Guest Reviews

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Wonderful"

This is a fantastic experience. Noel and the team have covered all the bases which makes for a wonderful and genuine safari reminiscent of the original African model. The camp is well equipped with tents spaced to afford privacy, offering large beds and private bathrooms. The food was just excellent throughout our stay. We saw a variety of wildlife including leopards and were grateful to Noël for sharing his photos after a camera malfunction. From my original contact with Sophie everything flowed seamlessly and made for a great stay.

Tugu Lombok: "Fantastic stay"

"My wife and I had a wonderful honeymoon at Hotel Tugu Lombok. The environment was quiet and serene, the beach was clean and the water was clear. The staff was also very friendly and helpful. They remembered our names and greeted us by our names. For the meals, they also prepared well wishes written on leaves which made the ambience nice. During the trip, as there were heavy rains, the original suite that we were staying in experienced some water leaking issue from the roof. However, the staff was quick to settle it and provided us a free upgrade to the honeymoon suite. We also had fun visiting the Gili islands. The private dragon boat and private guides gave us the flexibility on when and what we would like to do during the island hopping. The bendi ride (horse cart ride) was also a new experience for us. On the last night of our stay, the staff also prepared us a surprise with nice towel foldings of different animals, like monkey, elephants and bears. Coupled with the candles, the room gave a different ambience altogether. We enjoyed our stay at Hotel Tugu Lombok and we recommend it for those who wish to have a quiet and serene stay. Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"

MesaStila: "A Perfect Getaway"

"My wife and I live in Jakarta, and have recently begun to enjoy finding scenic getaways around Indonesia that allow us to enjoy beautiful surroundings in moderate comfort. There is absolutely nothing moderate about MesaStila. From the moment we stepped out of the car into their grounds it was a wonderful experience for the entire three days we were there. We took the Honeymoon package (although our actual honeymoon had long passed) as it encompassed pretty much all the activities we wished to do plus an airport transfer, saving us the stress of finding the location of the resort ourselves. I highly recommend booking a transfer from the resort itself . The package also included a romantic dinner for two and a traditional massage at the in-house spa. GROUNDS: Beautifully gardens and modern facilities set within colonial architecture. The best part is that it offers an unobstructed view of Gunung Merapi that is beautiful at any moment of the day. The vast 22hc of grounds allows for leisurely strolls through the coffee plantation, and even when the resort is fully booked there is a distinct sense of privacy. ROOMS: Although rustic in design, there was no sign of dust, dirt or any critters that traditionally inhabit wooden beams. There was an old charm in the room, but the modern amenities and plush bed made for a very comfortable sleep. ACTIVITIES: Pretty much the best part of the whole trip. Every day there are scheduled activities that are free to join for all guests. My wife and I enjoyed doing an hour of Yoga every morning before breakfast. Every day at 10am there is also a coffee plantation tour which was very enjoyable, especially for coffee lovers like me. In the afternoon there are usually traditional activities like Janur, Batik and Pencak Silat. There are also more rigorous activities available - the 5km powerwalk was a great way to see the surrounding villages while building a good sweat. Paid activities like horseriding and the bicycle tour are readily available and well worth the small fee. There's also the spa: the massage we had there was heavenly. FOOD: Ok, maybe THIS was the most enjoyable part of the trip. What I respect is that although the resort has a captured market (there's no other food easily available around the resort), they are sincere in providing quality food at a reasonable price. The JavaRed restaurant cooks up some of the best local cuisine I have ever tasted. Book a stay here as soon as you can. You won't regret it!"

misool: "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."

Manda De Laos: "Best of the best"

"Manda was recommended to me,and i am very thankfull. It is without any doubt the best and most beautifull place to have diner in Laos( not only Luang Prabang) The restaurant has a fantastic atmosphere,the food is FANTASTIC. We tried the top 5 on tripadvisor and believe me this place is on a different level. Definatelly no1 ++++"

David’s Kitchen: "In a league of its own"

"My title says all! I simply cannot speak highly enough of David's Kitchen, this is a MUST do in Chiang Mai. My partner and I ordered the set menu to celebrate my 30th birthday. This allowed us to try Davids most signature dishes and we weren't disappointed!! The food, service and personal touches were absolutely splendid. Many reviews note their personal experience with David, and yes this is fabulous but I would also like to mention the amazing unity the entire team have to ensure your experience is like none other. I only wish there were most restaurants like this in the world!"

Sea Dance Resort: "Great staff, great food at a relaxing boutique resort."

