to and from beaches. The travel desk at the hotel was overcharging us just because there were no other cabbies available in the vicinity of the hotel. The hotel is fine if you intend to stay within the resort with kids. I wouldn't pay the same amount again for going there, especially because of the experience with the travel desk

8/10 Good

Stephen, Hong kong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Ok place. Nice staff.
Lengthy check in process. Too many rules and regulations all laid out on a sheet of A4 paper. Not too impressed to begin with but then a couple of the staff made us feel welcome. Pradeep the guy in the restaurant befriended us and made us feel at home. Philip was great, a well travelled man on cruise ships for many years, he know what hospitality means. No view from our balcony. Asked for slippers but were not complimentary we had to pay. Hotel In the middle of nowhere so not much to do.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Family emergency
I had to go to Goa for a family member who was in a hospital near the hotel. The staff, especially the bellhops and those in the SeaPearl, were exceptional. The food was also outstanding although I don't recommend the malai kofta. Anyway, thank you Phillip and all the friendly young men who work in the restaurant.

8/10 Good

Esther, TX

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice hotel, great breakfast buffet.
The beach was disappointing. Silt water, river beach, not like the other white sand beaches in south Goa. Quiet and uncrowded but still disappointing. The three minute walk to the 'beach' was along trash and stagnant, bad smelling backwaters.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
nice stay
Their phone was not reachable. Somehow i found a driver who knows the area little bit and found address with help of Google maps. Staff and services were good .

10/10 Excellent

Xueming, Shenyang ,China

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Only beach Hotel
It is too far away from the city, No buses

10/10 Excellent

Anand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice Hotel Close to Beach
Overall very happy with the stay. Nice comfortable rooms, with great amenities. Only thing lacking is a good children's play area. Beach is close by.

8/10 Good

Sreekumar

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

4/10 Poor

Ryan, Seattle

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
You get what you pay for
Pros: friendly and helpful a staff. Cons: spotty wifi, dirty bathrooms, power outages, 2 star feel to the rooms. If you get a top floor room it could be nicer. My friends room had mold and he broke out into hives. They let him change rooms but mold... The staff were around the friendliest of all the hotels we've been to and seem to care about good service. The only saving grace. When I was there there were lots of kids running around. It's off and far away from a lot of things and the beach is a 5 min walk from the hotel. It isn't directly part of the premises like I originally thought. The price was a value so I didn't expect too much. I didn't take a shower in my room the whole time i stayed... I ended up sneaking over to one of the nicer resorts via the beach on my stay for an upgraded experience.

8/10 Good

shriprakash, Hyderabad

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful experience
A beautiful resort for a short getaway. They served a good selection of items for the buffet breakfast. The staff was very hospitable in attending to us.

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Worst hotel stay I have had in a very long time
I am not sure what previous positive reviews were based on, but I just returned from a stay at the Sandalwood and most aspects of our stay there were terrible. From forgetting our airport transfer and leaving us stranded after midnight at the airport, to losing one of our reservations, to damaged furniture and equipment in the room, to a negative experience with the tour desk and a small beach that is full of garbage much of the time, I would not recommend staying at this hotel. I would suggest another resort that is further north or south of the city of Panji and has better trained staff.

10/10 Excellent

RAJIV, Pune

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent Stay
We went for a rotary conference with our friends. I had booked 2 rooms but there was some problem and the booking showed only 1 room. The staff was however very good and upgraded us to a suite which was very good.The breakfast menu was also very good.