Arumdalu: "Calming Escape from Urban Life"

Review by: evellyntan | Source: Trip Advisor
"If you ever find yourself in a sea-tuation in need for a peaceful green retreat and a doze of Vitamin Sea, then the answer you're looking for is Arumdalu Private Resort in Belitung. My first-ever trip to Belitung and Arumdalu surpassed all my expectations of a private resort in a small developing island- less known than Bali. We stayed a total of three days and two nights. Absolutely ah-ma-zing! Throughout our stay, the staff members are all very friendly, extremely polite, and offer helpful services 24/7. On my very first night, we were having trouble with the wifi connection from our multiple devices. It was past midnight when I called the front desk for assistance. The receptionist assisted us for a long time over the phone and maintained his professionalism all throughout. We were very thankful for his patience and kindness. The whole facility is really gorgeous, with beautiful architectural details and greenery. Everything seems to be thoughtfully designed and managed for the sole purpose of comfort and privacy. This place offers absolute privacy (underlined and bolded.) On top of its general secluded location and the private beach, each villa is designed with complete privacy in mind: gated entrance, dense greenery as partitions between villas, and a personal swimming pool. There is also a sense of exclusivity through minimal interaction with the staff on daily basis. For instance, there is no specific timeframe for room cleaning service and the staff wouldn't knock on your door to clean up your space. Everything is only a phone call away. How convenient! Another highlight is ‘Sahang Beachfront’ restaurant. The restaurant evokes a strong cozy ambiance. The wooden glassed space with home-styled table decorations creates an extremely familiar intimacy. The veggies and fruits used as ingredients are organically grown and freshly picked from in their own garden. Bottom-line: the food here is worth the calories to satisfy your palate. Personal side note, as an architect that values design and craftsmanship as well as an avid believer of living a sustainable lifestyle, I feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction staying in a resort that proactively shows and promotes its core values of their thoughtful quality design and eco-friendliness. Oh! Did I mention that I saw 6 dolphins by the shore while waiting for sunrise? Such a therapeutic comfort. Personally recommend Arumdalu to those seeking for a calming luxurious natural escape from urban life Stayed February 2017, traveled with family"

Tugu Malang: "Lovely place, lovely staff"

Review by: Jochiminh | Source: Trip Advisor
Stayed here for just one night whilst passing through Malang. Have been planning to stay here for a while though due to good reports. The staff were super friendly on arrival and got me checked in quickly. Afternoon tea was delicious and very welcome, and then a trip to the spa for my 15 mins welcome massage plus another hour which was fantastic. Dinner was scrumptious - please note there is a separate vegetarian menu but you have to ask for it. So much food on offer! My room was great with a lovely soft bed. There are a number of breakfast menus - so much choice! I had an upset stomach and once I told the staff they brought me some herbal tea to help. The staff also gave me a free bag of coffee and some bread snacks to keep me going on my ride back to Surabaya. I didn't want to leave! Will definitely be back to explore more of Malang and experience the Tugu again. Terima Kasih banyak! Sampai Jumpa Lagi!

MesaStila Resort and Spa: "Wonderful get away in central Java"

Review by: ProfHarrison | Source: Trip Advisor
This is a wonderful resort set in the middle of a coffee plantation. A cool respite from the heat of Yogyakarta, the service in this resort is first rate, from the front desk to the restaurant etc. My wife indicated that the massage she received in the spa was one of the best she has ever had. The breakfasts were fabulous, the views awe-inspiring, and the arrange tour to the Borobudur temple was excellent. My only negative is that the fitness equipment was really second rate and not operational when I was there. But everything else was great!

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Peace and tranquility"

Review by: JESSICA A | Source: Trip Advisor
Beautiful, beautiful, rural location. You feel completely out of touch of the modern world and utterly in touch with nature and your surroundings. Amazing spa, best massages of my life and beautiful products to be bought here. As a real yogi I loved the yoga on the beach every morning free of charge! The food was delicious and the staff were so accommodating to my slightly poorly stomach (from previously in my trip) and made me food of the menu to keep me perky!

