Tugu Lombok: "Never been anywhere like this before"
My wife and I loved it. It was like being welcomed back to the family home that I never grew up in. The delicious food, the quiet pools, the sunrise over the beach. I write from Villa 2 dreading having to check out in 4 hours. We spent three beautiful nights here. Our daughter was treated like royalty, given a crown and sceptre made from leaves. The pools with green tiles are beautiful and luxurious and as we floated together in the tranquil surroundings all thoughts about the rest of the world disappeared. We ate mahi mahi and lobster on a bamboo bed lit by candles and decorated with ketupat. If you can come here, please do. You will remember it forever.JL Studio: "Artistic cuisine"
Each dish wobble plate, decoration, flavors, both with artistic, aesthetic and both the color, flavor and taste of the food, service personnel and then by commentary and explain the story, so every food, moving and full of praise. JL plus uphold let everything that can make people eat meals together have different levels of taste and delicious food will make people more reluctant to swallow stomach, but slowly and enjoy the taste of which different feelings, well worth to experience and enjoy the incomparable honorMaison Polanka: "A Delight"
We stopped in Cambodia for five days on the way back to Australia from Europe. We wanted a few relaxing days in a warm climate to beat the jet lag and wind down from a busy family-oriented trip to the UK. Maison Polanka was everything we had hoped for from the friendly greeting at the airport from Sopharin, the beautiful compound, stylish and comfortable room and the fantastic staff, including Francis and Cathy . It really is a special place that comes to feel like it might be your very own! The food is wonderful, which can be unusual for in-house hotel kitchens, and we ate in several times as a result. Maison Polanka organised a full day temple tour for us with the delightful and knowledgeable guide Mr Kim Chour and our inimitable tuk tuk driver for the week, Mr Binthoun. Both were friendly and just great. All in all, it was a really good experience and a brilliant hotel - we hope to return ❤️ We would also like to give the Phare Circus a plug, a truly fun night out and a great cause!TIGER MOUNTAIN POKHARA LODGE: "Fabulous Respite"
"We stayed here after a grueling six day trek, and what a welcome reward it was! From the moment we disembarked from our jeep, up the steep driveway to the property, our entire group was awed. Literally perched on a mountain top, you have sweeping views from both sides of the mountain. The villas scattered around the property work to maintain privacy, while the beautiful common area has little nooks for privacy, or you can choose to sit on the beautiful verandah, to take in the views, have a drink and rest. The dinner, meanwhile, was delicious, with the tables elegantly set in a non-pretentious way. The villa was beautifully decorated, and again, after our hard work and life in a tent on the trek, the luxurious bed and bathroom was so welcomed! It is truly a retreat - either from the demands that wonderful Nepal asks of you as her traveler, or from the demands that your daily life asks of you. I will certainly return - and might just take in one day in Kathmandu, then come directly back to Tiger Mountain Lodge for three days of beautiful relaxation and rejuvenation. "Slow Villas and Spa: "Wonderful 10 days at Slow Villas"
"We had a two week holiday from work mid January 2017 and despite it being the rainy season decided to book 10 days on Gili Air - mainly because we got such great rates on flights from London to KL with Malaysian Airways. We stayed in KL for a night and then took budget airline Air Asia (highly recommended also!!) out to Indonesia. We'd been to Bali before but not ventured out to the Gilis. We flew from KL to Lombok and had a private taxi transfer from the airport to the 'port' (the journey in a taxi is about an hour and half). We then had a private speed boat take us to the port on Gili Air, which took about 10 mins. Then it's a ride in a cidone (horse and trap) to Slow Villas. So all in all a trip with lots of modes of transport but we thoroughly enjoyed all of it. Glad for the stop over in KL though. We did the same on the way back and not only do you need this for the flight times but we did appreciate the rest and we're generally people who are pretty comfortable with long haul. So, on to Slow Villas... it's a beautiful setting and the architecture/layout/design has been done perfectly. It's perfect tranquil yet everywhere on Gili Air is within walking distance. The nearest beach was about a 10 minute walk