Our Team

Salvador Mascarenhas
Co-Director

People often say that it's possible to take a Goan out of Goa, but it's impossible to take Goa out of a Goan. And that's right.

I have spent most of my career working abroad with an exclusive clipper cruise line. I crossed oceans and docked at many fascinating ports-of-call, all the while being attentive to the needs of passengers from many different walks of life. Guests, peers and superior officers all appreciated my genuine friendliness and my natural flair as an entertainer.

But my heart was always at home. I wanted to put down roots and build my own resort from the ground up. So Avalon Inn was the perfect answer.

Now, everything I do has a direct impact on how guests enjoy their stay, and that makes me sing a lot sweeter. Our goal is to make sure that your stay with us is comfortable, pleasurable and truly Goan.

Erika Shantz
Co-Director

For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to the water. My childhood summers were spent close to Long Island Sound full of gulls and shells at low tide and, as an aspiring young professional in Austria, I adored nothing more than a peddle-boat ride on a crystalline lake in autumn.

For almost two decades I was a logistics and customer service manager in the European healthcare industry, an occupation which certainly brought out the best of my organizational talent and business acumen. But all along a dream of mine to run my own show was maturing and during a visit to Goa in November 2004, the genie was out of the bottle.

Four years later, Avalon Inn - a true labour of love - is opening its doors to receive guests. Given our proximity to the magnificent ocean, the rush-and-pull of waves is ever-present in the background. We have also been very discerning in our choice of colors, textures and shapes right down to the aromatic flowers in our garden and the appetizing food we serve.

We know what sets a great vacation apart from a good one. We strive to give our patrons a unique and authentic holiday experience in an atmosphere which stimulates the senses in a way possible only in India.