Guest Reviews

Nimmu House: "best place to acclimatise and enjoy the natural beauty of Ladakh"

"http://blog.happy-tripping.com/2015/09/06/property-review-nimmu-house-ladakh/ Nimmu house is a beautiful place, replete with apricot and apple trees is just perfect to acclimatise to the high altitude either by traversing the journey to Ladakh on road ( from Srinagar or Manali) or to stay put for couple of days at a quite place, while soaking in the stark beauty of the wonder that is Ladakh. THE SETTING The location is perfect. Conveniently located 30 minutes from Leh (30 min from the airport) , the village of Nimmu is also close to the ,confluence (Sangam) of the Indus and Zanskar rivers and the monasteries of Lamayuru, Likir and Alchi (30 minutes – 1 hour drive). Nimmu is a charming little village where time has stood still, most people are farmers and happy with their simple lives. IMG_0133 Nimmu House is a noble house belonging to the cousin of Ladakh’s King from the early 90s, beautifully restored by a Frenchman Alex . During the property tour , our manager told us about the history and the supposed curse on the house due to which the occupants never bore any children, until the curse was dispelled by buddhist monks. Quite interesting! On offer are 5 spacious tents and 2 rooms in the house , with an open terrace for meals .We stayed in the tent, which had a stunning view of the landscape , comfy bed and modern bathroom . For city dwellers like us the best part is that the property is spread over orchards with hundreds of Apple and apricot trees and the rivulet running through . Lying on the large hammocks ,smelling the sweet scent of apricot and hearing the faint constant gurgling sounds of the stream makes you put all the sightseeing plans on hold. But really who needs to step out when you can experience the nature , warm Ladakhi hospitality in absolute peace and comfort of Nimmu house . IMG_3901_1 THE SERVICE There is no formal reception desk , but the staff is always available to make your stay comfortable. This place is serviced by one chef, one french manager and two local women. We received a very warm welcome by the French manager followed by 2 days of comfort and lot of personal attention. There is so much warmth in people that you forget about demanding any hospitality. We wanted to sample momos at one of the local restaurants on our evening walk and we were not carrying any money. To our pleasant surprise, a plate of steaming momos were served to us during dinner in Nimmu House, courtesy the local restaurant. Even as we were leaving , staff come out to see us off . It was almost like staying with family . THE FOOD Chef Mahesh cooked simple , delicious meals which were served on the open terraces as the weather was lovely. Breakfast had eggs, fruits and bread, as per preference. We loved the fresh apricot jams and juices. Lunch and dinner were 3 course set meals with starter (soup /salad), main course and desert. Sample this :- – Green Salad, Lasagna, Lemon Pie – Tomato Soup, Hakka Noodles, Philadelphia Cheese Cake – Gobi Soup, Paneer Masala/ Mutton Masala, Mud Cake All meals are simple and wholesome, using fresh produce from adjoining farms and stables. The food is largely tailored to suit the western palate as most guests are westerners. But they will keep your food preferences in mind and ensure that you leave the dining table with your tummy satisfied ! Lunch at Nimmu House Lunch at Nimmu House THE FACILITIES and Activities ON OFFER Nimmu House offers the following activities to make most of your stay there . Indoor: A library and game room , Guided tour of the house , stables or cooking classes . Outdoor: village tour , short guided hike , rafting on the Zanskar, guided tour of the monasteries of Basgo, Likir and Alchi. For us it was all soaking up the apple-scented air, lying on a hammock during daytime and hiking upto local gompas in the evening. View from the Gompa View from the Nimmu village Gompa WHAT STOLE THE SHOW? Amazing setting of orchards and Ladakh’s landscape with spacious tents. Best place to acclimatise , relax and learn about Ladakhi culture. It is a far cry from dusty lanes of Leh City and will give you exactly what you came for. IMG_3899 Now that you are convinced, lets bring you up to speed with the practicalities. Know more about Nimmu house Getting there The property is in Nimmu Village and 30 min drive from Leh Airport/ Leh City. Hole in your wallet Expect to pay around Rs 10,000 per night for the tent. Internet / Television There is no TV in the room and Wi-Fi signal is available on the terrace and house. What else – this is a family guesthouse , do not expect 24/7 room service or an elaborate ala carte menu. – Be prepared to relax and enjoy the simple life"

4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "Great peaceful and beautiful break from the city!"

