Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, Happy Moon Homestay may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only list the kinds of items we use at our own homestay in Aldona, North Goa.

By Ulhas Polle, host at Happy Moon Homestay, Aldona, North Goa, since 2024 · Updated 2 October 2026

Our track record: Google 4.9★ (130 reviews) · Airbnb 4.88★ Guest Favourite (41 reviews) · Booking.com 9.8/10 Exceptional

Guests forgive a small room. They do not forgive a bathroom without water, without hot water or with a damp, smelly corner. At Happy Moon Homestay our most common bathroom complaint used to be no water, and the fix was not in the bathroom at all (see the Swaranjal tank indicator in the power and water guide). This is the bathroom list we use for every guest bathroom, and it is the same whether you run a homestay, a guest house, a villa or rent out one room with an attached bath.

How to use this list: every orange View on Amazon button is a link. “Our pick” opens the exact product we chose for a real setup, so you can add it to your cart without searching or comparing hundreds of listings. Where we recommend a brand rather than one model, the button opens a filtered Amazon.in search. Prices are what we paid in October 2025 and will have moved a little.

1. Hot water

Our hot water comes from 500 litres of solar water heating, with an electric geyser for cloudy monsoon days. For the geyser, I prefer AO Smith.

  • AO Smith water heater (geyser)neededone-time
    Reliable, with a long tank warranty. Backs up solar heating on cloudy days.
    View on Amazon →

2. Fittings that make sense

Choose a toilet roll holder that lets you slide a new roll on easily and has a covered, flat top, so guests have a dry place to put their phone.

  • Covered toilet roll holder with a flat topneededone-time
    Easy roll changes, and a dry shelf for the guest’s phone.
    View on Amazon →
  • Toothbrush and soap standneededone-time₹529 (Oct 2025)
    Our pick: View on Amazon →
  • Towel rackneededone-time₹1,079 (Oct 2025)
    Wet towels go here, not on the bed.
    Our pick: View on Amazon →
  • Bathroom mirrorneededone-time₹800 (Oct 2025)buy locally
    Buy locally with mirror screws.
  • Latch for the bathroom doorneededone-time₹281 (Oct 2025)
    Keeps the bathroom door closed so smells and insects stay inside.
    Our pick: View on Amazon →
  • Exhaust fanneededone-time
    The best defence against damp and mould, especially in the monsoon.
    View on Amazon →

3. Towels and mats

4. Bins, brushes and cleaning

5. What guests use every day

What our guests say about this (verified Airbnb reviews):

“This place is very clean (no insects either!). The room was plenty big. Good quality pillows and mattress. Bathroom was well maintained as well.”

— Tanishq, 5★ on Airbnb, August 2025

“It was spotless (very clean) and had all the promised amenities. Having kitchen access and fun activities like carrom and a swing (dolna) was an unexpected perk. I liked it so much that my planned two-day trip turned into a six-day stay!”

— Guest from Hyderabad, 5★ on Airbnb, October 2025

See it working before you spend a rupee

Everything in this guide is running at Happy Moon Homestay in Aldona, North Goa. Book a consultation: two hours on site with me, walking through the security setup, power backup, rooms, kitchen and the systems that keep reviews at 4.9★, and then your own property and plan. ₹10,000 for 2 hours. Free for persons of Goan origin. Staying the night is optional and charged at our normal room rate, so you can experience it as a guest.

Book a consultation on WhatsApp →

Want us to set it all up for you? See our done-for-you Airbnb setup service.

Frequently asked questions

What geyser should a homestay use?

We prefer AO Smith geysers, backed by solar water heating so the geyser only works on cloudy days.

How do you stop guests complaining about no water?

Fit a wireless water level indicator on the overhead tank. We use Swaranjal; it shows the level indoors and when to run the pump.

How many towels per guest?

Three: one in use, one in the wash and one spare.

The full homestay setup series

Start with the complete checklist with real costs, or go area by area:

  1. Security and outside the property
  2. Power, water and internet
  3. Kitchen
  4. Bedroom
  5. Common area and dining
  6. Bathroom (this article)
  7. Supplies and maintenance

Staying in North Goa? See our rooms at Happy Moon Homestay.