Guest Reviews

The Island Lodge: "Absolute gem only 2 hours from Saigon airport"

"We just spent 3 fantastic nights at this hotel, relaxing, exploring the island, and eating fresh, delicious food. Can't rate this highly enough, and it's easily accessible from Saigon and the airport. Having said that, we were a bit disappointed as we passed over the huge bridge to Thoi Son island. In my mind, we were heading to a rural idyll, and I didn't see how the island could be rural when it has a motorway passing through one end of it! But 10kms later, after driving through the fruit trees down the one road suitable for cars, we arrived at the Lodge. And the setting is beautiful and quiet, surrounded by lanes through the fruit plantations and houses, and with a view of the ever-changing Mekong. Everybody we interacted with at the Lodge was friendly and helpful, and service was always with a smile. Some of the staff didn't have great English, but there was always someone around who did. The staff make the place, and we were really charmed by them! A special thank you to Giao, one of the waitresses, who remembered our orders from previous days and was always kind and friendly. The Lodge itself is wonderfully designed, with a huge open communal area which is subtly divided into bar and dining areas. The whole place is beautifully furnished and oozes style - I would like to transplant everything from the bar area into my house! We loved that there were so many different seating areas around the grounds, including a couple of pagodas, sofas, riverfront tables and a table right out on the pier for watching the sunset. The pool is warm, long, and spotlessly clean, with plenty of loungers and huge fresh towels. Bedrooms are clean and comfortable, and as stylish as the downstairs area. There were so many other places to sit and enjoy the view that we didn't really use the balcony, but it is a relaxing place to be. The food was unexpectedly good. There is a French and a Vietnamese menu, and food is fresh and well presented. They bake their own bread and croissants on site, and the smell of it in the morning and before dinner was a treat. It's an odd thing to recommend when you're in Vietnam, but the quiche lorraine was one of the most delicious things we ate on the whole trip! It's on the starter menu, but is big enough and rich enough to enjoy for lunch with some of the fresh bread. We also enjoyed the duck, and the tuna. And breakfasts were sublime, with everything made to order. There is a comprehensive wine list, and we also appreciated the fact that the house wine was very reasonably priced and very drinkable - thanks Michel! The Lodge offers tours, which we didn't do, but instead we took bikes out on two afternoons and explored the lanes and bridges of the island on our own. It's hard to believe that the big city of My Tho is only a few kms away when you're cycling around under the shade of the trees, over bridges that are 2 feet wide. At the very far end of the island, as far as the road goes, we stopped and had a drink at Mr Thanh's little waterfront bar and chatted to him about tourism on the island. He was an interesting man with superb English, and his wife makes a delicious cold lemon juice on a hot day. The only negatives: At a Lodge with eco credentials, I would have liked to see drinking water available as refills, rather than endless 500ml plastic bottles. And just be aware that the Mekong view is of a busy waterway full of commercial and industrial traffic, with industrial buildings across the water. In actual fact we really enjoyed watching the traffic and the change of the tides so this wasn't a problem at all, but we hadn't realised it wasn't looking out on to countryside. Thanks to all the staff at the Island Lodge. This really is a gem, and we were so pleased that we stayed for 3 nights rather than rushing through."

Anopura Resort: "Five stars isn’t enough!"

"We were completely blown away by Anopura. If I could give it ten stars it would be too few. There has been great care and skill in the design and furnishing. It's tasteful and comfortable, and Ishwar and the team are superb. They have looking after people well down to a fine art - caring but not fawning. Latika, the loveliest dog in the world broke the ice. Inside a couple of hours we were involved in an international boules tournament involving the other 2 guests, and Ishwar and Dennis. The food was amazing whether it was Indian or European - we had a beautiful cheese shuffle and an amazing salad for lunch within 20 minutes of Ishwar making the suggestion. Go for a walk round the village in the evening and take up the offer of a visit to a ruined local hunting lodge. I won't spoil the surprises. We were there 3 nights and the whole took on a dreamlike quality. The air was clean, the temperature perfect, and the unheated pool invigorating. If it was easier to get there I'd never go anywhere else. As we were leaving Latika just lay there with a sad face instead of rushing up with tail wagging. She seemed very sad to see us leaving. But she wasn't half as sad as we were."

