Guest Reviews

Rak Ko Jae Seoul: "Wonderful Experience – Hanok in Bukchon"

This beautiful property tucked away in the Bukchon neighborhood of Seoul is an absolute gem! We had the opportunity to spend 3 amazing nites in the Rak Ko Jae, and during our stay we met Winnie, our fabulous and very accommodating host. She prepared amazing breakfastes and was so delightful to chat with. Loved our quaint sleeping quarters and the heated floors. Plus the supercool old school korean tub. So enjoyed just snooping around the amazing complex. I'm running out of superlatives to use! Also, check out the hot sauna, sweating until you cant keep your eyes open (in a good way!). We'll never forget our visit.

Villa Mathis: "Le paradis"

Nous n'aurions pas pu imaginer meilleur découverte pour cette première nuit à Bali.un concept magnifique,le cadre exceptionnel,le personnel discret mais toujours là quand il faut,quel bonheur pour ce premier réveil au paradis.Un grand merci à Bruno pour ce dîner romantique aux chandelles pour notre voyage de noces,malheureusement,nous n'avons pu te remercier directement.et merci de nous avoir confiés ensuite à Karine à Mathis Retreat.une chose est certaine,nous serons vite de retour au paradis.

Tugu Malang: "The most wonderful hotel in Indonesia"

We have stayed in Malang city for a week or two almost every year for 44 years & for the past 22 years we have stayed at Tugu Malang. Not only is Tugu Malang the best hotel in Malang but we maintain that it is the best hotel in Indonesia. The atmosphere, the design, the décor, Pak Anhar's wonderful collection of antiques and artifacts displayed about the hotel, the swimming pool, the bridge over the koi pond with the most beautiful koi fish I have ever seen - the experience never ends. The food at the popular & wonderful Melati Restaurant never fails to satisfy. Fabulous menu, always excellent food and the largest range of Nasi Gorengs in Indonesia. Never miss Nasi Goreng Tugu & Nasi Goreng Bang Samin - my mouth is watering at the memory. We always bring friends & guests to eat at the Melati Restaurant and it appears that many of the travellers who stay at other hotels in Malang also prefer to dine there. The best spa and massage facility is without a doubt at Tugu Malang. Most of all, the wonderful, friendly staff are fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble. We love being spoilt and pampered at Tugu Malang and would never consider staying anywhere else in Malang. See you again next year.

Tugu Lombok: "Entspannung pur auf Lombok"

