Planning to visit Goa? Don't stay at Marriot!

I went to Goa, for the first time, on 9th and 10th April 2015 to attend the South Indian Transport Council Meeting, of which I am the Secretary. Unfortunately, the conference venue was Hotel Marriott and I was booked a room there by the organizers. 

The flight from Trivandrum to Goa was a hopping one, actually it hopped thrice since take off- Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune till it reached the destination. It took 7 hours for me to reach Goa airport.

I had stayed at Marriott in London in May 2012 for a week and  it was a wonderful experience. My husband and son joined me in London making it all the more lovely.

But at Marriott in Goa, I was made to wait in the lobby for almost 35 minutes. I didn't mind waiting at first since the view was breath-taking. The lobby overlooked the sea although it was at a much lower height and the wind was pleasant even in the height of summer. I was hungry by then since all I had was a sandwich from the flight which they repeated after every stop and which I refused after the first one. When I went down to the restaurant for a bite, the staff  asked me for the room number. When I said it was still to be allotted, they suggested I have some juice before going for the full lunch. This irritated me, so I went up since some officers who came to attend the conference were waiting to see me and by the time I finished chatting with them they told me that my room is ready.

So, I checked in to room 235 by 3 pm though I reached the hotel just after 2.15 from the airport. The drive from airport to Marriott took an hour.

Being the secretary of the conference, I hurried to the conference room after changing into a saree in half an hour. The pre-inaugural business session was to start at 4.30 pm and the Union Minister for Transport was to inaugurate the Conference at 7 pm. 

As is common in India, (IST- Indian Stretch Time!) the business session started at 5.30 pm and Minister arrived at 10.00 pm! By the time it was over, the time was 11.15. There an official dinner arranged in an adjacent room, which I found over crowded on getting there and I presumed by the time I finish dinner after standing in the queue, it would be tomorrow. I woke up at 4 am that day to catch my 6'O clock flight so I was tired and had a headache. Besides, I am not much of a foodie and thought the coffee I had during the break would suffice for the night. 

I had a peaceful, dreamless sleep till 7 am on 10th and woke up refreshed and very hungry! The session that day was supposed to start at 10 AM. I took a bath and went downstairs for the breakfast by 8 AM. 

I sat on a table. The waiter asked me if I needed tea, I asked for coffee and went around the tables to see the spread. I took a bowl and mixed some cereal, wheat flakes and rice crispies and poured some hot milk on it... when the witch turned up!

She wore a white mini skirt and white shirt. She had a yellow smiley pinned on her shirt pocket. She was slim and fair and smiled, from a distance she must look cute, but her face looked like a witch, especially in hindsight. She asked me if I came to attend the conference and I was honest. "For delegates of conference, breakfast is arranged in the adjacent hall. Please go there." She said.

"In the same hall where dinner was arranged yesterday?" I asked, putting down my untouched cereal bowl.

"That I don't know, I wasn't there yesterday, but I am instructed to tell you that you should eat from there," she smiled.

"I stay in a room here, in this hotel. I prefer to eat from here." My tummy grumbled as I eyed the delicacies around.

"It is the same arrangement next room. Come, I'll show you." She led me from the restaurant to the hall nearby, the same hall I avoided getting into for the last night's dinner. Two men in white were busy arranging something there. Witch left me at their mercy.

"What do you want?" one man asked. 

"Cereal with hot milk. Toast and boiled eggs." I told him.

"Oh, we don't have that. Only idly sambar is available." He smirked. What???

"Ok, I'll have idly then," I conceded since my tummy was really growling.

"Oh, you will have to come at 9.30. It is not yet ready." He said.

Something snapped inside me. I was far too hungry and my mood changed in a jiffy. 

I shouted at the waiter-"Stuff your idly and yourself! I am a guest staying in this hotel. I want to see your restaurant manager ASAP!" My inherent police qualities came out.

I was escorted from the hall back to the restaurant to which people were slowly straming in for breakfast.

"What sort of attitude is this?" I shouted at the boy who claimed to be Manager of Food & Beverages, mindless of the staring eyes. 

"It is a misunderstanding. We were instructed to escort delegates of the conference to the other hall," he said.

"Who instructed you? Besides, I am not just a delegate, I am the Secretary of the conference and a guest of this hotel. Isn't breakfast included with room rent? I come from the land of Idly, I don't want it. I want to eat from here. I want some continental food and I am starving!" I was in a foul mood.

"We will get your cereal madam." At last, I got a 'madam' from someone!

I looked around for the bowl I placed on the table, it was missing. It maddened me further.

"You throw away food, but do not let your guests eat? I am a senior police officer from Kerala, I am a guest of the Government of Goa. Do you know you have humiliated and insulted me?" I was on the verge of tears.

"Please sit down madam. Shall I get you coffee?" He offered me a glass of orange juice which I gulped down without thinking. I realized that it tasted like urine! A huge lump formed in my throat. 

