Tucked into the forested landscape of Siolim in North Goa, The Ten cascades as a sprawling white villa, eschewing the typical Goan clichés. Instead, the architecture reveals itself gradually. A sculptural fountain studded to the wall glows in its own garden. Step inside and the double-height lobby sets the tone: semi-private seating alcoves create intimate pockets for conversation, while a striking artwork of Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary immediately makes one pause by the frame, reminding guests that Goa's rich biodiversity is as compelling as its beaches and remains unexplored.
Inside, the mood is restrained but far from austere. Laterite, lime plaster, natural stone and rattan lend the interiors an earthy lustre while warm wood finishes soften the edges just enough to keep things inviting. The Ten houses just ten luxury suites, each designed with its own distinct character rather than following a uniform template. The mezzanine-level, two-bedroom suites open onto private balconies overlooking the surrounding forest canopy, while the standout accommodations are the expansive ground-floor four-bedroom suites. They open out to green pockets with private pools, blurring the line between indoor comfort and the lush landscape beyond.
Founder Manak Singh envisioned The Ten as the sweet spot between a luxury hotel and a boutique home. It pairs thoughtful turndown services of a hotel with the warmth of an intimate boutique retreat, where guests settle in, meet the team over a conversation, and ease into their stay instead of going through a formal reception check-in. Singh knew what he wanted the suites to look like, but the team also knew what they wanted it to feel like. As General Manager, Stephanie Leong puts it, "The emotional architecture of the space comes through in every experience we curate. Everything is built with intent. We've stayed away from giving every guest the same itinerary because luxury today isn't about more choices—it's about the right ones. We get to know our guests first, then tailor experiences that leave a lasting impression."
With decades of experience at ITC and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Stephanie Leong is rethinking luxury hospitality at The Ten. Experiences are curated keeping in mind the local culture and ecology rooted in Goa; it could be a workshop, an interactive culinary workshop or an experience crafted by our in-house Chef; an outdoor excursion celebrating culture and heritage or an adventure hike to discover the rich biodiversity of Goa; everything centred around a traveller’s interest. “By collaborating with naturalists, artists, historians and members of Goa's creative community, we aim to offer experiences that are authentic, intimate and deeply rooted in Goa”, Stephanie adds. This preference for personalisation also found its way into the design.
Architecture Makes Room For Both Openness and Seclusion
Designed by architect Rita Mody Joshi, the ground-floor suites unfold like private duplex residences. Two bedrooms occupy the lower level, while a staircase leads to an upper lounge and two additional ensuite bedrooms. The openness between the levels immediately catches the eye. With walls intentionally pared back, the living and dining area becomes the social heart of the suite, visually connecting to the suspended lounge above and creating a seamless sense of flow. The architecture strikes a thoughtful balance between openness and privacy.
The suites are bookable individually or as a single private estate for larger groups and multi-family vacations with a shared courtyard. At the heart of every suite is a generous living space that spills out to a private plunge pool through floor-to-ceiling sliding glass walls. The transparency of the design blurs the line between indoors and outdoors, allowing light and shadow to shift across the interiors throughout the day.
I began my mornings with a swim in the plunge pool, stepping straight out from the living room into the monsoon-soaked landscape. This is when Goa feels at its most magical. The surrounding forest foliage almost gatecrashes up to the lawn, while the breeze shakes loose droplets from the canopy overhead, creating the magical ambience of a forest with showers falling twice, from both sky and canopy. Between passing showers, the sun breaks through, casting beautiful silhouettes across the glass and pool.
Personalised Meals To Live Cooking With The Chef
There is no menu at The Ten. Instead, every meal begins with a conversation. Before arrival, the team reaches out to understand our preferences, dietary habits and favourite cuisines, allowing the team the time to source the produce. Helmed by Chef Rajat Pandey, formerly of The Leela Bangalore, all meals are personalised by him. Between courses, he often drops by to check in to see if every meal is bringing smiles to the table. Being a true-blue Bengali, I naturally gravitated towards Goa's seafood. From there, the experience unfolded as equal parts surprise and indulgence.
