Guest Reviews

Manda De Laos: "Has the Wow factor"

"From the street it at night there are no clues to what you will find when you enter this restaurant, right before you is the most beautiful lotus pond gently illuminated with dining tables nicely spaced around the edge. Stylish, romantic and impressive even before the food arrives which is a creative twist on local dishes with great presentation attentive without being obtrusive service which made for a quite delightful evening. Go on treat yourself........."

The Island Lodge: "A quaint oasis in the Mekong Delta"

We booked to stay at The Island Lodge for 4 nights in May 2016. After travelling through Vietnam from Hanoi and the North, and steadily heading south, we spent a couple of days in Saigon before going to the Mekong. Michel kindly arranged transfers for us from Saigon well before we left for our trip, and all went to plan. We drove down but you can get there by boat as well. It was just the perfect relax-a vous place after the hectic touring of cities. Our room overlooking the pool was excellent, and the staff were lovely, and tree so hard to please us, even though their English was not perfect- however much more perfect than our Vietnamese! It's a charming small resort, and we went on a personal tour with Michel on bikes along some amazing tracks we'd never find on our own, for around 3 hours, on the Ferry and through little villages with everyone saying hello along the way. It was a really unique and bespoke tour and Michel was the perfect host along the way. Food was great and we couldn't have been better looked after. If you are into small hotels which are well run, but offer something deferent to the big internationals, you'll love this place. It only has 12 rooms, so that'll give you an idea of how boutique it is.

Sanak Retreat Bali: "Loved it!"

"We couldn't fault this place, the location, staff, food, rooms, pool, spa - all fantastic. If we could have extended our stay we would have. We had a 1 bedroom bungalow which overlooked the rice paddies. Doors opened on 3 sides to allow the breeze to flow through and the planting around the bungalow ensured privacy. We ate in their restaurant which overlooks the pools and rice paddies. The food was good, the beef tenderloin was very tender and my other half couldn't go past the chocolate mousse each night. We were highly impressed by the breakfast, the food just kept on coming and was served with espresso coffee if you so desired. My non-coffee drinking husband enjoying a pot of freshly brewed lemongrass tea each morning, which he hasn't been able to find anywhere else. The pool was beautiful, the tiling a work of art and the temperature perfect. Comfy sun beds and plenty of sun umbrellas. The location in the hills is very nice, cooler than in the coast and less crowded, with the smell of drying cloves permeating the air."

Glenburn Tea Estate: "Paradise – what more could you ask for?!"

Glenburn looks, tastes and feels like paradise. It is a truly amazing place where you feel cocooned from the rest of the world. From the moment we were warmly welcomed by Ranjan, Angela, George and Kim we felt like part of the “family” and thanks to the excellent company from the remaining guests we had a wonderful stay. Our one regret was that we hadn’t stayed longer! We were staying in a room in the water lily bungalow. A short walk, we enjoyed the privacy that this afforded us from the main building. The rooms are gorgeous and the views have to be seen to be believed. Waking to sunlight breaking over the summit of Kanchenjunga and enjoying it from the comfort of your 4 poster bed is an experience we will never get to repeat! The walking is amazing - both through the tea estate and the colourful villages that house the tea workers with everyone you meet friendly. You don’t need to leave by vehicle once you arrive - indeed the road is so bad you should do all your excursions from the town of Darjeeling before you arrive! We were sorry that the recent civil unrest in Darjeeling had had such a devastating effect on the tea production here. The food was first class and the team went out of their way to cater for our vegetarian diet. If we had stayed longer we would have left a stone heavier! We loved our “bed tea” a great touch. People should note that evening dinner is served “en famille” with other guests which may not suit everyone. Overall a wonderful experience. All our fellow guests had been before and we soon understood why. Location, service and luxury - what more could you ask for. Thanks to all the team there.

Pindaya Farm House: "Just Wonderful!"

"We completely endorse all previous comments. Having driven thro a patchwork of colourful fields in rolling hills, we were warmly welcomed. You can hear the silence here. Very comfortable beds, excellent bedding (warm too luckily, it hit freezing at night!) and high class shower and bathroom fittings. Midday saw us sitting on our balcony in the sunshine drinking in the view. The owners can arrange all sorts of trips and treks, but don't miss the weaver in the village up the road. Our only small criticism, which didn't bother us too much, or detract from our enjoyment, is that the sound insulation between us and our neighbour was not very good. It certainly helped us get to know, and make friends with them quickly! We hope it improved trans Atlantic relations"

The Hue House: "Great place for authentic Hue cuisine"

Very nice rooftop view with the great astmophere, can make you feel like you're in Hue. The food was so awsome and exotic with stranger names like Cao Lau, com Am Phu... The owner is very funny and friendly.