I saw the witch near the door, speaking pleasantries to a foreigner. I walked over to her." What is your name, witch? Hiba?"I read from her name plate next to the smiley. "You ruined my day. I'll see that I pay you back and ruin yours!" And I walked out of the restaurant and the hotel.

I had breakfast from a nearby Government resort- Miramar Residency, in the open air. Dosa, chutney, omelette, coffee and kesari. It tasted like heaven. And I shifted to the Police Guest House which poor IGP Goa arranged on a second's notice. I loved my stay at the Police Guest House... an old building with large rooms right in the heart of the city!

Later I came to know from the organizers that food was arranged for delegates of the host State in the hall next to the restaurant and all those who came from other States stayed at their respective hotels were arranged breakfast at their place of stay. Even after I told them that I stayed there, I was denied breakfast at the restaurant! 

I further found that they treated Indians like dirt and were extremely cordial to the guests from abroad. Marriott indeed!

I filed a complaint on line as soon as I arrived. No response so far. Over the net, I saw blogs and laments of several tourists who kept saying that their complaints to Marriot were ignored. I also saw that Marriott gave themselves 5 stars and probably write false reviews too since it is hard to believe some reviews!

Goa is a good place. All sea, beautiful churches, forts, great food and restriction free living. Liquor is sold across the counters in super markets and malls. For every shop, there are two bars. Floating and non floating casinos, discos and eateries... lots of adventure sea sports... Goa indeed a lovely place. But if you go there, avoid Marriott at all costs. The staff is rude, they make you wait and they deny you food and take pleasure in humiliating you.

HOW TO BECOME AN IPS OFFICER- SOME TIPS

Many youngsters ask for guidance to become an IPS officer, one of the readers of my blog recently asked me how to become a 'good' IPS officer! To be an officer in the Indian Police Service is a truly great career. A police officer, especially in a senior rank can do a lot of service to the people and to the society. Doing service to others is extremely satisfying, only by doing this will one realise its beauty. An IPS officer is given Uniform, the authority and the required training in the laws of the land to ensure peace and order and to prevent crimes. In case crimes occur, he/she has the authority to take action to see that the offender is apprehended and he is subjected to the due process of law.
To become an IPS officer, one has to write the Civil Services Examination conducted every year by the Union Public Service Commission. The first stage is CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) held in August, which is a preliminary exam, a qualifying test to see if applicants are eligible to write the mains which is held in December. Those who clear the mains will be called for a Personality Test and based on the overall marks scored, applicants can get into IAS, IFS, IPS and other Central Services. The internet is full of information about the syllabus, the qualifications and criteria required to write the exam and the model question papers. There are several instututions which offer coaching facilities in India, but those who prepare from home without attending any special classes also get into the Civil Services.
OK, introduction is over, now here are my tips.

1. Introspect, if it is really IPS that you want and whether the job will suit you emotionally as well as physically. This is important. You should wish to become an IPS officer only if you are 100% sure that you will make an awesome Police Officer.
2. Have a burning desire to become an IPS officer. Think of yourself in uniform, think of what all good things service to the public you can do as a senior police officer, think & feel the pride of wearing the uniform.
3. It is not a good idea to feel that since someone you know or somebody else is an IPS officer, so should you too be. Please do not aim for the job considering the salary it may fetch you, the dowry/marriage you will get,  the power or false sense of supremacy that it may give you or if you have a score to settle with someone after getting into the job. Aim for the position just because it is a great opportunity to serve the Nation and its people and because it is the most befitting job for you.
4. Of course, it goes without saying that you have to prepare for the exam. Now you can write the Civil Services Exam till the age of 32 and you have 6 chances too. But why do you have to waste so much of time and effort for this? If you are serious, you can clear the exam earlier. When I wrote the exam in 1985 and 1986, I suffered and overworked a lot. I didn't eat or sleep well, but spent that time too to study. I had a terrible complex, so I worked head over heels for it. I cleared the exam in my second attempt, but looking back, I feel I should not have worked so hard and suffered so much to get into it. If you plan it early and work steadily according to a time schedule, it will be much easier to get into the Civil Services.
5. Finally- about being 'good' or 'bad'. All of us are by nature good in everything. Our life, relationships,  health and  job, all of these are intrinsically good and it will remain so until we take an effort to make it bad. If we lie, cheat, are greedy and hate everything and everyone, then our life and relationships become bad. If we smoke, get addicted to alcohol or drugs, misuse or abuse substances and do not take care of our body, then our health gets bad. If we are corrupt, egoistic and too selfish in our job, our job becomes bad. See, being good or bad is entirely dependent on ourselves. So if you become an IPS officer after all the hardwork and dedicated studies, you can only be a good IPS officer unless you choose to become a bad one!
All the best to all young aspiring Civil Servants! May God bless you to get your desires materialised at the earliest!