Guest Reviews

Bassac Cruises: "A “must-do” to really see the Mekong in style"

We took the one night cruise on Bassac 2. The programme is lunch and afternoon cruise, visit to local village, dinner and evening cruise to anchorage, breakfast and morning cruise to disembarkation point with visit to floating market and noodle making. For us this was a perfect itinerary and duration and a great insight into life in this enormous and important area of Vietnam. The food, particularly lunch was fantastic. Continental breakfast also had hot food. The boat is a joy with plenty of seating space even though the boat was full. The guide, An, was brilliant.

Villa Mathis: "Quite fantastically wonderful!"

I would heartily urge everybody to plan to have at least one stay in their lifetime at Villa Mathis - and to prepare yourself for many return visits as once will never be enough! From the first day of our six nights' stay, we felt as if we'd walked into a kind of personal Eden. The grounds were full of arbours housing day beds, with all kinds of private relaxation areas nestling amongst the bird-filled trees, vividly coloured flowers and exotic vegetation. Chris and his team were wonderful: they were there when you needed them, discreet when not required and incredibly helpful, smiling and friendly all of the time. We took advantage of the "romantic night" offer and were given a pampering via massage and petal filled bath prior to a wonderful private meal served in fairytale candlelit surroundings. Even though the 18 bedded premises were apparently fully occupied during our stay, we could never have guessed - such is the design of the whole area. Our personal villa was spacious, comfortable and had beautiful décor. If you are looking for tranquility and balm to the soul - this is the place for you as it is out in the countryside but only a very inexpensive 10-15 minutes' taxi ride away from Seminyak. I am sure there are still some glorious rooms and hideaway areas that we didn't manage to discover - so we shall just have to go again!

Villa Song Saigon: "Oasis in Saigon"

The quiet and classic getaway away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The rooms which went from a nice boutique style upscale luxury standard to a luxurious design and feel with beautiful furniture, original artwork, and excellent service

Villa Song Saigon: "A wonderful boutique hotel"

"Villa Song was the first stop on our recent SE Asian odyssey and it did not disappoint! We arrived after the best part of a day's travelling so were quite tired and ready to relax and chill. The reception staff were great and got us booked in very quickly (lovely watermelon juice as well) and off we went to our room. Beautiful view over the terrace, restaurant and Saigon River, the balcony was fairly small but there was room for 2 chairs and a table so that's really all that's needed. There was plenty of storage, a very nice bathroom including many extra accessories such as a sewing kit, cotton buds, wipes etc and the queen sized beds were extremely comfortable. We repaired to the beautiful poolside where we were able to recharge our batteries and partake of the gorgeous cocktails (Happy hour was 5 - 7 pm with 2 for 1 on cocktails and various other drinks). The breakfasts were awesome! Fruit platter to start and the menu had 15+ items on it from English breakfasts to Continental to Pancakes to Vietnamese specialities - you could have as many dishes as you wanted, plus you didn't actually have to have it at breakfast time (although we did). Being in district 2, Villa Song is a little way off the beaten track, however there was a complimentary river shuttle from the hotel to downtown which ran several times a day and which we utilised on our free day so that we could spend the entire day downtown - I recommend taking the shuttle, much more interesting than a taxi. Lastly I must give a huge shout out to the staff at Villa Song - nothing too much trouble, always smiling, checking we had enough coffee/tea/beer/cocktails/juice...I think with the hotel only having 20 or so rooms it has a real family feel to it. I would highly recommend Villa Song to anyone Stayed February 2017, traveled with friends"

The Island Lodge: "A quaint oasis in the Mekong Delta"

We booked to stay at The Island Lodge for 4 nights in May 2016. After travelling through Vietnam from Hanoi and the North, and steadily heading south, we spent a couple of days in Saigon before going to the Mekong. Michel kindly arranged transfers for us from Saigon well before we left for our trip, and all went to plan. We drove down but you can get there by boat as well. It was just the perfect relax-a vous place after the hectic touring of cities. Our room overlooking the pool was excellent, and the staff were lovely, and tree so hard to please us, even though their English was not perfect- however much more perfect than our Vietnamese! It's a charming small resort, and we went on a personal tour with Michel on bikes along some amazing tracks we'd never find on our own, for around 3 hours, on the Ferry and through little villages with everyone saying hello along the way. It was a really unique and bespoke tour and Michel was the perfect host along the way. Food was great and we couldn't have been better looked after. If you are into small hotels which are well run, but offer something deferent to the big internationals, you'll love this place. It only has 12 rooms, so that'll give you an idea of how boutique it is.

