Guest Reviews

KHWAN BEACH RESORT: "A great place to stay at Koh Samui"

"I and my partner spent five days at Khwan Beach Resort and our experience was nothing but fantastic. This is a small resort run by competent, kind and diligent people (Gaelle, Nittaya, Sai and Margot) who will make everything to fulfil yur wishes. Located literally at a two minute walk away from Mae Nam beach, it is a wonderful place to enjoy a relaxed holidays, surrounded by nature, nice villas each with its own private swimming pool, and (walking distance) close to restaurants, convenient stores, fresh fruit markets, etc. I will definitely return to this place. Mind you however that the resort has just initiated construction works for a restaurant which may cause some inconvenience during the day. Therefore, if you are planning to stay there, contact one of the managers (Gael or Margot) for more details "

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Fabulous Safari in Sri Lanka"

"We stayed at the Leopard Safari campsite for three nights starting on Christmas Day. It was a wonderful experience for the entire family (2 adults and 4 children ages 9 to 15). We had Sarge as our guide and he did an excellent job looking after us on the safaris. He is very knowledge not only about the general wildlife but also about birds in particular (we saw about 80 different species of birds as well as leopards, elephants and a sloth bear). Noel and Sophie did a terrific job as hosts for all the meals. They have great insights about Sri Lanka in general as well as the beautiful nature there. It was clear that Leopard Safaris was on a higher level than the other safari companies. The food was also terrific, and we were successful in having our kids try many different things. All in all, a terrific experience. Stayed December 2016, traveled with family"

Flower Island: "Absolutely Amazing"

"My husband and I came to flower island as part of our honeymoon. This is an absolute MUST! It is honestly a once in a life time experience. I have been fortunate enough to travel a lot, especially through Asia, including Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and the Phillippines. I have also stayed in places like Bora Bora. flower island still amazed me and took my breath away. You are on your own secluded island with only a hand full of guests. You stay in a tree house like accommodation- my husband and I felt like Tarzan andJane! You are surrounded by beauty and it is the most relaxing experience. The staff on the island are so friendly. It is very relaxed, and some people may like that 5 star 'being doted on hand and foot' style of service, but this place is so easy going and care free. The service is genuine and kind. Please remember, they lead an island life style, and it is relaxed. There is a bar and a beautiful, earthy restaurant where all your meals are catered for. Nice home cooked meals. I would recommend you get to the dining area as soon as the meal time begins to avoid the food cooling, as it's a buffet style. Also, as my husband and I swam and kayaked all day, we were a little hungry between meals, so we would recommend you bring some of your own snacks. Also, as it's a place that respects and is in touch with nature, expect some small visitors (like bugs etc) to your room, so maybe bring bug spray to deter mosquitos, and I would recommend a torch. I would also recommend a room with air conditioning as it can get a little steamy. We had this style room and it was comfortable. I would also highly recommend the pearl farm tour. Whilst the tour was interesting, the place where they take you to snorkel is amazing and essentially untouched as the area is highly protected. Most of the coral we saw on previously in our el Nido island hopping tours was dead, but this snorkel spot is just breath taking. The best I have ever seen! On the island as well there is a light house, which you can stay in for no extra charge- a great experience for those who are a Little more adventurous! You can walk to the top of the light house and are presented with a 360 degree view! Amazing. Such a wonderful place that offers priceless views and the most relaxing time away. It is worth the slightly expensive transfers in (van and boat ride) but the speed boat ride itself is exciting- we felt like James Bond on our way in! Very classy and a great entrance! One of my favorites spots I have been to so far in all my travels. Such a beauty and one of a kind. Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"

Villa Song: "Romantic French mansion converted to a beautiful hotel"

