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 3 October 2026

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

Guests are in an unfamiliar house. They do not know which switch runs the geyser, where wet waste goes or whether they may use the washing machine. Every unanswered question becomes a phone call, a mistake or a complaint. Small, friendly signs fix that without you saying a word. Keep them polite, short and in English and Hindi if many of your guests prefer it.

How to use this list: every orange View on Amazon button is a link. “Our pick” opens the exact product we bought for a real setup. “Recommended model” opens one specific, well-rated product of the type and brand we use, so you can add it to your cart without searching or comparing hundreds of listings. Prices are Amazon.in prices from our last check (date in brackets); tap the button for today’s price.

Gate and entrance

  • House name and number, lit at night, so taxis find you.
  • “CCTV in operation” at the gate.
  • “Please ring the bell” next to the gate bell.
  • “Please leave shoes here” at the shoe rack.

Common area

  • Wi-Fi network and password.
  • Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Your licences in frames (Goa Tourism registration), which builds trust.
  • Where the first aid kit and fire extinguisher are.

Kitchen

  • “Please wash and put away what you use.”
  • “Switch off the induction after cooking.”
  • “Wet waste only, keep the lid closed” on the kitchen bin.
  • “Drinking water” on the RO tap.
  • Washing machine instructions and the charge per load, if any.

Bathroom

  • “Please do not flush tissues or sanitary products.”
  • Which switch is the geyser, and “please switch off after use”.
  • “Save water” near the tap, especially in summer.

Rooms

  • “Please switch off the AC, lights and fans when you go out.”
  • Check-out time, on the back of the door.
  • “No smoking.”

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

“The property was spotless and well-equipped with everything needed for a comfortable visit. Ulhas was an excellent host—always responsive and very accommodating with our requests.”

— Mario, 5★ on Airbnb, May 2026

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 signs does a homestay need?

House name and number, CCTV notice, Wi-Fi password, quiet hours, fire extinguisher and first aid locations, kitchen and waste instructions, bathroom do-not-flush and switch-off reminders.

Where should the Wi-Fi password go?

On a sign in the common area and a card in each room, so guests never have to ask.

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
  7. Supplies and maintenance

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