Simple suits Agonda: a wooden headboard, or a plain upholstered panel in a linen-look weave, sits better in a beach cottage than deep buttoned velvet. The practical side agrees. Rooms face a salt wind and stand closed through the monsoon, so thick padding against an outer wall will take up damp and smell when the door is opened again. Fix the board a little proud of the wall so air circulates, seal the backing on both sides, and choose a synthetic cover or leatherette from which guests' sun cream and wet hair will wipe off. Screws and brackets should be stainless. A plain shape is also the easiest to re-cover.
- Beach cottages: a slim panelled board in linen-look polyester, mounted on stainless brackets with a gap behind it.
- Yoga retreat rooms: a sealed wooden headboard, which needs only a wipe and keeps the pared-back style of the place.
- Small resort bedrooms: leatherette panels in a sand tone, wall-fixed so they stay put whatever guests do with the beds.
Agonda is a long, straight beach north of Palolem, with a church at one end and a single road running behind the sand. It is quieter than Palolem, known for its calm and for the turtles that nest on the beach, with beach cottages, yoga retreats and small resorts.
Properties are small resorts, cottages and village houses. The style is simple and natural: cotton, cane and wood. Outdoor seating and verandas matter as much as the rooms.
The beach is open to the west wind and salt spray, and the monsoon closes most of the beach-front for months. Natural fabrics look right here but need replacing more often than synthetics.