Guest Reviews

Muang La Lodge: "Something quite special"

"We visited out of season and were the only guests in the resort. We were welcomed by Mr. Xay, the assistant manager, who in the absence of the manager, was running the resort. Both he and his team were absolutely excellent. Although it is likely a lot of the staff were local villagers we had no problems with communication. The rooms are big and very comfortable, they are set around the large gardens some with a balcony view of the river . The swimming pool is set on an island situated in the middle of the river reached via a wobbly bridge.The pool has it's own bar area, which also has cooking facility for light meals. There is a hot tub fed by a natural hot spring. My wife had a massage, which she said was very good. We took one of their excursions , a 4x4 into the hills walking in the forest followed by an excellent packed lunch, which we ate in one of the villages. The guide on this was superb, it involved crossing several streams ;he cut me a bamboo pole to help.We were introduced to, ate and survived, a lot of vegetation we had not come across before The food in the resort was some of the most enjoyable we had in S.E. Asia, eaten outside overlooking the river. An evening 5 course set menu. The Laos beer is good and reasonably priced. Breakfast was excellent with freshly baked croissants and pain au chocolate eggs etc. We were sorry to leave and we are grateful to Mr.Xay and all his courteous, efficient and thoughtful staff for looking after us so well."

Misool Eco Resort: "Wonderful vacation"

"We visited for 7 nights and had a wonderful time. The diving was exceptional. My wife and I have about 80 dives from Fiji, Bali and the Caribbean, so we are experienced but not experts. The dive team was fantastic and the sites themselves were the best we have been to by far. All close by. The resort does much more than talk about ""eco"" . They are dedicated and it shows in almost all that goes on. Food was great, accommodations were comfortable and the staff is very helpful, I went and got a pot of coffee the first morning to bring back to our porch and the next day they brought it to us at 6:30 am. It is not a luxurious, stuffy, place but very comfortable and unique in the world. We had water cabin 5 and I think it would be my choice in the future because it is sheltered from the afternoon sun but my wife thought water cabin 8 would be preferable because it is a little more private ( it gets the sun in the afternoon though) We will go back sometime for sure."

The Cabochon Hotel: "What a gem"

Perfect boutique hotel. An oasis in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Newly built in an old style but you would never guess - very comfortable and well furnished. Good swimming pool on the roof. Very nice staff.

Le Du Wine Bar & Restaurant: "Lovely service, imaginative food, and great attention to detail"

"I read an article about Le Du and was intrigued by its promise of elevating Thai style food. I have been in Thailand for several weeks and have enjoyed the food but not been blown away by anything that I have not tried before until tonight. We elected the 6 course tasting menu. This is really a bit more than expected because there is an amuse bouche and a fruit plate that is not listed. Server was Erica who was warm, attentive and knowledgeable. The dishes range from sea bass, river prawn, aged beef, pork jowls and a sustainable fish. Each was presented with a lovely Thai inspired sauce and accompaniment. While all the dishes were terrific in their own way, our favorites were the pork jowls an the sea bass. The lovely staff recognized my husband's celebration of his birthday with an extra dessert. So what would I say could be improved: the beef dish was the weakest in that while flavorful, it was a bit chewy. I did not observe the concerns voiced by other reviewers as a high noise level, or feeling of being rushed. We were dressed in a neat manner and felt welcome. We thought the bill was reasonable for this type of meal. Yes, there is a service charge but the charge is 10% which in our opinion is low for the amount of service and 50% of the expected tip in the US. I did find the reservation system challenging. I made a reservation for one evening, and then realized we would be open earlier in the week and tried to change the reservation. I sent an email, and initially, did not get a response. The hotel clerk called for me and changed the reservation, But I received no confirmation of change. This is partly my fault because the hotel gave the name on my passport which is slightly different ( nickname versus formal first name) that they did not recognize as the same person. We called again, confirmed and a few hours later I received a change of reservation with right day, wrong time. 2 more calls and 3 emails later, it was cleared and confirmed. So lesson learned; choose the time you want on the first try. Also, the location is a little tricky. It is in a a Soi or a little alley. So leave a little time to find it."

The Island Lodge: "Serenity"

"Recently went here a second time and it pure bliss. The resort is stunning, beautifully designed accompanied by good service and a wonderful, peaceful atmosphere. We live in Saigon and we usually travel outside the country when we have any spare time but we make time to come to Island Lodge because it's that's great. We're actually going for our third visit in less than a week. Can't wait. "

The River Resort: "Great resort! Great location!"

"We were a group of 8, friends and family, and all loved our stay at the River Resort. The resort is stunning. The facilities and grounds were designed thoughtfully, are well kept and beautiful. The rooms were clean, comfortable and had everything we needed. The views of the river from the resort are not to be missed. Best part of all was the team at the resort. Mr. Wech and his team took care of us so well from start to finish. They were nice, helpful and a joy to see every day. The resort location is perfect for exploring southern Laos. All the famous waterfalls and Bolaven Plateau were easy for us to get to by van, Wat Phou was only 20 mins away. The resort's proximity to Champasak Town (2km) allowed us to ride bikes into town, play petanque with the locals, visit all the interesting wats. It was also peaceful to spend the day at the resort, getting a massage, swimming, taking in the views and observing river life. Our group very much appreciated having these options which enabled us to experience Laos on different levels. The resort is luxury without the pretense. We loved our stay. I hope to be back there again."

The River Resort: "Wunderschön"

Es geht nicht besser. Eine wunderschöne Anlage. Wir hatten ein Zimmer im ersten Stock mit Mekongblick. Unser Zimmer war geräumig und praktisch eingerichtet. Der Boden hätte etwas sauberer sein können. Vielleicht wurde nicht feucht gewischt? Bei unserem Einzug waren die Fächer recht staubig. Wir haben sie vor dem Einräumen ausgewischt. Der Service war ansonsten einwandfrei. Gerade auch im Restaurant. Die beiden Pools sind sehr schön, es sind ausreichend viele Liegen vorhanden.

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "This is an adventure not a hotel"

Arriving after mid day we were presented with a fantastic lunch, and then, after a short break taken out on the first of our four safaris. Noel has the inside running on the gig. He knows how to avoid the crowds and where the animals are likely to be (picking up on the signs most of us look past or do not hear). He goes straight to the front of the line at opening time for a first run on the empty roads (which animals also find it convenient to run along). Noel uses Land Cruisers with proper rounded off road tyres and adjusted suspensions, and provides high quality binoculars which adds to the experience. The food and service, no doubt reflecting Noel's experience in the airline industry, was of the highest standard. The tents are true safari camping tents - not glorified hotel rooms dressed up as a night under canvas ("glamping") - but still comfortable and very much fit for purpose. Note there are no promises about what you will or will not see. If you want a 100 per cent guarantee as to spotting a Leopard I recommend a zoo - otherwise embrace the adventure.

Cuca: "OMG"

Forget Bali, this will be one of the must eat places in Asia. Sous Chef William creates magic with his team - do try their Desserts, Cocktails besides the oh so amazing food.

Satri House: "A Beautiful Place"

"Quiet location. Lovely hotel with wonderful gardens,and secluded small areas with Buddha statues and ponds.The pool was beautiful to swim in. Very comfortable room. Helpful,charming staff with local knowledge."