"Im Anschluss an eine lange Indonesien Rundreise waren wir für 5 Tage im Tugu Hotel auf Lombok. Nach schlechten Erfahrungen im Tugu Hotel in Malang auf Java sind wir mit einem etwas mulmigen Gefühl angereist. Zum Glück haben sich unserer Befürchtungen nicht erfüllt. Das Hotel liegt an der Nordküste von Lombok quasi gegenüber von der Gili Air in einer noch recht ursprünglichen Bucht mit einem langen und breiten Sandstrand. Hier gibt es nur noch 2-3 weitere, ebenfalls kleine Hotels. Nach dem Trubel von Bali eine Oase der Ruhe. Da wir mit dem Bluewater Speedboat von Bali angereist waren, hatten wir nur 10 Minuten Fahrt vom Bootsanleger zum Hotel. Der Empfang war sehr freundlich und wir fühlten uns gleich willkommen. Trotz der frühen Anreise um 09:30 konnten wir schon um kurz nach 10 Uhr am Vormittag unsere Svarga Villa beziehen. Die Svarga Villa ließ kaum Wünsche offen. Sehr schöne, stilvolle Einrichtung mit landestypischen Möbeln. Der Wohn- und Schlafraum war sehr geräumig mit großem Bett, mehreren Tischen, Sesseln und einer Couch. Zwei Klimaanlagen sorgen für ausreichend Abkühlung. Das Bad liegt im kleinen, von einer Mauer umgebenen Garten und ist teilweise überdacht. Die Villa verfügt auf der Eingangsseite über eine Terrasse mit Sesseln und Tisch. Einen Kritikpunkt haben wir: Das Licht im Bad ist zu dunkel. Das macht das Schminken für die Frau unmöglich und das Rasieren für den Mann schwierig. Auch ein großer Spiegel im Wohnraum wäre hilfreich. Das Hotel verfügt über zwei Restaurants und zwei Bars, wobei das zweite Restaurant nur an einigen Tagen geöffnet ist. Da das zweite Restaurant nicht regenfest ist, kann es vorkommen, dass man bei schlechtem Wetter im anderen Restaurant etwas enger sitzt. Einmal mussten wir sogar in der Bar essen, da die Anzahl der Gäste anscheinend falsch kalkuliert worden war. Das war sogar relativ gemütlich. Trotzdem wäre zumindest ein kostenloser Aperitif als Entschuldigung eine nette Geste gewesen. Das war aber der einzige Patzer, den sich der Service geleistet hat. Ansonsten waren wir mit dem Service rundum zufrieden. Die Bedienung im Restaurant ist zwar etwas unkoordiniert, funktioniert aber trotzdem erstaunlich gut. Für das Essen ist man auf das Hotel angewiesen, da es außerhalb außer den anderen Hotels und einem Country Club keine weiteren Restaurants gibt. Die sehr gute und abwechslungsreiche Küche des Tugu läßt jedoch gar nicht erst den Wunsch aufkommen, woanders zu essen. Neben dem Standardteil der Speisekarte gab es täglich wechselnde Gerichte. Auch für Vegetarier bietet die Karte eine große Auswahl. Die Qualität der Speisen war hervorragend, die Portionen so groß, dass wir uns immer zwischen Vor- und Nachspeise entscheiden mussten. Beides war nicht zu schaffen. Die Preise sind der gebotenen Qualität angemessen. Die Fischgerichte und die indonesischen Gerichte waren immer eine gute Wahl (Red Snapper, Hühnchen im Bananenblatt gedünstet, Auswahl an Sate Spieße und vor allem mein persönliches Highlight ""Empal daging sambal ijo""!). Für einen angenehmen Start in den Tag sorgt das Frühstück, das ""open end"" serviert wird. Man kann also auch mittags frühstücken. Das Frühstück wird a la carte am Tisch serviert. Kein nerviges Gerenne zum Buffet. Man bestellt nach Herzenslust aus der Karte, auch mehrfach. Die Auswahl ist sehr umfangreich. Am besten geschmeckt haben uns die diversen Frucht Bowls mit Müsli. Aber auch die verschiedenen Omelett- und Eiervarianten bieten für jeden Geschmack etwas. Dazu kommt eine große Auswahl an Tees, Kaffees und Fruchtsäften. Mit das beste Frühstück, das wir bisher in einem Hotel hatten. Das Hotel bietet eine ganze Reihe von Ausflügen an, die an der Rezeption gebucht werden können. Nach 3 Wochen Rundreise wollten wir aber nur noch ausruhen und haben das Angebot nicht genutzt. Lediglich einen kurzen Ausflug mit dem Mountainbike haben wir unternommen. Am Strand und an den beiden Pools stehen ausreichend Liegen zur Verfügung. Zusätzlich gibt es kleine Hütten oder Bambusbetten mit Polstern, auf denen man hervorragend relaxen kann. Der Strand ist sehr sauber. Baden ist bei Ebbe aufgrund des niedrigen Wasserstands nicht möglich (nachmittags), aber die beiden Pools sind tolle Alternativen. Am Strand kann man kostenlos eine Schnorchelausrüstung leihen. Leider ist auch Lombok von der Korallenbleiche betroffen, sodass es außer einigen Fischen wenig zu sehen gibt. Zum Schwimmen sollte man unbedingt Badeschuhe tragen, die kostenlos geliehen werden können. Es gibt scharfe Korallenbruchstücke und v.a. sehr viele Seeigel! Zu empfehlen ist auch ein Ausflug mit einem der Kanus. Wir haben unseren Aufenthalt im Tugu Lombok sehr genossen und können das Hotel nur empfehlen. Ein idealer Ort, um einmal richtig auszuspannen und sich verwöhnen zu lassen."

Les Maisons d’Itac: "Best place we stayed in the Philippines"

"Me and my gf spent 4 nights at Les Maisons d'Itac. We were supposed to stay for 3, we loved the place so much we decided to stay 1 more night (we couldn't stay longer as the Mayson Ulisse was not available anymore, so we kept our travel plan on). What can we say? Bryan (who spoke italian, we're italians and we have very charming and nice conversations during our stay) has been the perfect host. Always ready to help, charmful and totally welcoming. We booked our trasfers to Bantayan and back to Cebu through him and it was just perfect! The food at the maisons is great, the location awsome. They have an amazing spot for snorkelling just in front of the resort that you can reach in a few mins swimming. What makes this place special (apart from the view, the nature around, the sea) is the SILENCE. In almost a month in the Philippines we never found such a relaxing spot, where you can fall asleep at night hearing at the waves sounds. A true dream come true. If you're looking for a place to stay around Moalboal (it can be reached in 25 minutes scooter ride from the resort, you can rent just asking Bryan) DO NOT HESITATE to book a stay at the Maisons. p.s: say hi to Itac and Stacey for us :) Ciao! Andrea & Marta Room Tip: Maison Ulysse is a must-to-try!"

Hotel Tugu Lombok: "Lombok at its best"

"Rooms can be beautiful, beaches pristine clear, food excellent (and all of this was), but what makes an hotel stands out from the rest is its staff! I do not know when and if I shall return to Tugu Lombok but it has made a mark in my travel experiences! Everything eas just so perfect and the last night surprise when we returned to the room way so thoughtful. We just felt genuinely welcomed as guest and not just customers! We leave this hotel with a feeling I have very rarely felt in all my travels! Thank you Tugu hotel Lombok"

Glenburn Tea Estate: "A hidden gem not to be missed!"

