Frequently Asked Questions

Logistics & General Guidelines

DO I NEED INSURANCE?

It is always recommended when traveling anywhere to arrange appropriate traveller’s/health insurance for the duration of your trip.

WHAT TIME IS CHECK-IN / CHECK-OUT?

Check-out is at 10.00am

Check-in is from 14.00pm

You are welcome to leave your luggage at the front desk and spend your time at Ashiyana’s chill-out spaces, or explore the beach and local area if you arrive before 2pm. Of course, if your room is available earlier, you will be able to move in before the official check-in time.

CAN I PAY BY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD?

Unfortunately we do not currently have credit/debit card payment facilities at Ashiyana. Please ensure that you bring ample cash with you, or exchange/withdraw money in the local village.

DO I NEED A VISA TO TRAVEL TO INDIA?

Most countries require visa entry to India (Tourist Visa). Some countries are eligible for the new Visa on Arrival (e-Visa) – valid for 30 days. Please check with the Indian High Commission what visa you will need to apply for, and make sure that you leave ample time to apply before your holiday.

HOW SAFE IS IT TO TRAVEL ALONE AS A WOMAN?

Goa is a very relaxed part of India, and most probably the safest area to travel in as a lone female. As with travelling by yourself in any country, we would advise you to practice good personal safety by not venturing out alone to secluded spots that you are unsure of; having a local or fellow traveller accompany you wherever possible, particularly at night; and always have the phone number of someone you can contact locally in an emergency.

DO YOU PROVIDE LAUNDRY SERVICES?

There is a local woman that comes every day to collect our guests’ laundry for a small charge – this will be returned within 24-48 hours. Please arrange with our reception staff. We ask that you do not do your own laundry in your rooms (due to our limited water supply).

WHAT IS YOUR REFUND POLICY?

Please refer to our Bookings Terms and Conditions.

IS THERE FREE WIFI?

Ashiyana Goa is a retreat centre intended to support you to ‘switch off’ and ‘disconnect’ from the external world – therefore WiFi access is limited to only being available for a few hours each day.

WiFi availability: 11:00 am – 15:00 pm

Should you like to get online outside of these times, nearly all of the neighbouring restaurants in Mandrem offer free WiFi. Of course, in the event of an absolute emergency, please speak to one of our Reception Team who will be able to help you.

You can access our free WiFi in the reception area. We ask that you be mindful when using any electronic devices to maintain the quiet and calm space. If you need to make any video or voice calls, we ask that you please make sure to wear headphones and keep the call to no longer than ten minutes. Please refrain from using any electronic devices in the restaurant and spa areas.

The internet supply in Goa can be a little slow and temperamental, particularly when compared to the west – we like to think this is a good lesson in patience, and a reminder to surrender to things outside of our control…!

ARE CHILDREN ALLOWED AT ASHIYANA?

Children are only allowed at Ashiyana by special request. Please enquire with us before booking your stay.

We ask that anyone visiting Ashiyana with children be mindful of the noise levels that your mini yogis may be creating – particularly during hours of yoga classes and dining. Ashiyana is intended as a peaceful place for our guests to be able to retreat and relax and rejuvenate, and thus we ask that all of our yogis – of all ages – respect our noise policy. In particular, the spa area and pool is to be kept quiet at all times 🙂

WHAT VACCINATIONS DO I NEED AND SHOULD I TAKE MALARIA TABLETS?

Malaria is not prevalent in Goa, as we are surrounded by tidal water. We do suggest that you protect yourself when the mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, by wearing mosquito repellent and covering your skin.

Please check with your country’s Government Health Regulations for any vaccinations that are required.

DO YOU PROVIDE BEACH TOWELS?

We provide bath towels for use within Ashiyana, but ask that you bring your own beach towel. Many guests purchase sarongs from the local sellers for use instead of a towel on the beach.

Yoga

WHAT LANGUAGE ARE YOUR YOGA CLASSES IN?

Our yoga classes and workshops are all held in English.

I AM COMPLETELY NEW TO YOGA – CAN I JOIN THE DROP-IN CLASSES?

Of course – we welcome you to start your yoga practice with us 🙂 It may be advisable to look into taking a private session with one of our experienced teachers prior to attending a drop-in class; as whilst it is a group environment and you are cared for, you may receive less personal attention.

WHAT TYPE OF YOGA DO YOU TEACH?

Please refer to our Yoga page. The drop-in class is based on traditional Hatha Yoga, meaning that it follows a physical practice to open up the energy channels of the physical and energetic bodies as a tool to higher awareness. Teachers will infuse the practice with their life experience (from Iyengar, Yin, Bhakti to Vinyasa) to give it their own authentic flavour. Having said that, classes will almost always include Pranayama (breath-work) and Meditation (in movement or stillness).

DO YOU PROVIDE YOGA MATS AND PROPS?

We have enough yoga mats and props available for all of our guests and drop-in attendees. However, we would always recommend bringing your own mat to encourage your own self-practice outside of classes 🙂 Basic yoga mats can also be purchased from the shops in the local village.

WHAT LEVEL OF YOGA DO YOU TEACH?

