He has recreated something very elusive: an atmosphere of ‘old Goa’. Apart from the guest bungalows, there’s a tavern serving delicious old-fashioned Goan food with a bit of other cuisines thrown in. Also thrown in is an infinity pool from where one gazes down into the lush valley and the meandering Nerul river. In the distance is the famous Nerul bridge, which was featured in the Hollywood action-thriller, The Bourne Supremacy.

A bedroom

There’s no souvenir shop in the compound: the souvenirs you take home are the flavours of home-cooking. There are no distracting activities, games and sightseeing tours on offer: your bungalow, and the landscaped sculpture gardens that surround it, are the main experiences.

Wildflower sits on a quiet breezy hill that is a half-hour walk inland from Candolim beach. With just five bungalows (of which the two largest have two bedrooms each) spread out across eight acres, exclusivity is the buzzword. Each bungalow is guaranteed privacy by the lush vegetation surrounding it; built on terraces, each has an unobstructed view. The garden, with its red-earth and gravel paths, is a meticulously executed reforestation project: some 1,500 trees have been planted so far, along with herb and vegetable patches; rainwater harvesting replenishes groundwater levels and no pesticides are used. All hotel waste is recycled and composted. The bungalows were built using timber rescued from demolished houses, and are furnished mainly with antiques or quality replicas to transport guests back to the good old days.

The hotel is a small miracle in terms of ecological responsibility; it is custom-made for people who wish their holiday to have a minimal negative impact on nature, and who cherish tranquillity.

If you’re worrying that life at Wildflower Villas is primitive, perish the thought. Although the large bungalows are designed to be naturally cool, they come equipped with ACs. And although Amol feels that people shouldn’t watch TV on holiday, there are flat-screen TVs. These bungalows, despite the old-world feel, are new (the hotel opened in December 2010) and there is no dearth of mod cons—my favourite gizmo was the snake-necked bedside reading light.

The pool area

Considering that Amol is something of a food enthusiast, you might not want to bother going very far to look for nourishment. The food at the resort has a robust and home-cooked feel to it, never too oily and no fake culinary fanciness. Just as I am chatting with Amol about food and life, he says, “I have to go and make you a prawn curry right now.” He dashes off to the kitchen to oversee the preparation, which he is very particular about, and then returns to resume our conversation. Of course, the curry is to die for and I pretty much lick the bowl clean.

For a boutique hotel the restaurant and bar rates are extraordinarily reasonable (main courses Rs 200-250; a beer Rs 50). The tavern is manned by the friendly and creative Ronnie, who has a repertoire of over 60 cocktails, both standards and exclusives. Among his 15 signature cocktails, there are some rather interesting feni mixtures, very much worth ordering if you don’t like your caju au naturel. One, which may soon become known the world over as ‘The View of Rio de Nerul’, has a refreshing, seductive flavour, almost like taking a swim in a blue river on a bright day; another, a feni aperitif with cherry brandy, is a powerful drink that is best had by a very serious lady or gentleman. Ronnie also does potent vodka shooters—one comes with a foot-high flame into which cinnamon is drizzled, giving off a fascinating scent combined with some tabletop pyrotechnics.

One final detail. Typical of Wildflower Villas is the watchful in-house dog, Mr Polo. If you’ve been sampling too many of Ronnie’s mean cocktails at the tavern and it’s getting late in the night, Mr Polo walks you back along the paths through the jungle to your bungalow. He’s your Goan guardian angel.

The Information

• Location North Goa on Saipem Hill, 3km from Candolim beach; 41km from Dabolim Airport (almost an hour by taxi)
• Accommodation 5 individual bungalows that sleep two or four persons
• Tariff Seasonal, ranging from Rs 4,500–11,500 for a double to Rs 6,500–18,750 for two-bedroom villas; breakfast included, taxes extra
• Contact 0832-2407329, wildflowergoa.com