Guest Reviews

Tugu Bali: "Hidden Gem in Bali"

"We stayed at Hotel Tugu Bali for 2 nights and it was exceptional. The hotel is located in a very popular area of Bali (Canggu) with great night life, beaches, and surfing. The staff was very attentive and hospitable. In particular, Putu, was very helpful at reception. He would go above and beyond to ensure our stay was perfect. He would always greet us by name with a smile and arrange everything for us including breakfast, spa appointments, a shuttle to the airport, a tour of the hotel and even historical info on the antiques and artifacts on display.. The hotel is very unique in that it has a big emphasis on the atmosphere, decor, and mood. There is a large collection of antiques, but don't think that this means the hotel feels old. All the amenities are modern but the atmosphere makes you feel like you're in a tropical paradise. This is not your standard ""cookie-cutter"" style hotel. We stayed in the Dedari suite which is on the ground level. It is very spacious. It has its own entrance to a front garden before entering the room itself. It almost has the feel of a stand-alone villa. Unique features of this suite include a private plunge pool and an outdoor washroom. The bed is the most comfortable I have EVER slept in. It is bigger than a normal north american king size. I wanted to take it home. The breakfast options are amazing. And we had the option of eating anywhere on the premises. First day we ate on a raised cabana overlooking the beach. Second day we ate on a balcony overlooking the gardens. While in Bali we stayed at 3 different hotels in Uluwatu, Seminyak, and finally here at Tugu in Canggu. By far, staying at Tugu was the best. Highly recommend that anyone reading this should stay at Tugu Hotel. You will not regret it!"

Summertime Villa: "Amazing and Serene! Best place for a trip with a close bunch of friends"

"I had the best time at this place and it showcased Goa in a new light! Away from parties, just the calmness and beauty of this place will make you wish to stay and not want to leave! 5 of 5 bubblesValue 5 of 5 bubblesComfort 5 of 5 bubblesLocation 5 of 5 bubblesCleanliness 5 of 5 bubblesService"

THE ISLAND LODGE: "A great and cosy place to recharge ones batteries"

"We had a short stay in The Island Lodge from 8th to 10th of April - I can say, a great finding! It made us extend our stay right after the first three hours on Michels premises. For us, since we were looking for a quiet place away from the busy days in Ho Chi Minh City, it was an excellent option. It was a great experience in all aspect. You will find a very idyllic small road leading to the west-end of Thoi Son island followed by a small path guiding to the entrance of the resort. A beautiful, silent place, which was obviously built and choosen by someone paying a lot of attention to details, will appear. Rooms are very clean and harmonic, the staff is extraordinarily friendly and attentive, food and service met our expectations. Overall a very cosy atmosphere - a place to recharge ones batteries :) "

Tugu Lombok: "Simply the best three nights of our life"

Without a doubt, the Hotel Tugu in Lombok was the best hotel experience we have ever had, second to none (and I've travelled a lot). The most exceptional grounds, most amazing rooms, outstanding service, beautiful beach, highly attentive staff, and second-to-none food. I would strongly, strongly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for an out-of-this-world travel experience. Special thanks to Evi for her special help for this trip, and to Hotel Manager Henri for his care. Actually, every staff member was exceptional and worthy of special mention if only I could remember all of their names.

NEELESHWAR: "Heaven on Earth"

"This is the most beautiful place we have ever stayed, peace and tranquillity by the Arabian Sea, heaven on earth. The service was amazing, nothing was too much trouble, we stayed in a lovely cottage called Shanti overlooking the sea, attention to detail was of the highest standard, everything was perfect. There are just 12 cottages which make it very special. The spa was the best we have ever been too, we had a Shirodhara massage, amazing... we were rejuvenated and calmed. Breakfast was at the beach restaurant, (food was of the highest standard) after early morning yoga, what a beautiful way to start the day. We had a wonderful stay at Neeleshwar, and hope to return again. "

Chakrabongse Villas: "A real oasis – beautiful and worth every cent"

"Chakrabongse Villas is a really luxurious boutique hotel. We were guests here for 3 nights in April, and we wanted for nothing. We were offered a welcome cocktail when we arrived late in the evening, and our villa was traditional Thai style, and it was well appointed, clean and cool. We had a lovely private balcony overlooking the garden, with fresh flowers, pool towels, daybeds and shade aplenty. Having large villas, lovely gardens and only a handful of villas, we hardly ever saw another guest! We enjoyed the pool and the activity on the river, which we were on the banks of. Grounds are very private, with locked gates. Staff are unobtrusive but efficient, and the clamour, heat and bustle of Bangkok stops at the gates, and you enter a true oasis of calm and luxury. The riverside restaurant is also lovely and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast there each morning, with exquisite service, lovely food, and tourism advice as required. We took their longtail boat tour through the canals one afternoon, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was reasonably priced, too. One night we ate at the restaurant for dinner, and really, we were treated like royalty. A treat for the soul, and lovely, simple set menu, deliciously prepared. It was my husband's birthday one day, and they gave him a lovely gift. Add all of this together, and you have an exemplary service provider. Expensive but as i say, well worth it. Congratulations Chakrabongse crew, keep up the good work! Stayed April 2017, traveled as a couple"

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "Unique Boutique Hotel with fabulous service"