All of our classes are suitable for students of any level. Our experienced teachers will offer modifications for less and more experienced students. At our busiest times, we may run two classes at the same time (morning or evening) of different styles – this will be communicated on the yoga schedule board at the reception desk.

I HAVE AN INJURY / EXISTING HEALTH CONDITION / AM PREGNANT – CAN I JOIN THE YOGA CLASSES?

Please always seek advice from your General Health Practitioner first, and inform your yoga teacher at the start of class of any condition that may affect your practice – new or existing. We would recommend booking in for some Holistic Yoga Therapy sessions with our experienced Yoga Therapists, to get advice and a personalised yoga practice just for you.

DO YOU OFFER PRIVATE YOGA CLASSES?

Yes – please see Private Yoga Classes and Holistic Yoga Therapy.

Food & Nutrition

IS THE FOOD VEGETARIAN AND ORGANIC?

Whenever possible we buy organic produce. We mostly serve vegetarian food, apart from on Wednesday and Saturday evenings when we offer an additional seafood dish.

IS THE WATER SAFE TO DRINK?

The water at Ashiyana, both for drinking and in the rooms, comes from a borehole approximately 3km from us. Whilst it is already perfectly safe to drink, we send the drinking water through a reverse osmosis filter for extra purity. Drinking water taps can be found in the restaurant.

I HAVE SPECIFIC DIETARY REQUIREMENTS / FOOD ALLERGIES. WILL THIS BE A PROBLEM?

Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any specific dietary requirements/allergies. Our buffet meals will nearly always have dairy-free/gluten-free options available as standard.

CAN I BUY FOOD FROM THE RESTAURANT?

Additional food is not available for purchase from the restaurant. Two healthy buffet meals – brunch and dinner – are already included in the price of your stay with us. You may see food available in our restaurant mid-afternoon – this is for our detox guests and staff. There are a number of local beach shacks and restaurants in the Mandrem area that sell local, western cuisine and drinks, should you get hungry between mealtimes with us. We recommend you exercise some caution when dining outside of Ashiyana for hygiene purposes. Self-service Masala chai, hot lemon ginger and fresh filtered water is available for you throughout the day in our restaurant.

DO YOU SERVE ALCOHOL?

No. We ask that you do not consume alcohol, smoke cigarettes or take drugs within the grounds of Ashiyana.

Accommodation

DO YOU HAVE HOT WATER/ELECTRICITY?

We have individual hot water heaters in every bathroom, and electricity throughout Ashiyana. However, power cuts are quite common in India due to over-demand – so expect the occasional power-outage – these rarely last longer than a few minutes. We ask that you help us in conserving energy by turning off your hot water heaters and fans when you are not needing them.

DO YOU PROVIDE TOILET PAPER?

All of our bathrooms have a hand-held douche next to the toilet for your personal use. We do provide toilet paper however, as we wish to be as eco-friendly as possible, we request that you dispose of used paper in the bins provided (changed daily) as our sewage systems cannot cope with paper being flushed down the toilets.

IS IT SAFE TO LEAVE MY VALUABLES IN MY ROOM?

We would advise that you use the individual, lockable safes in the reception area to store your valuables, such as money, camera, passport and small electronic devices.

We have never had any problem with security on site, however we do have security guards present throughout Ashiyana 24/7, for your security and peace of mind.

ARE THERE MOSQUITO NETS IN THE ROOMS?

All of our Beach Huts and Palm Grove rooms have mosquito nets available. Our Raj and Raj Luxury rooms do not need/have mosquito nets due to how they have been built. Plug-in mosquito repellants are available upon request.

DO YOU HAVE FANS IN THE ROOMS?

All of our rooms have ceiling fans. Raj and Raj Luxury rooms also have A/C.

Wellness & Wellbeing

WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES DO YOU OFFER, ASIDES FROM THE YOGA CLASSES?

There are evening activities almost every night at Ashiyana, such as Chanting, Meditations, Yoga Nidra, Conscious Cinema, Restorative Yoga, etc. There is a noticeboard located in the reception area that will inform you of the schedule during your stay.

DO YOU HAVE A SWIMMING POOL?

Yes – we have Goa’s first natural swimming pool, located at the heart of Ashiyana within the Spa and Treatment Centre. A ‘natural pool’ means it will be similar to swimming in a lake, hence you may find a thin layer of algae (similar to spirulina 🙂 ) can occur. We clean this off every week or so. We regularly test and filter the pool water – if you were to take a glass of it you would see that it is clear – however the tiles are purposefully green to give it a more natural feel, rather than the ‘aqua blue’ swimming pools. Natural pools are regarded as more healthy as they do not use chlorine, ozone or salt water; they are also more wildlife friendly.

CAN ANYONE USE THE SPA AND TREATMENT CENTRE (INCLUDING THE POOL AND HAMMAM)?

The Spa and pool area is reserved for those who have booked treatments or therapies, as this includes a ‘Spa and Treatment Centre Day Pass’. Please note that the spa area (including pool) is to be kept quiet at all times.

DO YOU HAVE A SPA ON SITE?

Yes – our beautiful Spa and Treatment Centre consists of a natural swimming pool (naturally self-cleaning); a peaceful gazebo above a lily pond; designated treatment rooms for Ayurveda, massage treatments and yoga therapy; a hammam (steam room).

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