Guest Reviews

Samanea Beach Resort: "Perfect for families"

"We stayed with several friends at Samanea, most of them families with kids, who loved the setting and the experience at the hotel. The villas are probably the largest in Kep, with huge beds and sitting areas. The showers are a special experience, and the outside seating areas are comfortable in rain or sun. The pool area is excellent, with a great size suitable for both kids and adults. The view of the sea is stunning, with a huge pier that is great for photos and sunsets! There are so many places on the resort to relax, with the nice canopy of trees, pool area, and sea view. It is not walkable to Kep beach or the crab market, so definitely need some sort of tuk tuk or rental transportation. What we were stunned most by was the excellent service--accommodating all of our needs and always helpful with all of our requests. Definitely recommended for long stays in Kep!"

Sandat Glamping Tents: "The best accommodation I have ever experienced, bar none"

"Where to start? I was a bit uncertain about the 'glamping' concept. But upon arrival I was instantly won over. My fiance and I were blown away by the design, comfort, beauty and cleanliness of the 'tent' we stayed in (the word scarcely does it justice). We stayed in the 'Ylang-Ylang' suite. Our own plunge pool, isolated from the world and facing deep into the jungle was perfect for quick dips to cool down from sunbathing, reading and generally relaxing. The wonderful staff even added rose petals in the evening of our last night, which was very romantic and an incredible touch. The circular bed was supremely comfortable and a great size (surprisingly - I'm 6'3). Every detail of the room was beautiful and perfectly presented. The area is a short drive from Ubud. The free shuttle service into and out of Ubud worked seamlessly, and the drivers were very happy, friendly and great to talk to. The breakfast was amazing. There were hot savoury Indonesian options, freshly brewed Kopi Bali (Balinese coffee), fresh pastries and muffins, incredible spreads (like local mango honey and coffee honey), and more. Breakfast is available from 7.30 - 11.30 - which suited us perfectly for our lazy, relaxing stay. Other reviews have mentioned insects and wildlife, so I will add that we didn't have any issues whatsoever. You should of course apply sunscreen and bug spray liberally whenever you go outside in Bali, and then you'll be fine. Lastly the staff here were just incredible. From Buda, our shuttle driver, to Wayan the yoga instructor who gave us our own personal lesson in the most incredible setting amongst the rice fields, to the amazing receptionist who after we complimented her on her local jewellery offered for us to take it(!!), to Tengo, the lovely manager who drove us all the way to the airport on our last day when the resort was short-staffed due to a religious festival. Please extend our personal thanks to everyone! This review might sound over the top, but I really am wondering how I will find another resort, ever, that will match Sandat. We absolutely adored the comfort, ambiance and the incredibly friendly staff. We will definitely go back and would recommend it to anyone."

Rachamankha: "Rachamankha Chiang Mai — Perfect Hotel!"

Quaint, quiet, peaceful -- we arrived Christmas night (2017) and had dinner in the open-air/outdoor dining area. There was a beautiful, roaring fire (real fire, not gas!) and a duet playing Christmas songs. Could not have been a more perfect evening. This is a lovely hotel. Service and food was excellent! Located in the center of town -- perfect location.

Maduzi Hotel: "I arrived to find they had upgraded me to a nicer room"

I have to say the location is wonderful and the staff have been great. The room is simply amazing and set up in a way that makes i feel bigger than it is and it is also ideal for someone who needs to stay at a place while doing work or business.

SEEDS Restaurant & Lounge: "Perfect business lunch"

Everything was just perfect. The food was amazing, with nice amuse-bouches. Service was good although a little too much attention for a business lunch. And of course the location by the lake and the attention to the decoration makes it all.

Dewakan: "Amazing restaurant – GO!"