"My sister and I spent 6 nights at this fabulous hotel and I can honestly say I have never stayed at a hotel with better service. It is a training hotel for the hospitality industry and each year there is a new intake of about 48 students from all parts of Myanmar. The attention to detail is unsurpassed in each of the six stilted huts which feature local crafts and fabric with a lot of teak wood. Breakfast was served each morning overlooking the reed banks floating in the lake. Stunning views in all directions. There is a very special shrine room featuring a fabulous shrine copied from a temple nearby. My favourite feature of the hotel is the Burmese cats. The hotel has taken on a project to reintroduce the Burmese cats to Myanmar. The breed had all but died out. Guests are allowed to spend time with these precious animals getting a cuddle. We were fortunate to attend a cooking course at the hotel with the head chef. What an amazing experience that was, not cheap but worth every cent. Perhaps my only negative at this magical place was the passing boat noise which is probably to be expected if you stay on a lake and that is the only form of transport available. I would strongly recommend a few nights stay at this very unique hotel. I can't finish this review without mentioning some of the very special staff members who made our stay even more enjoyable, thanks Pann Myet, Nay Zaw, Chaw Su and Thun and so many others. Stayed December 2016, traveled with family"

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "and RELAX"

"My wife and I stayed for 5 nights in Dec 2017. The location is beautiful and the atmosphere very relaxing. ACCOMMODATION - 5 stars. Very large comfortable beds. Natural products used in the furnishings/floor. BOSE sound dock a nice touch. Tea facilities would have been nice. Large airy rooms. Wi-Fi worked well, but could only get it in the room/veranda. I would have liked to have received it by the pool (not a big deal). POOL - The pool is the best we have ever been too (great sunset view). RESTAURANTS - We ate in both the main restaurant and seafood restaurant. The main restaurant is a beautiful large wooden structure, local in design. The food here was very good; however it did lack some atmosphere/ambience. Some soft chill out Indian lounge/retreat music would have been perfect, but no music at all, made the room feel quite big and empty. The seafood restaurant was in our opinion overpriced for what we received. My Tiger prawns (£16) were served rather bland and accompanied with broccoli and carrots (hardly the Indian cuisine experience I was hoping for). Beers/Wine prices are NOT shown on the menu and are EXPENSIVE so be warned. Not sure why there is no transparency with this (maybe it's a Kerala law). SERVICE/STAFF - Outstanding FACILITIES - We had the pleasure of going on a half day Spice Hill Plantation/Nature tour. We highly recommend doing this tour. Indian nature at its very best......A MUST DO !!! My wife committed herself to yoga every morning which she thoroughly enjoyed and also completed a TA meditation course, which she also thoroughly enjoyed, given by the founder of the establishment Alistair (very nice genuine man). GROUNDS - The gardens, pool and beach are all very well maintained and the location is perfect for unadulterated relaxation. The sea was warm and perfect to swim in. Don't miss the sunset !!! SUMMARY - In short the only thing we would change, would be to add some suitable music/ambience into the main restaurant, a bit more imagination with the cuisine in the fish restaurant and some transparency with the alcohol. Apart from that we thought the place was outstanding and we will have no hesitation in returning. It's a perfect place to unwind; but if you do decide to stay here, do yourself a favour and make the effort to venture out to experience the real India/Kerala."

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "Magical stay"

"We spent 2 nights at Tiger Mountain but it could have been much more. Superb stay from our first pick up and welcome to our goodbye. From Pokhara it is about 40 min drive up the mountain on a typical Nepali road but then you arrive in an tranquil oasis where you will only hear the birds. Lodge is located on a mountain with sweeping views over Pokhara valley on both sides. Rooms have amazing views towards the Himalayas, perfect for sunrise watching (they will serve coffee/tea and cookies at about 5.30 in your room to accompany the sunrise) Upon our arrival, the lunch table was set on the terrace with a view to the Himalayas and we were served delicious Nepali dishes. Tea was served in the afternoon with home made snacks. Followed by happy hour at 6 and diner around 7.30. Again with delicious Nepali dishes. Had amazing jackfruit curry, some sort of stir fried ferns, spinach dish, home made chutneys, water buffalo curries. I think I would have exploded after a week at the lodge as I had to finish everything. Quality of the food is fantastic, all organic, grown in the area, fresh and everything home made. Even the herbal tea came from their own garden. In the morning there was home made yoghurt with homemade muesli, homemade jams & preserves, honey from Pokhara, homemade bread. Yummy. The lodge offers guides to take you for walks according to your liking. We did a village walk around the hotel and the next day a ridge walk where we had beautiful views over the rice terraces, villages and Himalayas. The guide took us through villages and explained about village life. Staff at the lodge is fantastic: friendly, helpful and offering great service. There is a swimming pool with again magical views, certainly in the early morning you can see the Himalayas reflected in the water. It is a shame it is so far away from Hong Kong otherwise I would be back for a relaxing long weekend. And there is only wifi in the lobby (if it is working, this is Nepal) so relaxing is really good as you can't connect to the outside world! Show less Room Tip: Room 11, a triple room, at the end of the resort with uninterrupted views. Room 10, double room, abo... Stayed: April 2017, traveled with family"

Manda De Laos: "Beautiiful ambience; very good food"

This restaurant is outdoors surrounding a pond. The frogs supply background music. The ambience is very pleasant. It is upscale for Luang Prabang and the food is more refined (and tourist friendly) than most places. We enjoyed it very much. It is pricey for Luang Prabang, but not by U.S. standards. Friendly service