Breakfast arrived in-suite: Turkish eggs paired with warm poee, a vibrant fruit platter and freshly brewed coffee to ease into the morning. Lunch, however, turned into an immersive affair. During a live cooking session, Chef Rajat walked me through the finer techniques behind ‘Rawa Tawa Fish’ and an aromatic ‘Goan Bhangra Fish Curry’, where the tang comes from the coconut vinegar. He also introduced me to a fragrant ‘Chicken Ghee Roast’, a speciality from Kundapur, the coastal Karnataka region bordering Goa, where smoky Byadgi chillies lend the dish their signature depth, colour and gentle heat. The chef’s table also had the Goan-style dal ( lentil curry) and amaranth leaf curry with a dash of cream. Another delightful surprise was the ‘Goan Ros Omelette’, a comforting street food which he tweaked as a restaurant-style dish: a combination of a fluffy omelette smothered in a spiced curry and topped with succulent prawns. We were stuffed to the gills, but Chef had one last trick up his sleeve. He quietly slipped in a luscious ‘Banoffee Custard’ for dessert, too irresistible to turn down.
Private Excursions As Per The Traveller’s Taste
Stephanie and I quickly bonded over a shared Kolkata connection; she traces her roots to the iconic Bow Barracks, a neighbourhood that has long been part of the city's cultural fabric. It was evident where her sensibilities of hospitality art are coming from.
In the afternoon, I headed out for a biodiversity walk across the Sorrocco Plateau with Nester Fernandes, a marine biologist and founder of Canopy by the Coast. Beyond its beaches, Goa is a mosaic of mangroves, wetlands, forests and laterite plateaus, each supporting remarkable biodiversity. As we walked, Nester was joined by a naturalist, Yash, who pointed me towards some of the state's lesser-known nature escapes, from Salvador do Mundo, Aldona and Revora along the Chapora River to Chorla Ghat, which is steadily becoming a haven for wildlife enthusiasts, especially those interested in herping, the study of the micro fauna.
Just 40 minutes from Siolim, the Sorrocco Plateau looks deceptively ordinary, a vast grazing ground where cows appear to have claimed permanent residency. This laterite plateau is one of Goa's most fascinating biodiversity classrooms. Monsoon-fed streams sliced through the red earth, creating miniature worlds inhabited by skittering frogs, centipedes and creatures that seemed determined to stay perfectly camouflaged until someone pointed them out. Then came the mosses. I'd never imagined moss could be this interesting, but our naturalist explained how these velvety green carpets quietly engineer entire soil ecosystems, giving countless other plants a place to thrive. I discovered my newfound interest in the kingdom of fungi. Wild mushrooms had popped up beside night bloomers, beautiful enough to photograph, but definitely not to sauté.
As dusk settled, out came the torches, and our naturalist Yash casually announced that we were now going snake-spotting. The conversation drifted to kraits with the sort of calm confidence among our group of herpers that only someone who spends their evenings looking for reptiles can possess. I, on the other hand, quietly began questioning myself: ‘Am I that adventurous?’ It turns out I love biodiversity, provided it isn't slithering towards me.
The Ten Offers ‘A Sense of Belonging’
The Ten could be nestled in a quiet green pocket of Siolim, albeit it is not far from the buzz. Every evening we decked up for dinners around Assagaon. The service feels personal, be it booking a new restaurant everyone is talking about in Assagaon or planning a bar crawl. We had to step out for the neighbourhood bar, Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Boilermaker, to try the ‘Siolim Salsa’ built on a short serve of tequila, with jalapeño, gochujang and citrus; Chef Kunal Kapur’s Pincode to try his ‘Pressure Cooker Chicken’ and ‘Kolkata Prawn Cutlet’. We couldn't help shopping for tableware and interior decor at Assagoan’s Rangeela store, and turning a corner, gourmet shopping awaits at BrooklynBardez.
The Ten feels like you are staying at a friend's luxury home. One is gently nudged into Goa's susegad state of mind, can wake up late, and breakfast will still be served just the way you like it. No menu restrictions - what if it rains and we feel like having a comforting bowl of Ramen with a choice of protein? For high-tea, if you desire a creative herbal tea, the Chef prepares one. Everything is scheduled around you, as Stephanie adds, “We would like to be a space that guests return to with a sense of belonging”.