"When we watched John Torode's Malaysia programme back in the UK , he showed this place and so we booked it for our last night in KL. I have to admit as it got closer I got concerned that we had made a mistake. No malaysian we spoke to in KL had heard of the place and it soon became apparent that it was on the outskirts of town, a good hour away from central KL and forms part of the KDU campus. I need not have worried however. The whole experience from start to finish was brilliant. The service was attentive, the team enthusiastic about the food and the food itself was inventive and interesting. We had the 17 course tasting menu and every dish was different and innovative in its use of traditional Malay ingredients. Notable dishes included a perfectly rendered crispy duck skin over succulent rare duck meat, as well as the almost Heston Blumenthal like childish fun of putting together the slow baked red snapper in broth dish. There was only one dish we didn't particularly enjoy, which was the prawn dish and we found the texture of the raw prawns a bit odd, but it was clever cooking nonetheless with the flavour combination. This place is worthy of a Michelin star. My only concern is that being so far out of town and having only 10 tables, it is not getting enough clientele. So please, please if you enjoy inventive and innovative cuisine, go to this restaurant."

Sanak Retreat Bali: "Moment de repos exceptionnel"

"Deux nuits dans ce petit établissement de charme. La vue est extraordinaire, l'hôtel est au milieu des rizières, l'atmosphère de paix et de sérénité est unique! Les chambres sont des bungalows répartis un peu partout. Jolie déco, très propre. Wifi quasi inexistant. Les cocktails de fruits sont à tomber et le spa de grande qualité. N'hésitez pas à vous faire masser. Les petits déjeuner sont à la carte et très bons également. Le mie goreng le matin est super bon. En revanche je pense qu'ils pourraient rajouter automatiquement du pain et viennoiseries pour tous les petits déjeuner, même pour le petit dej balinais. Les portions ne sont pas hyper copieuses. Le restaurant pour le diner est super, nous nous sommes régalés! Allez y les yeux fermés cet endroit à une âme!"

Tugu Bali: "Tugu Hotel Bali is a luxurious slice of history"

I stayed in a Dedari suite while I was at the Tugu Hotel Bali. I loved having the private plunge pool and outdoor swing daybed. I also quite liked the outdoor bathtub with attached koi pond. However, the hotel decor is what's so amazing here, and it is definitely one of the main reasons for staying at this hotel. Everywhere you look there are beautiful antiques and artefacts. It's a living museum. I also took in the Thursday evening cultural dinner which includes a Balinese dance and music performance. If you are a traveller looking for a truly unique Bali experience this is the place to have it.

Mie Cafe: "A Gem"

"There was a power cut during our first visit, they lighted up a lot of candles in order to carry on the service, we actually found it rather romantic ! My husband had the gourmet set and I had the scallops and beef curry, all very delicious. They gave us a discount as their appreciation that we stayed even there was a power cut, nice gesture. We went back for another dinner, we requested a table upstairs , very nice setting to look over the garden, unfortunately the next door restaurant was very busy with a lot of people and live singing etc. and hence we couldn't enjoy our dinner as much. Delicious food, attentive staff, great value. Would recommend this restaurant."

The Island Lodge: "Delightful respite"

"We totally enjoyed our overnight in Mekong Delta at The Island Lodge. We arrived mid-afternoon, about the hottest time of day but felt cool and relaxed as soon as we stepped off our boat. The staff was professional and very helpful in dealing with a passport/visa issue. The room was very clean, well layed out and the decor was ever so tasteful. We were able to make last-minute arrangements for spa treatments in spite of the late time of our arrival. The grounds are well-kept and provided a delightful area to meander and relax. Our dinner orders were taken upon arrival which, while unusual, did allow us to make a special request for extra small portions as we have small appetites. We were especially happy to be presented the requested small portions of each dish and were delighted by the wonderful meal. A special mention to the chef! While English is not spoken fluently by everyone on staff, that only added to the charm as we recognize we speak only five words of Vietnamese. Communicating is part of the adventure of traveling. We enjoyed a short conversation with the owners who, it is clear, love what they have created and seem to want to ensure their guests have the best experience. The only thing I found a bit less-than-perfect is the volume of the A/C unit. Normally I do not like to sleep with the A/C on but the temperatures made that impossible. Each room has its own unit which is loud enough that we were not able to enjoy the normal night sounds through the screened openings which, during our visit, consisted of thunder and socializing geckos. I definitely recommend this property if you have the opportunity to stay in the Mekong Delta."