"We searched very carefully for our Koh Samui stay. Coming off of 2 weeks of hard touring around Laos and Cambodia our goal was peace, quiet and relaxation, preferably in a villa on the beach rather than a hotel room. We found Sea Dance and, despite a few mixed reviews here, decided to give it a go. We ended up thrilled that we did. Things did get off to a rocky start: despite a confirmed airport greeting and pickup there was no one to meet us at the airport meeting point. After 15 minutes and a phone call we hopped in a taxi expecting the worst. Instead we were met by the Managing Director/owner Poy with a heartfelt apology. Everyone makes mistakes, and rather than shifting blame or making excuses Poy simply took the fault, apologized and promised to make it up to us. Which he and his staff did do. Perfect service recovery. As for the property itself, we stayed in Villa 1 and cannot recommend it more highly. It’s mostly a glass room but with blackout shades and AC that must be on steroids. During the day we lounged in the private pool or on the very private lounging platform staring at the ocean. At night we opened the glass doors and listened to the sea sipping one of the many wine selections from the restaurant’s wine room. The restaurant serves excellent eclectic food including Thai, other Asian and western food. My favorite was the duck Red curry. My wife loved the steak sandwich for lunch. The beach is ‘meh’. Pebbly and rocky. Gorgeous to look at though. But let’s be clear: what made this place special for us were the people. The staff are just awesome. They call guests by name here (nice Ritz touch!) Beyond Poy, Faith the ex-Pat American manager gave us pro tips on our plans to go digital nomad next year during the included breakfast. Ex-pat English Helen provided excellent service with a healthy dash of wit and a wry smile at dinner. And ex-pat Myanmar ‘John’ serves great drinks and fascinating stories of his life. And those are just the ones we got to know by name. All of the staff were excellent - although it would have helped a bit if the eggs station staff at breakfast spoke at least a little English since we like our omelette well done. We kept thinking that the place ought to go all over-13. The bungalows and social atmosphere at breakfast, happy hour and dinner are really conducive to grown-uping. And we met and made some new Facebook friends there. But, alas, it’s not all-adult so there were babies, toddlers and kids about. That’s where the private pool came in super-handy. This little resort isn’t a highly polished gem. It’s a boutique resort. That’s part of its charm, but too, it means there are minor service gaps and gaffes. Bring bring a relaxed attitude and good nature and you’ll have a great time, no worries and even make new friends. To us, it was just what we wanted just when we wanted it."

Nimmu House: "Absolutely wonderful"

Nimmu House is a boutique hotel 45 minutes from Leh. It's a wonderful place to stay: the charm of the old house, the fruit trees garden, the personalised service... The rooms are clean and beautifully renovated, as well as the rest of the house. The food is excellent and for all tastes. And the aperitif around the bonfire is a must!

Reverie Siam: "Happy return to this oasis in the northern hills"

This is my second visit to the Reverie Siam, and I loved it just as much. Delightfully, this time I felt no obligation to go and do any tours, and so I lazed my days away at the hotel, which it is certainly designed to support. There are two pools, a traditional rectangular one and a more family friendly organic shaped one, which some of the rooms can step straight out into. The buildings and grounds are all charming, a successful mix of Mediterranean planting and colonial "Indochine" architectural style. The rooms are spacious, comfortable and elegant. And the riverside pavilion is unbelievably peaceful (and barely used!). The breakfasts are included in the room price, and very generous (I learnt from last time not to have all the courses offered!) The bar itself is pretty well stocked, has a surprisingly good selection of spirits and wine. And the food is Mediterranean inspired (which I have to confess would be my one wish: if they also had some delicious Thai options on the menu, to me it would be perfect!). They offer free shuttles into town, but if only takes 15 minutes to walk in. The quiet little hamlet the hotel is attached to, just outside Pai, seems to be developing as a more independent hub - there are a few decent cafes, though bafflingly they all shut firmly by 6pm. (Why?!) However, there are worrying signs of development all around, and a large new ugly market building, hope they're not going to build too much round here. Note: once in the hotel, you can't see or hear any of this, it's all at a slight remove. Overall I loved my trip, you won't regret booking here. Want to give a shout out to Tida Massage on one of Pak's main streets (a few doors down from Charlie & Lek restaurant), it's not listed on TripAdvisor and I can't add it. Run by two lovely ladies (and their cheeky cat), really great massage - and I have easy access to good/cheap massage living in China, so am not easily won over. I happened to try them out on my first day, and went back every day, sometimes twice. It's a very simple place, not fancy spa. But Miss Oi (excuse spelling) is a magician and has an infectious laugh. One hour/200baht, a bargain!

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Not your usual hotel"

"This historic building provides a totally different experience to that of modern hotels. The cool, calm quiet of the hotel provides a relaxed environment and the pleasant, helpful staff ensure your needs are met. Good location for old George Town and within walking distance of shopping centres, night food market next door."