VILLA SONG SAIGON: "A luxurious and peaceful escape from the bustle of the city"

"Our first two nights in Vietnam were spent at Villa Song. This was the most idyllic way to kickstart our holiday. The location beside the river is specatular. We had the suite on the top floor with the little parlour. Our two girls slept in the parlour which worked perfectly - leaving us in the four poster bed. This is a very romantic, charming hotel - the furnishings and fittings are beautiful. But the key for us was that it is away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The first day we were collected by tour company Les Rives to take us by boat to the Chi Chi Tunnels – this was perfect because they could simply collect us and drop us back at the hotel’s private pier. The restaurant is fabulous – a beautiful al fresco location for dinner and breakfast. "

Sukoon Houseboat: "Best Houseboat in Dal Lake. Period"

"First and foremost for all those who are apprehensive and are scared to visit Kashmir, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE EVEN A BIT. Kashmir is pretty safe for tourism with no issues whatsoever. Whatever we see in the media is overhyped. Even if there are any issues out there, it will never affect tourists in any way possible. Kashmiris take very good care of tourists and they understand the importance of tourism in their life. So please do not think twice if you are planning for a vacation to Kashmir. IT IS VERY VERY SAFE. Now, about Sukoon (The houseboat). Sukoon is a luxurious houseboat located away from the hush gush in a serene location with a mind blowing view. Unlike other houseboats, they have their own boat which will take you from the Ghat to the houseboat. It is pretty convenient. Reception and welcome: As soon as you enter the houseboat, it gives you the Kashmiri feel as the interiors are done in traditional Kashmiri style. The reception area is very nice and cozy. Rooms: The interiors are very nicely done with traditional Kashmiri carvings and are well maintained as well. They have dim lights in the rooms which creates perfect ambience. Rooms sizes are perfect. Bathrooms: Very clean, very nice. Very well maintained. Food: (Dinner and breakfast) They have a small dining area. They prepare ala carte food as per the choice of the client. They do not have buffet system here which is a good part. Food is included in the tariff and you can choose from the list of available options from the menu card. Food is tasty. Very tasty. They have a deck area above the houseboat where breakfast is served. It gives a perfect start to your morning as you are having breakfast with the beautiful dal view. Just like the dinner, you can choose your breakfast items from the menu and they will make it for you. Breakfast is also very tasty. Staff: Very humble, courteous and polite. All of them work really hard. They go out of their way for the convenience of their client. Sukoon has a no plastic policy. They are trying to do their bit to protect Dal lake from ever increasing pollution. They serve clean water in glass bottles and copper vessel. This should be appreciated rather than complaining that why don’t they have sealed bisleris. Final Verdict: Just book this if you want to enjoy the serene and beautiful Dal lake. It is surely the best houseboat out there."

Reverie Siam: "Top hotel"

Fabulous rooms. Fabulous staff. Great food. Fun town. We stayed 4 nights and couldn't believe our luck. Sumptuous breakfasts fantastic shuttle to town anytime. Nice swimming pool. Beautiful room and bathroom all with scenic views Reverie is almost certainly the besthotel in Pai

Muang La Resort: "Relaxing setting, great food and lovely staff"

We spent three days at Muang La resort. We went in the low season so had the resort (10 room resort) to ourselves. We had a river view room (highly recommend) and we could hear the relaxing sounds of the river flowing outside our room. The resort has two elevated hot tubs, using water from the hot natural springs. We enjoyed a Lao massage too.  The resort is set on the river, which is constantly used by the local villagers to fish and bathe.  We organised a couple of excursions once we had arrived. This was probably easy for us to do as we were the only residents.  The food was great. Every night there was a five course set menu based on local Laos cuisine. Breakfasts were great, with tropical fruits, divine home made yoghurt, croissants and scrolls, as well as eggs as you like them. Nothing is too much trouble. Everyone is very friendly and helpful.  The village of Muang La is a little difficult to get to but worth the effort. I am happy to recommend Muang La.