NEELESHWAR: "Exceptional in every way"

Review by: A TripAdvisor Member | Source: tripadvisor.com
"My husband and I did the 7-day detox package, which includes yoga, meals made to suit our constitutions and health requirements, and 2 luxurious Ayurvedic treatments a day, plus consultation with their Ayurvedic Doctor. There's no doubt we've never felt better, but on top of that we were thoroughly impressed with the exceptional service, the kindness and attentiveness of the people who work there and the stunning gardens, pool and sea views. And the food is an art - fresh, creative, flavourful and satisfying. Truly a first class experience, with every detail attended to beyond our expectations. What makes this place special above all are the wonderful people who will make your stay more than just a vacation, but a lifelong memory. It may seem expensive, but it's worth every dollar! If you go, be sure to take their free bicycles out for a ride in the village! "

Muang La Resort: "Magical and relaxing"

Review by: cath116 | Source: tripadvisor.com
Staying here was worth the drive! Peaceful, relaxing, and downright magical. We stayed four days and each day felt more at peace. It was wonderful to watch the locals go about their activities on the river from the balcony of our comfortable room. Rui-Yang and Jean-Roch were helpful and caring hosts. We enjoyed the excursions to the hill tribes and to the local village and temple. The food was delicious. I'm glad that the staff are locals - they are so kind - and Rui-Yang or Jean-Roch were always available to translate. The grounds are beautiful, and gorgeous butterflies are everywhere. This is a simple, charming and beautiful hotel, with a real sense of place. Loved our stay here.

Villa Song: "Absolutely amazing"

Review by: Theboydeys | Source: Trip Advisor
"We stayed at this wonderful hotel as a splurge to ourselves at the end of our holiday that was to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, from the moment we arrived every single staff member was amazing and the hotel absolutely beautiful. We had a quick check in and we're told about breakfast and everything else we needed for our stay, they give you a map and even highlight the taxis that tourists should use. After we went to our room we went to explore and the lovely Yega introduced himself to us and asked if we were happy with our room, of course we were it was beautiful he later asked if we would like a free upgrade and would we like to see the other room as they had had a cancellation , oh my goodness I thought our other room was beautiful this one was absolutely amazing, as Yega explained no room in the hotel is the same as any other, I could have cried our room was that special , I don't think it would matter what room you got they would all be amazing . The rooms are super quiet and have great blackout curtains. The walls are nice and thick so you can't hear the people next door. The bathroom have great toiletries including toothbrush and paste, razor, loofah and sewing kit.I was very happy to see scales in the room it made checking the weight of our luggage so much easier. The room is also equipped with a pod coffee maker, kettle and teapot and complimentary mini bar which included juice, water, soft drinks and beer. It was lovely to come back at nighttime to a turndown service and a yummy little bedtime treat, The boat to take you to district 1 is so much fun and the driver was lovely and took our photo for us and pointed out things of interest along the way. Breakfast was delicious, you choose a hot beverage, a fresh juice and your meal, I had the full breakfast and my husband had the eggs benadict and both were lovely. The pool was glorious and the water much cooler than others we have swam in on this trip, the pool chairs and pods were very comfortable and the pool boys were great, The bell boys were so helpful they were happy to get taxis for us or if we were using Uber they checked the number plate on our phone and kept an eye out for our car for us, and they would always open the car door for us when we arrived back to the hotel. The waitstaff were very friendly and has a chat to everyone and made everyone feel comfortable. Whatever room you get at this hotel you would be happy and we cannot wait to come back and we will bring our family with us next time. Thank you to all the staff for making our stay so wonderful."

David’s Kitchen: "To celebrate my 50th birthday"

Review by: simonharris67 | Source: Trip Advisor
The food was excellent from starter through to desserts. All the staff were very friendly and attentive. The owner (David) walked around every table talking to the guests which was a nice touch. The restaurant was very popular on the night we went so the atmosphere was great. We stayed in Chiang Mai for 4 nights and this was the best food and atmosphere by far. We would definitely recommend this restaurant to others.

Les Maisons d’Itac: "A small but fantastic resort"

Review by: MrUppsala | Source: Trip Advisor
We spent a long weekend in the bamboo house at this small but beautiful resort. Great experience. You are sleeping 3 meters from the beach! You hear the waves and all kinds of sounds in the night, very relaxing. The atmosphere at the place is great. It is sort of at the end of the road, so there is no restaurants or things to do within walking distance. But the staff and the manager Bryan are very serviceminded and will help you with anything you want to do or go to. We recommend you to eat all meals at the resort and then there's no need to go anywhere else. Just stay at the resort and enjoy it. We would love to come back some day!

Villa Song Saigon: "Sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle"

Review by: Sharon S | Source: Trip Advisor
My sister and I ducked over from Singapore for two full days.We were always treated like we were the only ones there.In fact we were the only ones on the motel speedboat on both days in and out of the city at the times we requested to leave and get picked up,maybe busier in the high season.We felt we got to feel the entire vibe of Ho Chi Minh City between the taxi from the airport, the boat into town and nearly two full days just walking(without getting run over) around.The pool is great and the day spa compared to Aud standards was more than affordable .It may not be the cheapest accomodation in town but treat yourself
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!