jing: "Old world charm in total comfort"
"This is a lovely hotel in the historic city of Pingyao. The owner has spared no expense to create a comfortable hotel but you definitely know that you are in China. It is located in the center of the small town so it is convenient for sightseeing and walking. The staff was personally trained by the owner and they are always attentive. It is a very special place. "Rachamankha: "Elegant & beautiful, a pretty perfect south-east Asia hotel"
Two years ago I had dinner here after stumbling across it when wandering round the old town of Chiang Mai. I immediately had hotel envy and as soon as I decided to come back to CM I knew I had to stay here. I was not disappointed. The beautiful courtyards unfold before you, each one shady and alluring, housing antique furniture and prints down the side galleries, and with frangipanis and palm trees dotting the central space, one of them enclosing a lovely quiet pool, another an exquisite library. This is the kind of building you often find yourself paying to wander round, to stay here was a privilege and I loved it. Every detail here was considered and I would definitely recommend it. My only comment to the owners is that the bathrooms need some love and attention, compared to everything else it felt shabby (but in fact, it was absolutely fine and with lovely Molton Brown toiletries - it just didn't live up to the quality of the rest of the experience). Location-wise it's also great, down a small back street inside the old city walls and a five minute walk from the main temple complex and one end of the night market. I was sad to leave, you'll be delighted to arrive.Blackitch Artisan Kitchen: "Unique experience"
"Blackitch is unique. This restaurant must be booked a month in advance - the reason... There are three tables and everything is absolutely awesome. Chef Black creates a new menu every day. Each course is made from ingredients that are fresh... Either imported scallops from Japan flown in, or a selection of greens that are perfectly ripe from the local farm. So don't expect consistency - you will have a new experience with every course, and with some you may like and others not - but each course is made by a master painter experimenting with the wide variety of foods available. Chef Black creates each of the six courses table side and then explains in English or Thai why and how he put together the dish. There were three of us dining. We all choose different courses as our favourite dish - which is testament to the chef's versatility and style. Desert is made from the downstairs kitchen. If you are lucky, you might also get to try the house made plum wine - which was superb with desert. I expect one day the ""kitch"" will be expanded into a Michelin star restaurant - so be sure to book here before that happens. You will never forget the experience of being totally spoiled in this globally unique restaurant."Summertime Villa: "A Paradise."
Summertime Villa represents the beautiful journey of Sucheta and Hans together and their various travel tales...There will never be a dull moment during you stay! Every corner of this gorgeous place represents the taste and expertise of its beautiful owners..The staff is so helpful and polite with smiles on their faces..The meals that they serve is to die for with so much of love in it, be it local or international cuisine!! Whether watching birds, reading books or having simple conversations over a glass of wine, this place will embrace you unconditionally! Please do visit this place to add some everlasting and memorable moments in your lives......Maison Polanka: "Outstanding boutique hotel"
Great quality hotel with exceptional staff who could went out of their way to make our stay so enjoyable. The grounds are delightful and the rooms spacious. The hotel is in easy reach of the town yet far enough out to offer a peaceful setting.THE ISLAND LODGE: "The most caring hosts"
"The island lodge is a very special place. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel like welcomed guests. We did the bike/boat tour with Michael through the banana plantations and seeing the locals going about their daily life, not another tourist to be seen. Every body is very friendly. And the whole lodge is beautiful. We will definitely return to the island lodge if visiting Vietnam. "NOEL RODRIGO’S LEOPARD SAFARIS: "Incredible Experience"
"We visited the Leopard Safari February 2015 while on a long overseas trip to SE Asia-- hence I am posting this a year later! It was a remarkable experience. The camp itself was a pleasure to stay in-the tents and beds comfortable and spotless--a remarkable feat given the rain and mud. We were travelling with a four year old who explored every path and the staff were marvelous help keeping her amused-they were genuine and attentive which we appreciated! The food was memorable and we felt completely catered to--my husband and I prefer food on the spicy side and the chefs certainly delivered! Now for the wildlife: we were extremely lucky--saw leopards every second time we went out (we went out a total of 5 or 6 times) so we would recommend staying at least two nights--we stayed three because we wanted to increase our chances of seeing leopards. In one encounter, we tracked a leopard as it moved around a large watering hole and the guide accurately predicted where it would emerge and you could actually see the animals reacting (giving their warning calls) to the hidden leopard as it moved around the small lake. It was like living a National Geographic episode! The guides are clearly leopard enthusiasts but the number of exotic (to us) birds, reptiles and small game they identified for us made each trip out an experience to remember. The icing on the cake was seeing young leopards playing together only about a car length away from us! The guide generously shared all his high res photos with us; our camp seemed to be in a prime location to access the park; our tour appeared more intimate than others we saw and our guides seemed to be highly respected by the other drivers (who shared tips and sightings freely with us). This really is a first class experience and we would and have recommended Noel's Leopard Safari to anyone travelling to Sri Lanka. "Tugu Bali: "Secret pearl"
"It was the second time in 3 years that we stayed in this lovely boutique hotel. The dedicated staff takes 24 hrs. care about you and you are not a ""number"" in this hotel. The food served is delicious and the atmosphere is relaxed. We will absolutely come back in this ""secret pearl"" when we will visit Bali again."Rachamankha: "Outstanding"
Serene' - the word that best describes Rachamankha at Chiang Mai A beautiful property, lovely staff and an excellent restaurant. The hotel is a 10-15 min walk from the night markets/walking streets. Would love to come back some time in the future.Villa Mathis: "Excellent"
Accueil, service, propreté, rien à dire sinon que tout est parfait, le restaurant est digne d'un 3 étoiles aux normes française. De plus, cet etablisement est géré par un français ce qui facilite le dialogue et les conseils sur les visites à réaliser sont d'autant plus appréciables. Nous conseillons cet etablisement aux charmes hors du commun. Attention toutefois si vous avez des enfants jeunes. Le nombre de points d'eau, piscines, ruisseaux font de cet établissement un endroit où 'il ne faut pas laisser vos enfants sans surveillances.Travel Asia with Secret Retreats
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