Guest Reviews

Villa Song Saigon: "Fantastic friendly and helpful staff"

"The rooms were beautiful as was the pool area. food and drink were reasonably priced and of high quality. staff stood out. cherry in particular was great. only improvement could be more bottled water. Stayed February 2017, traveled with family"

Bassac Cruises: "Entente cordiale"

"This was a beautiful one night cruise at the end of our trip to the Mekong Delta. We transferred from Cai Be jetty by small boat to Bassac I where we were introduced to the boat in perfect English by Thuc. Our cabin was as expected small but cosy with a double bed and aircon and the luggage quickly became invisible under the bed. After a drink, our fellow passengers arrived 4 French, 2 Swiss (French speaking) and 2 English. Everyone got on very well and there was much laughter with respective groups trying out their English and French speaking! The food was good throughout. The service was great and the ambience on this wonderful wooden boat was relaxing. Trips off the boat x 2 were very interesting and fun and made the more so by Thuc! We would highly recommend this trip for rest and relaxation and plenty of watching the world go by as you cruise the Mekong."

Inle Princess Resort: "A Magical Place"

From being "driven" into the hotel by a one-leg oarsman to enjoying the palacial dining room, this is a magical place. The contrast between life here, and the abject poverty in Myanmar fomented by years of dictatorship is instructive.

LEOPARD SAFARIS-WILPATTU: "Great three days spent in Wilpattu"

"Having been on a couple of days leopard safari in Yala a few years ago...I was keen to revisit but this time away from the crowds. So we chose to go to Wilpattu. Unfortunately (and out of Leopard Safaris control) the government now don't allow camping in the national parks...so wasn't quite as special...however, still an excellent experience. We were very well looked after by Pilla and his team. The food was excellent, the tent and facilities were good and we had some good sightings. We had some great days spent in the park and saw leopard twice (once hidden and one excellent sighting), sloth bear, elephant and the usual suspects...great bird life. Thanks to the team for making our stay a memorable one and for Pilla's endurance to see leopard! "

MesaStila: "Outstanding Resort and Staff"

"We stayed at MesaStila for 4 nights and it was overall outstanding, with two small let downs (at of the review). The staff are excellent, probably the most helpful and friendly that we've encountered anywhere. They really made use feel comfortable and welcome. The hotel and grounds are beautiful and well maintained, the entire time we were in the resort we felt at peace and a sense of wonder from the ambience. The resort has great complimentary activities in-resort, and we tried many of them and enjoyed them all. The coffee plantation tour was particularly interesting. The food in the restaurant was fantastic, we each tried different food from the Indonesian section of the menu and enjoyed everything we had. The issues we had were the airport transfer and the hotel organised excursions. Both were significantly overpriced. The airport transfer was about 300,000 IDR more than it would have cost us to organise ourselves, but we decided to use it as we were staying for a special occasion and thought that for that price it would be a special service; it wasn't. We probably would have had better service going with a random taxi tout. Despite being sent by the hotel the driver did not seem to know where the hotel was. Looking at the excursions you could book through the hotel, we found them overpriced. We organised an excursion ourselves to Borobudur and Prambanan together and our driver was excellent. Everything included it was about 1 million IDR cheaper than it would have been to take the hotel organised excursion that went to Borobudur ALONE. What was especially bothersome about this, was we spoke to some other hotel guests who were wondering whether visiting Borobudur was worth what the hotel was charging. Given how impressive Borobudur is, I think it's a shame that visitors might not get the opportunity to visit simply because of overcharging. Having said all that, if you stay at MesaStila you won't regret it, it's a fantastic resort and the staff are outstanding. Staying there is worth every penny. Just organise your excursions and transfers yourself unless you want to pay through the nose."

CHAKRABONGSE VILLAS: "The perfect oasis in the heart of Old Bangkok"

"I have used tripadvisor to plan trips for years, but our magical time at the Chakrabongse Villas has finally inspired me to write a review of my own. We could not have found a more perfect place to spend the final 3 days of a 2 week trip to SE Asia. Atom, the manager, and her staff were incredibly warm, welcoming, and helpful in making our stay in Bangkok so special, and upgraded us to the Garden View Suite, which was lovely. Tucked away in beautiful, lush gardens right on the banks of the Chao Praya river and directly across from Wat Pho and a short distance to the Grand Palace, the Chakrabongse Villas, is truly a hidden gem. Being in the heart of Old Bangkok meant that we could return to the hotel for a quick dip in the gorgeous pool to cool off from the infamous Bangkok heat before heading out for the next excursion. I highly recommend arranging to have dinner at the Chakrabongse Villas for an unforgettable experience - the dinner we had with a private table set up on the terrace right next to the river was the most romantic, and one of the most delicious, we've ever had (the owner is a descendant of the Thai kings Rama IV & V so the dishes are from the Royal Family's own recipes). We also enjoyed our tour of Bangkok's canals in the Chakrabongse Villa's own long tail boat. If you are looking for the perfect boutique hotel that offers a peaceful, historical oasis in hectic and hot Bangkok, then I cannot recommend Chakrabongse Villas highly enough. Thank you, Atom, for helping to make our stay so extraordinary. "

The Island Lodge: "Paradise on the banks of the mighty Mekong"

We had 24 hours at Island Lodge in April and from the moment we were collected at the main road in the Lodge's golf buggy and whisked down the narrow lane to the hotel, we knew we had found something very special. Michel and Francoise have gone to enormous trouble to make sure that every detail is perfect. The staff are charming courteous and discreet. The rooms are large, cool and ours had a terrific balcony overlooking the infinity pool and the Mekong River beyond. We had a very pleasant afternoon boat tour round Unicorn Island before settling down on the terrasse with an ice cold beer to watch the evening light on the river and the boats of every size and shape. Swimming early in the morning in the large 24 m pool with the Mekong just a few metres away was surreal.

Satri House: "Wonderful stay in a beautiful oasis"

"We loved our 3 night stay at Satri House. Hotel Manager Jacques and his staff were offering free drinks and canapés at the poolside bar on our first night at the hotel which made for a lovely first impression. We found the decor and service perfect throughout our stay. Sure, some staff didn't have perfect English but they made up for it with their friendliness and professionalism. All our requests were dealt with promptly and efficiently. If you're looking for ambience, comfort and tranquility, look no further. Stayed February 2017, traveled with family"

Les Maisons Wat Ko: "A little Gem"

Mairon What Kor is a very cozy, nice hotel with a beautiful garden, a pond and well-kept rooms. It's is located on a nice and quit spot, outside the city. We had the honor to sleep in the "Angelina Room", The Frangipane 1. (My husband didn't want to leave the room anymore, haha!) The hotel and its restaurant is so nice located that we decided to have diner at the hotel during our stay. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is wonderfull. With special thanks to "Mr. Peach". He is a very nice and friendly man. He makes our stay also very special and and we wish him all the best with his study.

The Village House: "Wonderful boutique accommodation"

"Had a wonderful stay at the Village House. It has all the right ambience for a stay in Sarawak. Ideal for visitors who want to trek Mt Santubong, as they provide a shuttle going to and back from the start of the trail. The breakfast included in your room payment is fantastic and their lunch and dinner menu are just right if you want to try Malay and local cuisine. Room Tip: Rooms near the pool are ideal if you like the sound of flowing water"