A stay at the Glenburn tea estate is a truly unforgettable experience and we loved every minute of it. Whichever way you look from the delightful gardens or from either of the beautiful bungalows there is a wonderful vista, even when the mountains are shrouded in mist. Unfortunately for us, the weather was not at its best when we stayed in late March/early April, but we were lucky enough to be there for 5 nights and so we at least had 2 fabulous mornings when we were treated to the breathtaking views of the Kanchenjunga mountain range from the comfort of our room. Our room (Camelia) was fabulously spacious and beautifully decorated in English country house style with a lovely seating area, and French doors onto a small balcony with magnificent views. The bathroom was enormous with roll top bath and huge walk in shower. We did not see any of the other rooms but all other guests seemed just as impressed with theirs, and we gather the views are wonderful from each and every room. The food was delicious with an imaginative and varied menu and, despite initial reservations, we really rather enjoyed the communal dining in the evening. It was very interesting to meet such a variety of people from all over the world. I think perhaps my husband was a little bored on the last evening being the only man at a dining table full of rather verbose women! There was plenty to keep us amused during our 5 night stay with a visit to the tea factory, walks around the estate looking at the flowers, birds and butterflies, a lovely (though quite tiring) hike to the river camp with a tasty meal when we arrived, and a day trip into Darjeeling. We could have done a lot more but, after the hustle and bustle of Kolkata, and because the gardens were so idyllic, we relished in the opportunity to relax, reading, chatting, playing cards and drinking plenty of Glenburn First Flush tea! All of the staff were friendly, helpful and efficient, and hats off to the multi-talented Nilima and Luna for being such lovely and well-informed guides, but also for running the shop and helping with the organisation of the staff welfare programme, amongst a multitude of other skills. A very big thank you to Jemima, Holly and all the staff for a truly memorable and delightful stay........ We hope we will return one day.

Rahai'i Pangun Wildlife River Cruises: "We had a super time on this river cruise — don’t miss it"

Great boat with plenty of room, great staff and trip leader and very interesting way to see orangutans. In addition to seeing these interesting animals, we also had two very interesting village tours and went to the BOSF foundation to learn more about their goal of saving as many orangutans and other endangered animals (and their habitats) as possible. We think this trip was the highlight of our trip to Borneo!

Maduzi Hotel: "Best small hotel in Bangkok"

"I visit Bangkok 8 - 10 times per year on business, and have stayed in most of the CBD hotels over the years. I am also in the hotel business, so I tend to be quite picky about room design, service, and F&B.. This hotel has it all: Great location 5 minute walk to both BTS and MRT, extra large well-designed room with separate entry foyer for privacy, large bathroom with big shower and jacuzzi tub, and walk in wardrobe. Original paintings and antique carpets for a decorative touch, Bose sound system for music or movies, in room espresso maker, and free mini-bar for snacks and refreshments. Common areas include a beautifully appointed living room which is the perfect spot for relaxing with a book - or meeting with VIP clients. The restaurant provides semi-private dining areas, separated by bookshelves stocked with books on design, culture, and history. Best hotel breakfast in the city - fully a la cart menu features a great selection of dishes from black truffle quiche to Japanese confit of rainbow trout to home made granola and yoghurt with goji berry sauce - served until 2:00 pm. Twenty-four hour room service menu is good quality and fairly priced. The highly efficient staff work well as a team (the sales and marketing manager served my breakfast twice) and are super friendly. Special mention to Khun Poom who seems to be everywhere at once and is a master at arranging ground transport or fulfilling other special requests. Staff English proficiency is substantially better than most hotels in Bangkok. Complimentary early check-in or late check-out upon request, a very competitive room rate, and perks for direct booking / returning guests - no other hotel in the city comes close in terms of value, ambiance, service, and location. Stayed January 2017, traveled on business"

The Apsara Rive Droite: "The Apsara Queen"

"We stayed at the Apsara Rive Droite so that we had a swimming pool as in the old part of Luang Prabang the boutique hotels don't have the space for a pool. We were not disappointed - this is a small boutique hotel with only about 12 rooms. The service from the staff was fantastic and they were very helpful in recommending things to do even though this is not our first visit to Luang Prabang. The rooms are spacious with big balconies looking over the river to the old part of Luang Prabang. The hotel has a little 'punt' called the Apsara Queen to take you back and forth across the river to the old part of the city where you can wander around. This is walking distance of all the restaurants, bars and shopping so it is a great location. The punt operates 24 hours a day so there is no worry about getting home late or leaving early in the morning to see the monk walking around collecting their alms for the day. We used their bicycles to ride around the weaving villages and then to ride into and around the old part. It was very easy as it is mostly flat and an easy cycle with little of no traffic. Worth doing to explore the side of the river that the hotel is situated on. Very interesting riding past the homes with woman weaving or doing other crafts. Excellent opportunity to buy direct from the person that makes them. When we go back this is the place we will be staying at ....... highly recommended."