Taj Exotica Resort Goa

​Starting with the good: they went out of their way to celebrate my son’s birthday at the main entrance, and they even provided a complimentary pickup from our previous resort, which was a nice touch. The property is huge, and buggies are readily available to take you around. We were on the all-inclusive package, so all our meals were covered at the main all-day dining restaurant. That said, it would’ve been nice to have the option to dine at some of the other restaurants on-site. ​The Indulgence Pool Villa itself was lovely, but we were constantly dealing with mosquitoes inside the room. When we brought it up, the staff just brushed it off as a seasonal monsoon issue. However, we had just come from Caravela Beach Resort which has a very similar setup and didn't have this problem at all. ​The buffet food spread was good, but the service really lacked warmth. Food at times were left uncovered and this invited flies in the room to feast. And there was a service personnel carrying a racket to try and get rid of the flies. Customers ordering ala-carte were definitely preferred over buffet customers with strange responses like 'meat might be chewy because its on the buffet for long', 'food is cold because ac is on'. I guess what's hot plates doing there then! Indian hospitality is famous for being welcoming, but that just wasn't the vibe here. If you work in hospitality, basic friendliness and a smile should be the standard and that goes for the managers/ chefs walking around the lobby and dining rooms, too. ​It almost felt like the team was coasting on the Taj brand name rather than actually earning the reputation. I would fire a good few just for making faces when interacting with customers, you need to be told that you have a job because customers are paying a hefty amount to be at your resort. The one big exception was Mr. Krishna and Mr. Shibi at the dosa counter from the dining team, who truly stood out and gave great service.

​Honestly, the staff here could really use a refresher course on customer service from the ground up. Taj is a proud brand in India, but this particular resort has some work to do to live up to the name.

I recently stayed at Taj Exotica Goa and, unfortunately, my experience regarding the Epicure membership benefits was disappointing. One of the key reasons for purchasing the Epicure membership is the expectation of added privileges, including room upgrades. However, despite holding an Epicure membership and visiting during the off-season, I was informed that upgrades were not available. This made the membership benefits feel limited and did not meet my expectations. Based on my personal experience, I did not find sufficient value in the Epicure program at this property. Guests considering the membership should clearly understand that upgrades are subject to availability and may not always be offered. In comparison, I have had much better experiences at Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage and Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, where the service, recognition of membership benefits, and overall guest experience felt more rewarding and personalized.