Casa Zen is a 150 year old Portuguese villa in the beautiful village of Saligao in north Goa. The property was completely restored by celebrity couple Arshad Warsi and Maria Goretti and is an architectural gem in the right way to maintain the architecture and heritage but to put them into harmony with the modern era. Instead of demolishing to create new ones, the couple has preserved the villa’s character, its layout and the basic elements and updated it as well to suit the contemporary world. Today the beautiful sanctuary is a home for the owner and is available as a luxury holiday rental from Wildflower Villas to travelers to be able to be part of Goan history.
Casa Zen is at its heart a personal, curated experience driven by Maria Goretti. There are no luxury-laden furniture in the rooms in favor of a more emotionally anchored and warm feel that we can get from the home. A cherished wooden cupboard from Goretti’s grandmother, another antique from her mother and crockery handed down through generations are all part of the home's collection and that makes for an emotional touchstone. Such historical things come with vibrant colour, patterned floor tiles, antique furniture and an array of contemporary art, and a lot of that makes for a space that is very different from others while still respectful to the colonial past of the building.
Nature is also central to the Casa Zen experience. The villa is surrounded by a majestic, lush green mango tree, and this is the most beautiful aspect of a beach house and the most romantic place to come for the vacationers in Goa. Open-air verandahs, breezy halls and well designed outdoor seating are all part of the setting for a slower life routine and a good time on the beach by day and the evening to settle down and hear the sounds of the world around you. And the property proves that heritage and modern sustainability can coexist and solar panels are installed on the property to meet the needs of modern energy generation with the old-school feel of the villa.
Casa Zen is as beautiful as it is expensive, and is not one of the most comfortable holiday homes. It is a living testament to memory, craftsmanship and the memory of hospitality, and to a woman’s love and affection for her family. By opening their doors to visitors, Arshad Warsi and Maria Goretti have provided a piece of living history that the visitors can take home with them and also that they can take with them a home of history and family and a good living room.