Jings Residence: "Fantastic"

I traveled in China for one month to take my four adopted Chinese daughters back to see their place of birth. The trip was fantastic and we stayed in a variety of large and small hotels, but always the best available for the area (i.e. Peninsula in Shanghai and Hong Kong, which were great). Jing's place was the best small hotel by far. They received us very warmly and accommodated our early morning arrival finding us rooms even though check in wasn't until the afternoon. It's a beautiful small hotel with very friendly staff and a decent restaurant, also perfectly located in middle of old Pingyao. Imam, the manager was super, and tended to all our needs. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to stay in Pingyao. They also have a nice spa!

Supanniga Cruise: "One of the highlights of our trip"

This cruise exceeded our expectations. Its not the cheapest cruise on the river but the reward for paying a bit extra is a great service & six delicious courses of food that is personally delivered to your table with an accompanying description of the meal on offer. We loved the traditional with a modern twist, classy but funky vibe of the cruise all set against the stunning backdrop of the Chao Praya river at night. This was one of the highlights of our trip & will do it again next time in Bangkok.

Tugu Bali: "A Hidden Gem – Romantic and Relaxing"

We had a wonderful stay at Tugu, Bali whose mission is to bring back to life the art, soul and romance of Indonesia and it certainly does. It was by far my favourite hotel on the island. There are so many wonderful historical artefacts on the property, we really enjoyed wondering the hotel to look at them and learn about some of Bali's history. The hotel’s theatrically large entrance lobby creates an impression of grandeur. While there are plenty of unique areas to enjoy a romantic breakfast/lunch/dinner. What I loved about Tugu was the friendly staff and the attention to detail. Staying true to the romance element, when our room was turned down, beautiful poems were left by the bed with an array of fresh local flowers. The bath in our suite was incredible and the flower petals added to the ambiance. For Honeymooners and anyone looking for something a little bit special -Tugu is a must!

Amata Lanna: "Beautiful"

This small hotel is just wonderful- made of teak wood, it is traditional in style with all rooms centred around a beautiful courtyard with a swimming pool. The rooms are large and well appointed. We arrived on a cool day so the large spa tub was a delight for a warm relax. The staff are just delightful and helpful. The breakfast was absolutely gorgeous. There is the choice of shrimp or pork rice soup, or a western breakfast, as well as options for toast and fruit and juices. The mango sticky rice was a highlight and the coffee fabulous. We walk a lot, so we found it easy to walk to the old town (20 min), and the river is closer as is the Night Bizaar. The Anusan market is just to the north of the hotel- we found this a great walk through to the old town. Adored this place, highly recommend it and would stay here again.

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Wow!"

"A fantastic stay at Neeleshwar. A unique resort, on the coast of Northern Kerala facing the Arabian Sea. The staff were so attentive and nothing was too much trouble.Unspoilt scenery enhanced by the amount of space between each living area. Fantastically managed gardens with wonderfully, in keeping buildings. The cottages were beautifully furnished. Breakfast served in the beach restaurant, overlooking the sea. Lunch and dinner in a choice of venues. Fish by the beach or a larger selection at the main restaurant. Food to die for and such a choice. We had some clothes made in the resort shop, excellent service. The spa facilities were great. The views from the infinity pool were unbelievable from dawn to dusk. We reluctantly left, to continue our tour of Kerala,a line up of staff to wish us Bon voyage. A real treat! It's not if, but when, we will return. Stayed January 2017, traveled with friends"