and then there are three beach bars/restaurants immediately on from there. Lots of people cycle and there are bikes to hire from reception. To be honest through we only used them once and were more than happy to walk everywhere - it compensated for the holiday (over) eating!! We love exploring and heading off for a wander around the island was all part of the experience. It's a fabulous island with loads of cool places to eat and drink. The villa and our garden was lovely. We were in villa 3. We would often spend the morning in the pool and sunbathing in our private garden and then headed off to the beach for to find somewhere new for lunch. Our favourite food wise was the Italian Dolce Mare (we went twice) but the best for lunch on the beach and cocktails at sunset was Island View Beach Bar and Bungalows, which is the closest to Slow. Breakfast at Slow is wonderful, just how the pictures show it to be. I fell in love with their dragon fruit juices (go to Pachamama for their legendary dragon fruit and peanut butter smoothie!) and muesli with yogurt. Avocados weren't always available which was a tiny downer as their Aussie breakfast with toast and avocado was yummy but hey you're on holiday on a tiny island in Indonesia and you have a day of sun and sand ahead of you, nothing is really a big problem! Don't expect a proper cooked English breakfast but their cooked tomato mix, like a ratatouille is delicious. We also had the Indonesian BBQ one evening. My word this was absolutely delicious. So much food between us and just stunning. Seriously worth staying in one evening for. The staff at Slow are all really kind and respectful. Some have brilliant English, others not so but unless your Indonesian is up to scratch then a level of patience shouldn't be too much of a hardship. It's so true that a smile goes a long way. We also went to the Slow Spa which has been done so nicely, it's tranquil and beautifully designed. We didn't visit any of the others on the island but it's easy to tell just by looking from the outside that Slow Spa is the most professional and up to the standards you'd expect at home. The room had everything we needed. We loved the outdoor bathroom. And as for that 'rainy' season - it didn't bother us at all. Yes it did rain and there were two or three days that we didn't sunbathe but we went off exploring and sitting in some really cool bars drinking green tea, exotic fruit juices and smoothies and watching the world go by. The sun is very intense so a few days respite was valuable. We still had lots of days joining nothing but laying on the beach and came back with a brilliant suntan! Plus there's nothing like watching a tropical storm roll in whilst you're on the beach with a Bintag in hand. We actually preferred that to the sunsets sometimes. Amazing sunsets here are just so common place!!!! We booked a snorkelling trip through Slow - just the two of us and two boatmen/guides. We saw turtles off Gili Meno and Gili T within minutes of jumping in the water. We've been lucky enough to see turtles before but never this many or this easily. The snorkelling trip was the highlight of our time. We had lunch on Gili Meno and had another two snorkelling stops on the way back. The sunken boat and metal structures off Meno (not sure exactly what it was) was the BEST snorkelling I've ever done in terms of seeing tropical fish. It was like a fish super highway. I could have stayed in the water there for hours and hours. So in summary Slow Villas is without a doubt the best accommodation on Gili Air. We're not backpackers and wanted some luxury. It's in a great, quiet location but still easy to get everywhere (really - no where is far on Gili Air). The staff and management are really helpful. There is so much choice in terms of eating out and at different budgets that you never get bored and there are lots of people to meet when you're out and about. We loved every moment. Terima kasih Julie, Kara and Martin. Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"Reverie Siam: "Outstanding! Loved everything about it"
"Amazing service, big and quiet rooms, lots of green, great swimmingpools, beautiful decor, best restaurant in town, great price. This hotel is a hidden gem. They even offer local mobile phones for guests to take when going to town, so they can call the hotel for sending a driver to pick them up. I am 100% happy with this hotel. I highly recommend it."Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Wonderful family holiday"
