Guest Reviews

Les Maisons Wat Ko: "Distinguished by excellent staff; Best if you want quiet away from center"

"This property is very lovely, with a beautiful, peaceful, jungle-like setting. If you want a quiet restful time away from the hustle of the town center, this is your place. Rooms are rustic, but comfortable and gorgeous in the traditional Cambodian style. The pool and grounds have a wonderful spa-like feel and are particularly sumptuous at night. But the physical appeal of this property is completely surpassed by the excellence of the staff. Every single staff member was cheerful, solicitous and kind, greeting us with a welcoming smile every time we returned from an outing. They excel even by Cambodian standards of hospitality, which are very high. The food, although beautifully presented, was not particularly distinguished and rather expensive for Cambodia. We've actually had very nice dinners in France for less. The prix fixe dinner is a good choice if you want to stay at the property and relax in the fabulous setting. But if you want to get around and explore, you can find better food in town for much less. For those who do want to spend a bit of time in town, this might not be the best choice. It is a very long walk (we only did it once and that was enough). The tuk tuk arrangement was also sub-optimal. You can't just walk out the door here and grab a tuk tuk -- there aren't any around. The hotel has to call one for you. We also had a little confusion over this arrangement: the hotel actually pays the driver (charging you a markup). So don't make the mistake of paying the driver again, as we did. And as far as we could tell, you pay for a round trip whether or not the driver returns you. So, on our first trip, the hotel billed us $7 for what was only a one way trip. We paid a different driver $2 to get back (note the unmarked-up price). None of this is a big deal or a serious criticism of the hotel. It's just a heads-up that you should clarify with the hotel exactly what you are paying for when you get a tuk-tuk, so there will be no surprises. Stayed March 2017, traveled with family"

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Amazing Hotel"

Cheong Fatt Tze - Blue Mansion is an amazing place to stay. The mansion is beautiful, and very well restored. It is fantastic to stay in such an historic building; you feel back in time. The breakfast is ok, and the staff is very friendly and helpful. I loved it.

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Amazing people, amazing place!"

My wife and I visited in January, and Noel Rodrigo's Leopard Safari was our first stop in a week-long trip. After a 6 hour drive from Colombo, we were greeting at Camp with fresh towels, cocktails in the open air lobby, and then dinner under the stars. The food - wow, the food! - was delicious, the conversation with other guests enjoyable, and the service perfect. We did two game drives the next day and saw countless animals, including a leopard. Our guides were extremely knowledgeable about the animals, their habitat, questions we had, and more. The jeeps were well-stocked with snacks and sodas, and the food back at Camp between game drives - breakfast and lunch - was delicious. The curries, roti, and fruits were delicious. Lastly, we stayed in the standard tent the first night which was comfortable. I decided to upgrade to the luxury tent the second night to surprise my wife, and it is spectacular. Beautiful room, nicely decorated, and an A+. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend Noel Rodrigo's Safari Camp to others looking to see Yala National Park and the infamous leopards.

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "Excellent"

"Seadance resort provided a very laid back and relaxing experience for us from the minute we arrived. The location is fairly quiet but a short cab ride will get you to anything the island has to offer, if that's what you want. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the food in the restaurant excellent (great view over the pool and ocean), but above all the staff were excellent. They made us feel right at home, they were great with our two young boys (6 and 4) and clearly thought that nothing was too much trouble. It's fair to say the beach isn't awesome but it's still a sandy stretch where you can sit and watch the water, lie on a sunbed or let the kids play. We would go back to this resort."

Mie Cafe: "Creative, delicious vegan set"

"We weren't expecting a vegan option when we booked this place on friends' recommendation. But when we arrived, the vegan menu looked so delicious, we had to order it. The cute chef is very talented, taking common Cambodian ingredients (eggplant, tomatoes, herbs) and combining them in new ways. The vegetable curry was divine, and the open-air setting a delight. "

Jings Residence: "Clear winner"

"In 5 weeks of travel across mainland China, this is the standout, hands down, fantastic winner. The staff, guided by the competent and gracious host, Imam, are truly unique for their hospitality within China. Everything was meticulously prepared and organized, from check in to tea service to additional activities within the hotel. Keep up the great work and the friendly hospitality."

Rak Ko Jae Seoul: "Traditional house in bustling Seoul"

"Stayed for a night in the separate house (which has 2 bathrooms) with 3 other friends. The house was well maintained and clean!Hosts were responsive and helpful. You could borrow the hanboks from the host to try on and take Instagram-worthy pictures with the traditional setting. As if you just hopped on the time machine! What we love most was the breakfast! It's ""SEOUL YUMMY!"" (So yummy, pun intended). Just by looking at the picture is enough to salivate!' It's so good that we felt all other meals we had during our trip were just so plain and average! Words can't express how good it was. You have to try it to know it! :) The location of the house is not so straightforward. It would be good if you have wifi-egg to navigate and locate using your phone! Otherwise I would advise you to get detailed directions from the host before the trip. "

Manda De Laos: "Elegant dining, beautiful setting, first rate"

We wanted to have dinner at Manda de Laos, but it was sold out for a corporate event. After being convinced that our Caucasian features would prevent us from slipping in unnoticed with this predominantly Thai business group, we settled on lunch. The food was traditional Lao, informed by classic French technique. We had salad rolls, green papaya salad, roast duck, grilled fish, vegetables and plenty more. All was delicious. And the setting is magnificent. It is all open air seating, built around UNESCO Lotus Ponds with tables on little boardwalks surrounding them. When we went by to make the reservation, there was a man in a small boat floating around pruning the rushes and making everything just so. Service was excellent as was the food, the ambiance and the entire visit. We walked by later that evening to see the entire street backed up with vans dropping off the corporate guests and felt glad to have been able to get in at all. I am sure it is lit beautifully at night, but during the day, we could see the lotus ponds in all their glory. Highly recommended, but reserve early. It is pricey for Laos, but a bargain in any other part of the world.

Dewakan: "Amazing experience – does justice to local produce!"

"What an amazing experience, we were blown away by the flavours - almost exploding in our mouths at every bite. The last time I experienced something similar was in Heston Blumenthal's Dinner restaurant in London, so I would say this is pretty close! We were amazed at what they could do with locally sourced ingredients and they truly did justice to Malaysian flavours. Kudos to the team there. Highly recommended to try at least once!"

Rachamankha: "A masterfully curated sophisticated hotel"

"I could not wait to write this review as I was quite moved with the beauty and perfection in design of this elegant property. As an interior designer I adore traveling and observing beautiful interior design around the globe. This property is one of my favorites due to the masterfully curated art and antiques that abound within it. These things When paired with lovely, harmonious architecture and landscape design makes for a keen visual and sensual experience. I have great admiration for the creators of the environment called Rachamankha. The interior spaces, including the hotel rooms are beautiful appointed by a designer who employed restraint to produce balanced, perfectly appointed spaces that evoke a feeling of affluence and history. I especially enjoyed the attention to fine details like handmade candies in dishes, and a sensual decanter of cognac in the beautiful wood paneled Library which was teeming with books of art, travel, history and design. The proximity of this hotel is also of importance. It resides on a quiet street in the old town of Chiang Mai. The old town is very quaint and filled with history and charm while most of the other hotels are located in the riotous and poorly planned concrete sprawl of the newer part of the city. The calm and serene vibe that Rachamankha exudes is greatly helped by where it is located. The staff is reserved and sweet and eager to please without making a spectacle. It's as if they personify the quiet and humble sophistication that IS this property. If you enjoy the nuances of fine taste and refinement, this is the place for you."