The Village House: "Gorgeous hotel!"

Review by: Rachel L | Source: Trip Advisor
"Such a beautiful hotel! So incredibly relaxing to spend time here. We loved the hammocks and reclining chairs with the view of the pool. The gardens are lovely, and the decor is really interesting. Nice rooms too! The whole place is romantic, relaxing, dreamy. The eight course ""Taste of Borneo"" was a memorable last night in this beautiful oasis. We booked a sunset wetlands tour. Gorgeous sunset skies, everything still and peaceful. We saw dolphins and proboscis monkeys, and after dark, spooky crocodiles, and an abundance of fireflies. Also arranged by the hotel, we went to the nearby cultural village. We'd cynically expected a Disneyfication but it was wonderful and very interesting. Stayed March 2017, traveled with friends"

Locavore: "Still surprised after reading all the reviews about Locavore"

Review by: Rianbkk | Source: Trip Advisor
"It doesn't happen to me very often, but in this case the atmosphere and expectations raised by the reviews of hundreds of Tripadvisor members did not reflect the genuine experience we had by dining at Locavore. This kind of intro-paragraph will mostly precede a rather negative and contrary viewpoint but in this case I must say the evening we spend here was truly mesmerising. The amuse-bouches were drenched in local flavours even though some fitted on my fingernails. Imagine with that the 'Ashes' cocktail (you will indeed put a burning stick into the concoction, thus releasing a fair bit of ashes in your drink) and culinaire paradise in coming into wide view. The mains - we went for the 7 courses menu - were a mixed bag with caffeinated fish as a weird but surprisingly good part of it. Overall it is the combination of the nouvelle-cuisine presentation on the dishes combined with the exotic, original and authentic taste of local ingredients (chili pepper flowers, anyone?) that made this a very special evening for the both of us. Do try the Balinese coffee at the end. With a total bill of around 2.700.000, including two glasses of excellent Sangiovese, we probably spent more than half the average salary of the people working there, but as this works out at 160 Euro it was money more than well spend."

Sea Dance Resort: "Where everybody knows your name"

Review by: chris S | Source: Trip Advisor
"...and they're always glad you came..." That theme song from the TV show "Cheers" should be this friendly resort's theme song. It seems that the staff always welcomed us by our names like a friend or family member. Great resort with clean, spacious, modern rooms. They really paid attention to details such as providing mosquito swatter, sprays, umbrellas, and unique decors too such as a pond with fishes and frog in the bathroom, fish net baskets as lights in the restaurant Loved the happy hours, buffets, entertainment provided, plunge pool privacy and expansive menu at the restaurant. All great ideas for my club facilities back home. Would definitely come back. Only drawback is the lack of scheduled on site activities and equipment fitness center. They do offer cooking classes but would be nice to have more, such as yoga or Thai cultural classes. The beach was rocky but water is clean and refreshing. Thank you so much to the staff and owner for a memorable stay.

Villa Song Saigon: "Is Villa Song as good as before"

Review by: David B | Source: Trip Advisor
We visited Villa Song in May 2015. Our review was a bit gushing but accurate. We finally made it back for our second visit hoping it would be as good.......it is better. If you were to write a handbook as to how to run a 5 Star boutique hotel, start with Villa Song. Nothing is left to chance. The staff are professional, friendly, efficient and so happy. The rooms are stylish and very comfortable. The pool and public areas are excellent. The restaurant puts out superb, beautifully presented food created by Chef Kevin and his brigade - you won't get bored with his brilliant and evolving menu. A guest asked for a drink from the bar that the bar staff were not familiar with. My wife told them the ingredience but before they gave it to the guest, they mixed two and brought them to our room to see which was better before mixing it for their guest.....service? I could go on and on about the hotel. In my first review I said that they treat you like an honored guest. This time we felt like friends. Who knows - next time we may be treated like family and have to make our bed and wash our own dishes...we will still be back as soon as we can. 'Our Second Home'

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Nice Place, Friendly Guide"

Review by: Salsabila Putri P | Source: Trip Advisor
Aside from the unexpectedly historical building and the long tale of Cheong Fatt Tze and his family, the guide who told us the story was also amazing. Talking enthusiastically about history for almost 2 hours straight mustn't easy. On top of that, she's super friendly and willing to answer every visitors' questions.

The Tiger’s Eye: "Superbe Dining in The Penh"

Review by: veronique B | Source: Trip Advisor
Truly a superb dining experience in a lovely, modern setting. This is probably one of the best in Phnom Penh, but the price is very reasonable considering the quality you're getting! Everything is amazing, from the cocktails, salads, main courses and desert. They have many vegetarian options and a great selection of wine, and they make their own bread, which is amazing, don't forget to get the bread!! Truly a lovely restaurant, either for a casual lunch with friends or a romantic dinner... They also make a great brunch. Highly recommended!

THE SAMAR: "Ideal spot for exploring!"

Review by: PILloyd | Source: Trip Advisor
"We stayed here for 5 days two days longer than planned but it was so nice here we stayed a couple of days longer. The room was class, very clean and of high quality good shower. Price wise we got a good deal, you can get cheaper and hunt all day long for the best price but we were very happy in that respect. We ate out a lot, breakfast was good just what we needed, good evening meals too, good local food which is what we are here for! Tuk tuks were easily available and the drivers were a right old laff, took us to all the best places to visit, nothing like a local to show you around the temples better than a guide book! All in all we had a fab time and would highly recommend Samar Villa to anyone, can't wait to come back!"

Tandjung Sari: "Just perfect"

Review by: eFFemeer | Source: tripadvisor.com
This hotel has everything a good hotel needs. Lovely staff, superb bungalow rooms, excellent food, nice beach and swimming pool. Beautiful gardens and wonderful collection of Balinese sculptures. Highly recommended

Villa Song Saigon: "Charming hotel in a stunning location"

Review by: Maria F | Source: Trip Advisor
"Pure peace and tranquility next the Saigon River, absolutely stunning place which exceeded all our expectations. Beautiful, colonial style rooms with stunning views, fabulous food all served with the Vietnamese hospitality. We felt wonderfully pampered and spoiled. "

Mie Cafe: "Splendid dinner … best yet in Siem Reap"

Review by: Ian F | Source: Trip Advisor
Lovely setting, great menu, and food was perfectly cooked and presented .... Crab Bisque, then Curried Langoustine ... All outside seating, fans no A/C, but fine for us ... Give it a try !
instagram youtube linkedin blog tiktok

Travel Asia with Secret Retreats

Secret Retreats is a curated community of independent boutique hotel, villas, yachts and river boats keen to share their Asian Homes with travelers, sustainably and responsibly. Conservation of the environment, culture and traditions of Asia is of paramount importance to all in Secret Retreats. A community of like-minded hospitality professionals, we offer our guests authentic travel experiences that go beyond typical offerings to unveil the essence of Asia. Supporting the Asia based hoteliers and hospitality professionals and providing incredible holidays in Asia and tailor-made Asia travel itineraries direct to public ad travel agents.
Get inspired and make savings!
By booking direct with Secret Retreats and enjoy peace of mind from our full on the ground support. Contact our concierge and plan then book your Asia holiday now!