Guest Reviews

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "A place to relax"

"This was the perfect place for us to finish our trip around Kerala before flying back to Mumbai. We did absolutely nothing here and loved every minute, although there are plenty of activities proposed by the staff. For us, long walks along the deserted beach spotting sea eagles, bee eaters, Brahminy kites etc and swimming in the magnificent infinity pool at 7am were real highlights of our stay. But we also loved the early morning tea brought to our room, the evening incense lit in the bedroom, the outside bathroom, and breakfast by the Arabian Sea. The staff were discreet and the whole place had a serene, calm atmosphere. Whilst the food was good, we felt it was overpriced in the beachside restaurant, but breakfast was plentiful, and we loved our midday snacks of poolside fruit platters and fruit smoothies. Neeleshwar Hermitage was an oasis of calm and a wonderful place to stay before heading home. Room Tip: All are excellent. We loved it down by the pool, very quiet and convenient for early morning dips"

Tugu Bali: "Old world charm with the location to match"

"We asked for a beach view and we definitely received one. Great view of the beach/sunset with the sound of the waves constantly crashing in. The room had so much old world charm about it that it really makes you wonder what has happened to the current state of hotels. The entrance hall was breathtaking with the high ceilings and the massive timber beams scattered throughout. Staff were second to none and all the Indonesian/Balinese inspired meals were also a highlight. We left as relaxed and refreshed as we ever have after a few weeks in Bali. We will be back in again in a few months."

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "I’d give it six stars if I could!"

Stayed for seven nights in January 2017 after a mammoth ‘Golden Triangle’ tour in the north. In summary, I’d have to say that it’s a beautiful, relaxing hotel made extra special by the staff, who were unfailingly happy, welcoming and helpful. The resort itself would best be described as barefoot luxury - this isn’t a place to come and dress up for dinner, and all the better for it. If you want to truly relax in beautiful surroundings with attentive staff, this is the place for you. As we’ve moved to another so-called 5-star resort not 45 minutes away, we’ve begun to appreciate the Neeleshwar’s unique brand of laid-back, relaxing luxury even more. The rooms themselves are lovely - spacious, full of natural materials (including a coconut palm in your open-air bathroom!). I agree with other reviews that suggest tea-making facilities in the room would be beneficial, but the verandah service also meant that you could phone for tea/coffee and it was delivered to your verandah in minutes - at a cost of around 400 rupees/£4.50 for two people, often accompanied by cake or cookies, so the hotel is certainly not over-charging for the service. The grounds are beautiful - it truly is like walking through a tropical jungle to get to the pool/beach. The pool is stunning - large, quiet, plenty of loungers, no noise! Food in the two restaurants was faultless. Try the aloo gobi, if available - it certainly shames the mush we get served in Indian restaurants in the UK. The spa and treatments were both excellent, and reasonably priced. Again, the spa is not one of these with annoying chill-out music on a perpetual loop, but total silence - so peaceful! There are some local attractions, but we found it hard to pull ourselves away from the place - the furthest we ventured was an hour on the complimentary bikes to visit the fishermen hauling in their catch. Please also visit the shop early on in your visit - it’s not one of those typical hotel gift shops selling tat, but it actually has some really nice, reasonably priced items that you’d actually want to buy. Not to mention a tailor sitting there amongst bolts of material, happy to run up anything from a pattern or your measurements as you choose the fabric. Go visit - you won’t be sorry, and we usually avoid this type of thing like the plague. My final comments are reserved for the staff - I don’t know how they select them, or what training goes into making them what they become, or whether they’re all just naturally lovely people (probably), but they’re probably the nicest staff we have ever come across, and you can see by my reviews that we’ve stayed in some world-class hotels (I offer this just as a comparison, not a boast!) - these are the nicest people we’ve ever met in a hotel situation, and they go out of their way to ensure you have a peaceful, happy break.

Reverie Siam: "Sophisticated and stunning without being pretentious"

We loved our stay at the Reverie Siam. We took advantage of their free shuttle into town for night life which was easy and convenient. We also rode bike and also rented motorbikes to get to out of town adventures. It was always so nice to return to the tasteful serenity of the property. The details are just wonderful. We also appreciated a well executed menu and wine selections. What a wonderful getaway.