Tandjung Sari: "12 Days at Tandjung"

Our stay was very close to perfect- we selected a garden villa as our home base for the family holiday. The staff at Tandjung were so attentive and nothing was too much trouble. Starting each day with a shower (in the private outside villa courtyard) then having breakfast on the beachfront was a daily highlight for me. The villa and the grounds and the facilities around the resort were immaculate and the security staff at both ends of the property added to a sense of exclusivity. And lastly, Tandjung is great value; a similar quality room at a Seminyak resort cost my cousin more than double the rate. We will come back to Tandjung Sari for sure.

Babe: "Wonderful"

"Probably our favourite restaurant during our travels in Vietnam and Laos. Beautiful setting, it is as attractive as it looks on the photos! Excellent service and fantastic food. We went for dinner and enjoyed it so much that we returned for our last lunch before embarking on our home ward journey. We had a la carte, great sausage and pork balls for starters and good chicken curry and stir fried buffalo. Also had one of the set tasting menus which was delicious. Interesting cocktails! Definitely the best in Luang Prabang. It's a little way from the centre of the town, but well worth the journey."

Reverie Siam: "2nd Fabulous Stay"

"I had my 2nd fabulous stay at Reverie Siam, in as many months, and cannot add anything that has not already been said in the other reviews, except for the fact that everything was consistently great for my 2nd stay as for my 1st (see my 1st review) (…) The resort is definitely a gem, a serene & luxurious oasis, that is equally perfect for couples or singles looking for a relaxing, or romantic get-away. (...) The background music & nightly live music adds an intimate enjoyment while enjoying a refreshing cocktail or a glass (or 2!) of wine. All of these things, and the too-many-special-added-touches to mention, creates a wonderful ambience of peace, serenity, intimacy, romance, and enjoyment for discerning couples & singles. I cannot recommend this resort enough, but on the other hand, I would like to keep it my secret! I am already planning my 3rd stay soon at my home-away-from-home!"

David’s Kitchen: "Fine dining at its best"

"Davids kitchen enjoys a great reputation in Chiang Mai and richly deserves it. You will walk away happy after eating here. The menu is superb and the service exceptional. They brought a long stem rose to the table for my wife, a nice gesture. I have also been to a few charity events here as David supports good causes. A must if you come to Chiang Mai."

Dewakan: "Premium quality and services with affordable price"

Came with partner to celebrate my birthday. Very quiet restaurant with limited space - no other diners except for us. Food taste are hit and a little misses. Was not impressed with the appetizers at first, but when the 2nd main came, it was a game changer, albeit a little over seasoned for us. Ends with very delicious desserts. Some may say, good things comes to those who waits. The restaurant manager and his partner has done a very good job explaining the dishes to us. Fully satisfied with their services. Premium quality and services with affordable price.

Tugu Malang: "Life in the old time"

"When I arrived here, it felt like through back the time. The lobby feels like dutch with chinese interior in several point. All the employees wearing traditional uniform, looks so elegant, charming, and humble. This hotel build with fussion of Sundanese, Javanese, Chinese, and Dutch. There are several statues, painting, and several old stuffs so it feels like life in the museum. Stayed February 2017, traveled with friends"

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Cheong"

Boutique hotels are always on our route when exploring new territories, as they offer a unique experience of the local culture. CHEONG FATT TZE MANSION is no exception. Legendary in the annals of Penang Island, Malaysia, “La maison Bleue” (the blue mansion) stands graciously in the middle of the cultural center of UNESCO world heritage site of George Town for over 135 years. We recommend to anyone visiting this are to look no further and book a few night at CHEONG FATT TZE. You will be leaving with some enchanting stories of the past and delicious food in your bellies, while having experience the relaxing and elegance of this very beautiful hotel.

Locavore: "One of the best meals we have ever had"

Exquisite 7 course (+ more!) meal, where our nosy eyes got to spy on all the kitchens goings-on. A must visit for anyone looking for a completely unique and flawless dining experience. I won’t divulge too much, just go.