Guest Reviews

Tugu Bali: "Amazing fabulous decor"

We had a lovely dinner at this charming Oriental/Chinese/Asian art inspired restaurant serving Japanese food. Quality of the food was quite good although the staff really need more training with the menu. They weren't sure about the dishes when we asked them and served us a couple of dishes which needed to b changed as it wasn't what we ordered. Overall though it's a really nice restaurant to take friends to for the charming decor and experience.

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "Perfect Romantic Getaway"

"We stayed at Sea Dance for 5 nights in a Pool Villa room that was at the front of the property, overlooking the beach. We stayed April - May 2017 as part of our honeymoon vacation. We had a fabulous time at the resort and would highly recommend it. Pros - The resort was very quiet and private, and even with other guests and families, was very quiet. The staff was very personable, friendly, and helpful. They made every effort to make our stay the best. The rooms were very nice, with a large room area, large bathroom and shower, plenty of hot water and refreshing air conditioning. The property is very cute, with each room set up as its own 'cabana' and spread out nicely around the property. It had a very nice beach & relaxing feel, without being to themed. We ate at the restuarant multiple times and tried numerous items that were all delicious - especially the Thai food options.! They provided a happy hour daily, and had live music several times during our stay, which was entertaining without being too loud. While the location was slightly off of the main road (it is down a small side street), we were able to catch local shared taxis (red trucks) to get to other beaches with no problem. There is a 7-11 at the intersection of the main road and side street to Sea Dance for anything you might need to pick up. We also got a massage at the onsite spa our last day, which was wonderful. We didnt know that was available until we arrived. Cons - We found the beach to be a bit more rocky than we expected. Luckily we brought a pair of aqua socks/water shoes and that helped us to still be able to enjoy the beach. It is a good beach for snorkeling or kayaking, but not or swimming. This was fine for us, as other beaches were close by for a day visit, and we were still able to enjoy being by the water. Overall, we highly recommend this hotel and would stay here again in the future. We had a wonderful relaxing vacation and can't thank the staff at Sea Dance enough!"

David’s Kitchen: "Perfect dinner in Chiangmai"

The food was amazing! I️ had the duck and it was cooked perfectly. David was so friendly and he even recommended some restaurants to us in Phuket. This is a first class restaurant!

Villa Song Saigon: "Absolutely charming hotel"

"A haven at the edge of the Saigon River. A beautiful, peaceful spot to chill out after a hot session of sightseeing. Chef Kevin, always eager to please with innovative Western based menus liberally sprinkled with South East Asian herbs and spices, great. Restaurant and hotel staff greeting us with their gentleness and smiling faces all the time. I can only highly recommend Villa Song "

Cuisine Wat Damnak: "Wonderful food, setting & service"

Don't know why this is not No. 1 restaurant in Siem Reap. Have been 3 times in last 5 months and tried many other upmarket restaurants, this is by far the best. Flavours of Cambodian food explode in your mouth in a wonderful tasting presentation by the French chef. Other Cambodian restaurants try and some are very good but this is miles ahead of all others. Can't wait to go back.

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "Simply the BEST"

"Rarely does one find a jewel like this, where staff and owner are welcoming, friendly and nothing is too much. Marcus and his team really go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable, relaxing, rejuvenating. Then comes the view : simply breathtaking. And the cozy rooms in chalets built of local materials, all conscious of the environment and preserving it. And the delicious food : you can have just about anything you feel like, and much of it comes form their own organic garden, simply delicious! Thank you TMPL for a most relaxing holiday, without noise pollution! I will be back for sure."

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "a superb hotel – with great attention to detail and outstanding service"