The Island Lodge: "Perfect….except for the kids"

"From the moment you arrive until you leave you will be delighted with your stay here. The reception is a really nice touch especially with the owners both greeting you and welcoming you to the hotel. The rooms are spotless and the facilities very good. We had a river view double which has a great view of both the pool and the river. By far the highlight has to be the food. It is exceptional and very reasonably priced considering the isolated nature of the hotel. The hotel offers it's own various boat trips on the river for a variety of lengths and budgets and the your guide provided is very good. We had a massage on our last night which was by far the best we had during our holiday in Vietnam. Our only issue was that this sort of tranquil place should be adults only. There were a few kids staying during our stay who were quite annoying. In my opinion it's just not the sort of place where you expect to get hit by a ball from the pool when trying to relax. If children are of the age where all they want to do is play with a ball in the pool I don't understand why a parent would insist on dragging them around the world to do that when Benidorm or Tenerfie would be more suitable. It's not exactly as if they are taking in the local culture. The staff did approach the parents which calmed them down for a bit. I understand it must be difficult to turn away custom but I think the hotel would benefit long term by having a minimum age limit. Regardless, we loved this hotel and the owners and all the staff are great and I would recommend the hotel to anyone visiting South Vietnam and the Mekong Delta."

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "Exquisite mountain lodge situated 1000 feet above Pokhara Valley"

Stayed two nights at this marvelous mountain lodge that sits on a hilltop ridge overlooking the Pokhara Valley. Your "room" is actually a very spacious, luxurious, comfortable, hand cut stone bungalow blending naturally into their surroundings and sited to maximize the breathtaking vistas of the valley and Himalayas mountains. Each room has a private verandah and set in private gardens. There is an infinity pool with unmatched views of the mountains. The main lodge with both in and outdoor dining facilities and patios to enjoy the valley and mountain views is very, very nice. Our first night there were just three couples and we enjoyed a lively discussion over dinner. The second night had a large group of 19 guests which didn't "take over the space" since the bungalows are spread out and all very private. Most enjoyable stay here after our three days of trekking. Great place to begin your trekking experience or to recuperate afterwards. Most relaxing and the restaurant offerings are top notch, as is the staff and the manager, Mark. Thank you for a wonderful stay!

: "Instant Relaxation"

"This is the most gorgeous place. Each of the 12 villas are dotted around the most beautiful, lush garden. Our double deluxe villa was large with a four poster bed covered by mosquito nets. The highlight was an outdoor shower and bathtub surrounded by more lush plants. A high stone wall giving complete privacy. The infinity pool overlooking the sea was another highlight. We enjoyed the breakfast options and two for one happy hour cocktails. The sunsets are spectacular. Ms. Narin and her staff were responsive to all our needs and looked after us so well. If you're looking for complete relaxation this is the place. Stayed March 2017, traveled as a couple"

Locavore: "A.M.A.Z.I.N.G"

"It's just crazy how the guys and gals in the kitchen put together the meals. We enjoyed every single bite of our 7 course meal which turned out to be something around 16 courses! The drink pairing was perfectly fitting to the dishes. Service was nice and we had a great talk with the chefs while they were cooking since we were sitting at the kitchen bar, which was also an amazing experience. Thanks to the whole team and we are definitely coming back if we ever go to Bali again (and that might happen as well)"

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "One of the best hotels in Nepal"

I have visited Tiger Mountain several times and I now regard the staff there as 'friends'. The team led by Marcus, Jhalak and Dol Raj are very friendly and helpful. The food is some of the best available in Nepal. Local curry is excellent and the Western dishes are wholesome and tasty. The hotel focuses on ecotourism and so tries to use local organic produce as much as possible. The large garden is full of birds and butterflies and the naturlist team available for nature walks are very experienced. The swimming pool has possibly the best hotel swimming pool view in the World. I shall return!

Villa Song Saigon: "2 nights wasn’t enough"

"Fabulous hotel, loved every minute. After a busy 2 weeks travelling south from Hanoi via Mekong Delta it was a real treat to finish our trip with 2 nights at Villa Song. It was extremely hot in Saigon compared to everywhere else so we used the hotel as a sanctuary to recuperate and enjoy. We got it right! The free shuttle boat into town was great and frequent, so the only trip we made was to the market to finish our gift and souvenir shopping, then spent the rest of the day by the pool. It was lovely also to sit by the river watching the 'traffic', with delicious food and friendly staff. Breakfast was served for most of the morning and was a fantastic way to start the day. The room was great (we had an extra bed put into a twin room) on the top storey - a bit of a climb without a lift but not a huge problem, it's not as though you had to carry your bags or anything! Absolutely top of the list for another trip to Saigon, and maybe next time I will be able to drag myself away from the oasis that is Villa Song and see a little bit of the city!"