We stayed here for 11 days with 2 small children in April 2017 and were the last to leave before they closed for monsoon season. We were really worried about the weather at this time of year but it was beautiful and couldnt have been more perfect. This is a very private, unspoilt place to enjoy a family holiday. The food was fantastic, and a really good effort was made by the kitchen to keep the menu varied throughout our stay. The little pizza bar run by Gai down at the beach was great too. Massi and the team were outstanding, we really felt like we were in our own private island paradise. We stayed in Metha, which was wonderful.4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "Heartfelt luxury on the Tatai"
"My partner and I work in the area and had passed 4 Rivers from time to time, drooling at the sight of this oasis on the river. Last month we had the opportunity to stay and as high as our hopes were, the place surpassed all expectations! Their guide Darong gave us a warm welcome at the dock and spoke passionately about the biodiversity of the area, pointing out things along the way to the resort. On arrival, owner Anna and resort manager Paulo made us feel instantly at home with refreshing welcome drinks and a brief tour of the reception areas before showing us to our room. Our first impression was wow, just wow! Rooms are sumptuously though tastefully decorated, with everything you could need, from fans for freshness to dry bags for adventures on the river. We loved the water hyacinth furniture and the sprung mattress and comfy pillows were especially welcome. The bathroom is a masterpiece of innovation and attention to detail- we were delighted with the shower (you have to see for yourself!) and the beautifully fragrant ecological products were a great touch. Food and service in the restaurant was excellent, with a great choice of locally sourced fresh ingredients, a breakfast menu which changes daily and a delicious set dinner menu. The ambiance of the resort was something special and we enjoyed wonderful conversation with other like minded travellers during our stay. We took kayaks out around the mangroves and swam in the river, which is wonderfully fresh and clean year round. The kayaks are streamlined, easy to manoeuvre and easily the best maintained of any we've seen in Cambodia. We didn't spy any otters on our journey (they're shy creatures!) but apparently they hang out nearby, and for us nature lovers this alone would make it worth the visit! We've stayed at a number of eco resorts around Cambodia and none can match 4 Rivers for comfort and hospitality. Anna and her team have truly thought of everything, and all with sustainability of the area in mind. To top it off, to our great surprise and delight, on the morning of our departure, Paulo brought us a heart-shaped cake oozing with yummy chocolate mousse to celebrate our recent engagement, which just goes to show that staff go the extra mile to make your time here super special. We will be back! If you haven't made your mind up yet, cast doubt aside and book today! Go for the wild and wonderful nature, stay for the rare luxury that leaves no trace."Mie Cafe: "Fantastic food!"
The restaurant in a nice wooden house is located a bit outside of the center of Siem Reap. We got there by Tuk-tuk and chose 3 courses: Tuna tartar with mango, traditional fish Amok and fried bananas with mango and vanilla ice. We loved it so much that we came back the day after and ordered the same items again. Really nice!Cuisine Wat Damnak: "Elegant food and service"
"My wife and I enjoyed a dinner here as part of our honeymoon this week. I had the 6 course vegetarian menu, and my wife had one of the six course omnivorous options (including a frogs legs option!). All courses were simply superb. Beautiful balanced flavours were supported by technical flair. Service was perfect, warm yet unobtrusive. The decor was subtle and the atmosphere calm. Truly, this was one of the best meals I have ever enjoyed. Thank you!"Travel Asia with Secret Retreats
Secret Retreats is a curated community of independent boutique hotel, villas, yachts and river boats keen to share their Asian Homes with travelers, sustainably and responsibly.
Conservation of the environment, culture and traditions of Asia is of paramount importance to all in Secret Retreats.
A community of like-minded hospitality professionals, we offer our guests authentic travel experiences that go beyond typical offerings to unveil the essence of Asia. Supporting the Asia based hoteliers and hospitality professionals and providing incredible holidays in Asia and tailor-made Asia travel itineraries direct to public ad travel agents.
Get inspired and make savings!
By booking direct with Secret Retreats and enjoy peace of mind from our full on the ground support. Contact our concierge and plan then book your Asia holiday now!