"We have been to India many times and have been fortunate to stay in many wonderful hotels. But by any comparison, the Neeleshwar Hermitage stands out as among the best for its perfect combination of outstanding service, food, location and attention to detail. Rarely do even the best hotels in the world get all of these right, every day. Our main interest is in seeing and experiencing everyday life in India. For us, one of the attractions of Neeleshwar Hermitage is that there is a lot to see locally and it’s easy, with the help of the hotel, to get about. We found the manager immediately understood what we wanted to do, and was very helpful with the ideas and arrangements to enable us to make the most of our 6 day stay. You don’t have to go anywhere of course, and when it is hot and the skies blue (as it was when we were there) it is tempting to head to the pool and stay there. It is a beautiful pool. It’s also very well situated, overlooking a long, wide sandy beach that is also used a lot by the local villagers. The design and materials throughout contribute a lot to the feeling of a very relaxing, comfortable place to stay. And it is extremely well thought through, to maintain that special ambience. The tables in the main restaurant, for example, are fixed in position, each with their own ceiling fan directly overhead, and there is a lot of space between them. This means you feel like you have a lot of space and privacy, and makes it feel very peaceful. The tables are similarly well placed a good distance apart in the excellent seafood restaurant by the beach. Juices, beers and local wine are all readily available wherever you are but there is no formal bar, either by the pool or in the main lounge area, which again helps to keep things quieter than it can be in some places. Smoking is not allowed anywhere, indoors or out. All of these elements are important, but it’s even better: we found the service, without exception, to be outstanding. Every single person got it exactly right. They also work very well together. It may be an informal beach hotel, but there is great attention to detail. This is not a hotel that is particularly easy to get to. We flew from Mumbai to Mangalore, and from there it is about a 2 1/2 hour drive. But if you like India, and don’t mind some dusty, bumpy roads, there is always a lot to see on the way. The Neeleshwar Hermitage seems to attract people who are looking for peaceful surroundings. Only as we were leaving did we see one very demonstrative guest, who had just arrived, waving a mobile phone by the pool. The rest was a beautiful silence, in what must be one of the best hotels in southern India."

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Supporting the Local Community-True Eco Tourism"

"After spending a week at Golden Buddha, my greatest appreciation of the resort I can't emphasize enough (beyond the seclusion in a mesmerizing natural environment unparalleled in my experiences living in Thailand) is their mission to support the local community with true eco-tourism. I was amazed and overjoyed to learn all of the staff members, from the smiling and friendly faces behind the bar counter to the women working in the kitchen to the maintenance men who wave as you walk by, are all local people from the small fisherman village on the other side of the island. I actually had the opportunity to visit the village, Tey Pey Yoi, through an eco-tour offered by the resort where guests have a chance to learn from local school children the art of batik painting while contributing positively to the community and school as guests. My experience with our tour guide Eak was absolutely AMAZING. His giant genuine smile and his passion and local expertise about the wildlife we saw as we crossed the savannah to reach the village was the highlight of my stay at Golden Buddha (listening to the whistles he knows by heart to communicate with different birds isn't something you easily forget). The village itself is incredibly humble and reflective of a very low standard of living, with stilted one room homes over the water or small concrete houses covered by tin roofs on the sand. While the village way of life is a beautiful culture to witness and set in an awe-inspiring backdrop of local fisherman boats, mangrove trees, and mountains from the mainland, it brings a reality to where Golden Buddha's staff come from, and made even more clear to me the dedication and mission of the resort to train and offer employment opportunities specifically to the inhabitants of the island. They even hire an English intern every season to provide free English language lessons to the staff, an opportunity I can now fully understand after visiting the humble and under-funded school where most of the staff recieved their education. In a competitive tourist industry near places like Phuket and Khao Lak, Golden Buddha is true to the label ""eco-tourism"" by being an integral contributor to the local community. Knowing I am directly helping contribute to the livelihoods of the warm and beaming staff who made my stay so welcome gives me a feeling of pride as a traveler who is intentional about the footprint she leaves behind as a guest in a foreign country."

The River Resort: "The best of the best"

This is a great resort. My wife and I travel a bit and this was is the finest place we have stayed. We were there for 2 nights. Fantastic views from our room of the Mekong and while having meals. The reception arranged for a nice tuk tuk driver to take us to the nearby ruins of Champasak and to Champasak to have lunch on the river and to see the early 20th century 'palace' for the king of Champasak. The food at the hotel and the staff are great. We arrived at the Pakse bus terminal and a vehicle from the resort was there pick us up. We hope to return here, just to relax.

David’s Kitchen: "Great place"

The reason David's Kitchen is so great is because of the passion and attention to detail that has been put into the restaurant. David, his wife and their staff are lovely. No stone is left unturned. The food is really good.