Guest Reviews

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."

Chakrabongse Villas: "Wonderful hotel"

"We stayed one night in this hotel. This hotel is really beautiful. It is authentic and well located in the city. I would definitely recommend it. The room is huge and you have a large terrace. The breakfast is really good and can be served on the terrace as well. The staff speaks a very good English and are very helpful. This hotel would be a bit more expensive than other hotels that we did in Bangkok but it is definitely worth it. We hope to come back in Bangkok and stayed there. Thank you again for the Thailand flag :)"

Arumdalu Private Resort: "A great escape, yet conserving nature as well!"

A large sized room designed with combination of modern-indonesian style. Environment is nice and well preserved. Air temperature is suprisingly quite cool, unlike the other beaches in common. Oh, Don't forget the food, the chef has an ultimate way to satisfy your gastronomic needs! Recommended place to stay.

SANAK RETREAT BALI: "INCREDIBLE"

"We stayed at Sanak in early January of 2015. Unfortunately it's taken me this long to review them! After arriving on a particularly rainy afternoon, we were greeted by the lovely staff in their bar/reception area. I was blown away by the incredible view that lay before me. The hotel is nestled right on top of farmed rice paddies so provided an amazing taste of the real Bali. The food was particularly impressive. The menu has a French/Balinese fusion twist; and every meal they served us was amazing quality. It's truly a perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta. I was a little worried about becoming ""bored"" due to the quite, but the constant massages, yoga and laying by the pool quickly calmed those nerves. One of the people in the group I stayed with even got the chance to work the rice fields with the locals, yet again adding to the authenticity! Couldn't recommend the place any more highly. Loved it! "

Satri House: "The Oasis in Luang Prabang"

"This resort is very charming and colonial, tucked away from the main town area, with a very serene and quiet surrounding. The main town area is just some easy 5-8 min walk away, which gives this resort the best of both worlds - convenient yet peaceful. The service was excellent. We were personally greeted by Mr Lucky and Ms Navinda, both were very warm and hospitable. Breakfast was superb too, with very interesting choices and generous servings. Room make-up service was very prompt and frequent, and they would replace the used towels with clean ones each time they make up the room. There are 2 pools in the resort, with a lot of secret hidden corners for you to discover, and you can have the whole place to yourselves to relax. Before checkout, the hotel staff even packed the breakfast for us to eat before our flight. What a nice gesture! We would not hesitate to return and recommend this place to everyone visiting Luang Prabang."

The Hue House: "Không thể không quay trở lại"

Enjoy dining here with nice view over Saigon. Calm atmosphere. Super nice service and delicious Hue dishes.

Jing’s Residence: "Made a big mistake only staying one night"

This place was utterly amazing! My family and I stayed here for a quick stop on our way back from Xian to Beijing. We made a big mistake not staying here longer and we will definitely come back for a longer stay. The service staff anticipated every needs we had even escorting my wife to a store to buy some local dates they served. They even helped us bargain a price. After feeling ripped off by the local taxi getting there, they arranged for their hotel van to take us back to the train station. My favorite part was sitting in the courtyard at night and taking in the nice quiet atmosphere.

Rachamankha: "Best stay in Chiang Mai"

"This was one of the most peaceful hotels that I have ever stayed in, it feels like a retreat where the soul is nourished away from the everyday hustle and bustle. The architecture, gardens and decor are amazing. In the morning someone comes to cut the grass with a pair of garden scissors instead of a lawnmower so the peace is just never disturbed. We had lovely meals in the restaurant and enjoyed every send of our visit and we will visit Thailand again for the third time just to stay in this hotel again."

The Cabochon Hotel: "Great thai food in an amazing retro location"

"The restaurant is settled in a white house - hotel at the end of Soi 41. All menu is based on small portions (non as small as tapas but that allow you to try more dishes from menu, based on the isaan northern cuisine. Fish was very good and tender, we had a seabass and a squid, plus papaya salad (typical isaan) was amazing as well. beyond that we had some chicken in coconut milk, grilled chicken and vegetables. Prices are also fair enough to allow you to take more than one or two dishes per person. (160-400 thb depending on the ingredients)"

Tugu Lombok: "Quirky and very special."

This is such a quirky hotel. I was slightly alarmed on guest impressions because this is definitely not a sophisticated, one dimensional hotel. This is a one off. Beautiful situation right on the beach, big rooms with outside bathrooms and plunge pools, huge grounds, two pools - the new one bring a large infinity pool with fresh water and I always had it to myself). Plenty of sunbeds so you never had to rush anywhere and the staff were all completely charming. We were made to feel very welcome and everyone knew our names. The manager was very visible and personable and, like all the staff, seemed to genuinely enjoy his job. A very special place. Recommend the BBQ on the beach (the staff went to great lengths to make it special and the food was fab). Also recommend Gillian Island snorkelling trip where we saw lots of turtles which was a highlight