"Villa Song is chic neighborhood of Saigon with many mansions from the time of the French colonial era overlooking the Saigon River. The hotel is one of those classic mansions that got converted in a hotel retaining its character but adding many modern amenities (high speed internet, a great pool in the back yard, a riverside restaurant in the front, ...). The rooms are classic and very comfortable -- the bed in particular is incredibly comfortable. The breakfast is great -- it is a la carte where you choose from several options in a menu -- we tried a few of them and all of them looked wonderful. Since it is a la carte and freshly prepared you can order breakfast anytime from 6am to 10pm and since the breakfast is very substantial (and some of the Asian breakfast options look like lunch for my Western eyes), you can order them even as your lunch if you want. The neighborhood is lively and hip -- it is the home of a bunch of nice restaurants, craft breweries (which seems to be a big thing right now in Saigon) and trendy coffee shops. This is a bit far from the historical city center of Ho Chi Minh City, but the hotel has a shuttle boat departing from a small pier in front of the hotel (a taxi back from city center takes 25 min and around 200000 vnd = 10 usd) . It is a wonderful city full of history so make sure to take the boat and walk through the city center -- it is really beautiful."

Tugu Bali: "Boutique Hotel in the heart of Canggu"

"We stayed here for three nights having previously visited the Lombok Tugu hotel last summer. The hotel is everything we have now come to expect of the Tugu brand.The staff are very well trained, very accommodating and very helpful. the rooms are spread out around the grounds in a series of old style Indonesian houses, with 1 or 2 upstairs apartments and 1 or 2 downstairs garden apartments depending upon which room you are allocated. We were fortunate in that we had an upstairs room in one of the smaller houses (only 1 room upstairs and 1 room downstairs). The room was well appointed with an enclosed balcony but one which had windows which could be opened to all the sea breezes to blow through. It exudes old world charm yet has all the creature comforts one expects. The grounds and communal areas are beautifully presented and stacked full of Indonesian antiques. The hotel offers a quiet oases of comfort within the bustling and vibrant Canggu area. There is a large lawned area adjacent to the beach which is where we spent most of our time during the day. If you have never been to a Tugu hotel, you will marvel at how they manage to blend the old ways and charm of Indonesia in with the modern conveniences required by the present day traveller"

Rak Ko Jae Seoul: "A nice respite from a busy life and city"

Rak Ko Jae was truly a peaceful respite after a long day of travel to South Korea. I had read lots of reviews and expected the experience to be a little more... interactive perhaps? Really, this was a pretty solitary experience as we seemed to be the only ones there and only had contact with the staff at meal times. The hanok was smaller than I expected and very quaint. I woke up at 5am and actually WANTED to get out of bed and go outside and just sit and breathe the fresh air and listen to the sparrows sing and fly around me. It was so peaceful and quiet and still. (...) I highly recommend Rak Ko Jae, but I would also say to expect a very quiet and somewhat uneventful experience while you stay. The uneventfulness of our stay was a treat, and we didn't leave once between check-in and check-out! They even reminded us that check-out was 15 minutes away... we were aware, just trying to soak up every bit of our time there.

Cabochon Hotel & Residence: "my favourite place to stay in Bangkok"

"from the moment we walked in the door.....we fell in love with this place.....we can not recommend it highly enough! if you want something special, tucked away, unexpected with the most divine attentive staff.....this is it! we will only stay in this gorgeous hotel whenever we choose to visit this city. a very very special place indeed! the attention to detail, the drinks and cocktail choices are just perfect and the rooms to enjoy them in....are so so beautiful. a thai restaurant too with delicious food, a swimming pool, everything is here. all I can say is, we just don't want to leave.....its the perfect get away in a busy bustling city that can be very overwhelming. The Cabachon is an oasis with styling perfection. thank you for having us!"

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Excellent way to experience the wildlife of Sri Lanka"

The luxury tent was more than could be expected. Dhanu the guide was fantastic taking a lot of time to explain all the wildlife and finding us a leopard up close to photograph. He also spent time showing our daughter how to use her camera and while in camp to show us how to eat Sri Lankan style (with your fingers) and explain a few things about Sri Lanka. The food was out of this world and they did not hesitate to cater to my wife and daughters desire to not have spicy while at the same time experiencing Sri Lankan curries and other dishes. The rest of the staff helped to make our stay the best ever. Got to see a leopard and a couple of herds of elephants along with numerous other animals and birds. Definitely worth the experience!!!!!!

