Old Quarter by The Hostel Crowd

It is too early when we arrive by a Kadamba Transport bus from Madgaon* and swaddled in rain clouds, Fontainhas is sleepy. At Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd, the night guard is brushing his teeth. Check-in, sadly, is at 2:00 pm. We ditch our bags in a closet whose archaic lock mechanism makes us smile and drag our tired feet in the lilting rain, determined to stay awake and play explorers.

Old Quarter’s main building houses four dormitories, a café, and a spacious sitting area; single and double privates are located in a restored heritage property 5 min down the street. All The Hostel Crowd hostels, and there are four in Goa, have a girls only dorm. The lower level of the main building houses two dorms, the reception. and a lounge. The cosy sitting area is painted bright white and matte black. It is on the upper level and is accessible by a staircase above which, strung from the ceiling, is an installation of a cascade of books. Handsome wooden desks and benches, comfortable chairs with plump cushions, and plenty of natural light make the sitting area welcoming.

UPDATE: As of November, 2020, the annexe is no longer part of the property. Thus, there are fewer private rooms available.

Also read: Explore Fontainhas on foot with our Fontainhas Walking Tour guide.

After a lazy breakfast at the legendary Venité, puff pastries at Confetaria 31 de Janeiro, and a rickety bus ride to and from Old Goa, we check-in and are led to the annexe. We are pleased that instead of the deluxe double we had booked we have been assigned the cottage: a spacious, airy room with two bay windows leading into an overgrown backyard. Stepping into that room is like taking a step backwards in Portuguese Goa when the then-kitchen-and-dining-space played host to luncheons and family dinners. Sunlight streamed in through the windows. In the corner stood an abandoned counter-space and a sink with a faucet that still works! The room is sparsely decorated; the palette is white and cornflower blue, and late that night while we sit at the table drinking beer and popping pieces of prawn koliwada in our mouths, we imagine the house in its happier days: the chirping of crickets in the garden on musty summer days, women singing as they stirred cauldrons of curry in the pepper-spiked light, the ringing of laughter and clinking of glasses of feni… We could almost taste the whiff of joy on our tongues!

We do not know the history of the house but there was something, perhaps the weight of joyous memories that once permeated this room, that left us restless throughout the night. I don’t think I could have slept alone in that room! We didn’t have the courage to explore the overgrown backyard.

Also read: Not sure where to dine in Panaji? Read about our favourite restaurants in the city on Where to Eat in Panaji.

Like most hostels, Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd has a laundry room, water purifiers and a tiny space where you can make a sandwich. WiFi is complimentary. Also, if you are an unmarried Indian couple travelling with Indian passports in India, you probably know how difficult it is to find budget accommodation. Thankfully, Old Quarter loves people like us who are too poor to get “legally” hitched!

Read our review of Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd in Panaji to find it if it ticks all your checkboxes!

What we loved at Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd

Location

• Old Quarter is located in Panjim’s old Latin Quarter, a heritage neighbourhood where you can still experience the Portuguese influence. Picturesque villas painted in pastel shades of green, blue, yellow and maroon and with roofs made of red tiles dot the winding alleys.
• It’s a 10 min walk from the bus station.
• There are many good restaurants like The Verandah, Kokni Kanteen, Viva Panjim, and Venité within walking distance.
• You can walk (or ride the bus) to Miramar Beach.

Ambience and Decor

• The ambience at Old Quarter is laid-back. Well-lit and mostly quiet, it is the perfect place to read that heavy paperback you are lugging. The WiFi is fast and there are adequate charging points.
• The variety of board-games and cups of chilli chai were great accompaniments to rainy afternoons.
• The moody palette and minimal decor pleased us.

Also read: For a complete itinerary for Panaji, see 3 Days in Panaji, Goa.

Food

• The complimentary breakfast is filling. You can pick between Continental (bread, butter, jam, coffee and boiled egg) and Goan (chamuça, Goan poi, chhole, pao, coffee). We recommend the Goan selection but ordering a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice might be helpful if don’t like spicy.

Others

• The staff is happy to help you with your travel plans.
• The property is spotless and we are always thankful for clean loos.

What could be better at Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd

• We felt the 2 pm check-in to be a little too late. An afternoon check-in wouldn’t hurt, would it?
• We didn’t appreciate the centipedes in our bathroom and the bedroom. We understand it is the monsoons but perhaps it would help to tame the underbrush in the backyard in the annexe.
• We weren’t impressed by the guy who manned the reception the morning we arrived. He was disinterested and not very helpful. Your tired guests could really appreciate a smile, guy!

Insider Tips!

• The colourful graffiti on the wall outside the Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd makes it the perfect Instagram-worthy spot!
• The illustrated maps of Old Goa and Panjim in the annexe will help you build your own walking tours.
• If you keep a (travel) journal, you can request the receptionist to stamp it with Bombay Coffee Roasters’ quirky stamp.
• The map of Panjim isn’t free but it’s one of the best souvenirs INR 50 can buy.
• If staying in their other hostels, ask about the shuttle service.
• During the monsoons, an AC isn’t a necessity in this part of the country. Spend the money on a more rewarding experience.

We highly recommend the Old Quarter for solo travellers, especially women, and couples but not so much for families with children. Fontainhas is perfect for slow travel; there is so much to learn and understand, to explore and to absorb. The entire neighbourhood is steeped in history! Besides, staying in a hostel means you get to network and share stories.

*We arrived at Madgaon around 5:30 am and quickly realized that the bus station isn’t within walking distance. Having lived all our lives in eastern India, we forgot to account for the difference in time of the sunrise on the west coast (we need another time-zone, please) and thus had to book a tuk-tuk for INR 120 to the bus station. If you are generally anxious, wait till it is light because the tuk-tuk weaving through deserted markets, on byroads by the highway and not a soul in sight can be somewhat daunting. Also, autorickshaws here have doors unlike the ones in Kolkata.

How to Reach Panaji from Madgaon

Express AC bus service from Madgaon to Panaji takes about an hour and costs INR 40 per person. Alternately, you can book a private taxi but that will be more expensive.

Old Quarter by the Hostel Crowd
5/146, RUA 31 DE JANEIRO, PANJIM, GOA

[Stayed in the cottage at Old Quarter in July 2017. We had booked a deluxe double for INR 1500 + taxes and we received an upgrade.]

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own. Our stay was not sponsored. 

If you have stayed at Old Quarter by The Hostel Crowd, share your experience with us.