"We stayed at 4 Rivers for three nights during the rainy season and had a great experience. The hotel staff was amazingly friendly and accommodating. Vy, the tour guide, adjusted the day of sightseeing perfectly when the torrential rains came. While I'm sure that this resort is even more amazing in the non-rainy season, we were able to have a peaceful couple days relaxing and reading, while still touring parts of the river in between rain showers. The food was phenomenal - it is largely western, and is very inventive and artistic. Apparently 4 Rivers recently added a young phenom chef who is putting out dishes like you see in New York. There are a few local dishes also that were tasty. All in all, we had a great time despite the rainy season. The hotel managed every detail from booking to check out perfectly and made the trip a very relaxing break from our tours of the larger (stressful) cities in Vietnam and Cambodia."

Les Maisons d’Itac: "beautiful property and great staff"

The property is beautiful and the pictures don't really do it justice. It is extremely peaceful and a wonderful place to stay outside of Moalboal. The staff and the community are very welcoming. Overall, a terrific trip and we certainly look forward to our next visit.

Tugu Bali: "3 days at the end of 2 weeks in Bali with our daughter and 2 grandchildren"

"Very interesting layout. Our suite was on the second floor with a huge Japanese style tin bath and great ocean view. Very rustic appearance, but with all modern conveniences. Our daughter's suite had a plunge pool and koi pond. The best aspects of the hotel were the perfect service, and the large grassy lawn space next to the beach. By the second day the wait staff knew us by name. Be sure to try one of their many specialty prix fixe dinners. Not much to do outside the resort, compared to other areas of Bali, but that's OK."

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Peace and tranquility"

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!

The Twelve Hotel: "Nothing better"

Good choice, we read the reviews and this time we have not freagato. Clean place quiet and in great location. Comfortable rooms. From here we move on public transport in all directions. Then in the evening, after all the day in the chaos of Bangkok it looks like an oasis.

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Perfect Stay"

"We stayed for a week at Golden Buddha Resort at the beginning of December. Despite a lot of wet weather we had the most fantastic time. It is impeccably run which can’t be easy considering they choose to employ people from the island who don’t have previous hotel training plus the beauty of the resort is that nature is a big part of it. The houses are beautifully designed out of teak with open air sitting areas overlooking the sea and open bathrooms. Bugs are part of the experience! We stayed at Baan tao tanu. A lovely house for the 2 of us and it was the perfect honeymoon stay. It was close to the club house where we had opted for full board food which was divine. I lived in Thailand for 3 years and this was by far my best eating experience. Everyday the menu changed. All of the coconut in their cooking is from fresh coconuts on the island. They don’t cut any corners and so you get the authentic taste of Thai food. Having said that though their roast vegetable salad was out of this world. I could have eaten it every day. Their betelnut wraps were also one of my faves. Saturday night they laid on a fabulous buffet which started with cocktails on the beach. They made my husband a delicious heart shaped chocolate cake for his birthday. We went to yoga class several times. The teacher was excellent and able to teach various levels in the class. We spent the rest of our days walking the stunning deserted beaches, reading, playing board games, having excellent massages and relaxing. This resort is stylish, relaxed, professionally run with extremely friendly staff who seem like one big family ( and probably are) "

Manda De Laos: "Romantic dinner simply divine"

"In the hotel complex Maison Dalabua, the restaurant Manda de Laos is an amazing oasis in the middle of the city. Beautiful garden with UNESCO-classified lily ponds is very nice grouped around a lotus pond (very well kept, in the evening beautiful lit). The cook understands his craft and the service, above the restaurant manager Ambroise S, pay attention to trifles. Special requests are gladly and quickly carried out. As a tourist, you are pleased (rightly!) about a romantic dinner at the lily pond of this very well maintained hotel area. Excellent Lao cuisine, the menus offer a good selection of typical dishes. Everything fresh and excellent quality. The prices are upscale, but appropriate. Staff very friendly, courteous and professional. It is certainly one of the best restaurants in Luang Prabang. Pleasant wine selection. We were very thrilled!"

Villa Song Saigon: "Excellent Stay"

Beautiful property, very hospitable staff, outstanding views, thoughtful service, good facilities and food. And a great spa. Just what a hotel should be but very few achieve. Worth coming to Saigon if only to check in here. The manager is a guest's delight. Thank you.

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "Chill & Relax There is a Must"

"My 2nd time and still loving it. Very friendly and helpfull team working in a cosy and elegant atmosphere. Nice & confortable pool villa. Just what u need to escape few days and be far from the crowds. Stop by u would not be disapointed! Caro"