Glenburn Tea Estate: "Perfection!"

"I can't believe I left my visit to Glenburn (and Darjeeling) to the end of my time in India. I definitely would have returned if I'd been earlier in my tour. The overall experience is fabulous, though there are adjustments that could be made to the property to make it out of this world. The property may not be as fancy as some five star resorts but the experience is everything you could hope for, largely thanks to the wonderful efforts of caretakers Will and Faye (and Alex, who is helping for a few months). They went out of their way to make the it memorable, warm and welcoming. The views and the grounds of the estate are lovely. The tea fields are interesting for a few hours. A lot of guests loved the trek to the Ranjeet River. I preferred whiling away the hours on the front verandah, which really is the perfect antidote to the chaos and dirt of most Indian cities. The catering is superb - kudos to the kitchen staff. If you like kitsch, it's worth the visit to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway - though much of its journey is through town centres, cheek by jowl with people and their homes. The Shimla toy train may be better. Was lucky to catch a glimpse of Kanchenjunga on my last day but many don't get that lucky. It's still beautiful with or without that experience. The rooms are gorgeously quaint and the attention to detail with the decor is lovely. I loved all the butterfly touches in the Butterfly Room. But the owners may want to consider upgrading the sealing of rooms and electricity given the rates are in the higher bracket for the region. Post monsoon, I found a lot of creepy crawlies were making their way inside through gaps in the windows and an external door that couldn't close/lock. Also plugging in and using the hairdryer could get a bit buzzy given the old electrics. An upgrade to smooth the road to the property also wouldn't go astray. There is bumpy and there is feeling like you're in a washing machine. It's manageable if you don't get car sick but would be horrible if you do - I think the driver also makes a big difference. I did the road with two fabulous drivers and a less careful one as I was leaving and I noticed the difference. Despite those quibbles, I'd go again in a heart beat. Really loved the place. I was lucky to get a late room over the Dusshera/Durga Pooja holiday but apparently it books up fast."

Le Du Wine Bar & Restaurant: "Lovely service, imaginative food, and great attention to detail"

"I read an article about Le Du and was intrigued by its promise of elevating Thai style food. I have been in Thailand for several weeks and have enjoyed the food but not been blown away by anything that I have not tried before until tonight. We elected the 6 course tasting menu. This is really a bit more than expected because there is an amuse bouche and a fruit plate that is not listed. Server was Erica who was warm, attentive and knowledgeable. The dishes range from sea bass, river prawn, aged beef, pork jowls and a sustainable fish. Each was presented with a lovely Thai inspired sauce and accompaniment. While all the dishes were terrific in their own way, our favorites were the pork jowls an the sea bass. The lovely staff recognized my husband's celebration of his birthday with an extra dessert. So what would I say could be improved: the beef dish was the weakest in that while flavorful, it was a bit chewy. I did not observe the concerns voiced by other reviewers as a high noise level, or feeling of being rushed. We were dressed in a neat manner and felt welcome. We thought the bill was reasonable for this type of meal. Yes, there is a service charge but the charge is 10% which in our opinion is low for the amount of service and 50% of the expected tip in the US. I did find the reservation system challenging. I made a reservation for one evening, and then realized we would be open earlier in the week and tried to change the reservation. I sent an email, and initially, did not get a response. The hotel clerk called for me and changed the reservation, But I received no confirmation of change. This is partly my fault because the hotel gave the name on my passport which is slightly different ( nickname versus formal first name) that they did not recognize as the same person. We called again, confirmed and a few hours later I received a change of reservation with right day, wrong time. 2 more calls and 3 emails later, it was cleared and confirmed. So lesson learned; choose the time you want on the first try. Also, the location is a little tricky. It is in a a Soi or a little alley. So leave a little time to find it."