Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Amazing 2 day safari"

Review by: runningmum69 | Source: Trip Advisor
We had such a brilliant time with Noel and his staff at Leopard Safari. We were 2 families with 4 kids aged 7 to 11 years old. The campsite (or glampsite) was beyond my expectation. Everything is provided (including your own flushing toilet!). The food was the best I had in Sri Lanka and the staff were very helpful. There was even a pool to cool down and a lounge/bar area to have a pre-dinner drink and meet fellow guests. The actual safari trips were wonderful. It's not like Africa where the animals are everywhere, but it was so much fun and we saw a lot of them. We saw spotted deer, water buffalo, monkey's, wild boar, elephants, land monitors, wild chickens, many many beautiful birds, crocodiles and 3 leopards. I would highly recommend this safari.

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Heavenly eco-resort at the end of the world on a dream island"

Review by: Fausta N | Source: Trip Advisor
We were absolutely sensational Baan Mangon! Best location, sensationally beautiful 28 beach villas, all of which include private individuals, which are rented from the hotel. The clubhouse / restaurant and reception with shop are like old colonial villas from Indochina with many antiques. One beach is completely deserted and miles long, the other in a child-friendly lagoon. At low tide you can walk in far into paddling in flight with a kayak in the Mangrovenflüsschen and watch monkeys. On this beach it has the pizza hut and lounge chairs with umbrellas. So I do not have to eat pizza in Thailand (but they are great!), I ordered a Thai Pèicknick in the restaurant and have it delivered to the scooter. The whole resort is simply sensational, a dream, absolutely amazing breathtakingly beautiful! All eating organic, much planted himself, every day four new starters and main dishes fresh. Perfect!

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "A really classy first-rate camping safari"

Review by: RLPaterson | Source: Trip Advisor
"We stayed in the only air conditioned tent and with it's ensuite bathroom and running water was the ultimate luxury. The things that made this safari were the staff (wonderfully expert and hospitable), the excellent Sri Lankan food and - oh yes - the wildlife spotting! Just be aware that unlike African safaris we have been on, this camp is in a lovely spot but outside the reserve as camps are not allowed inside."

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Wonderful property with a few tiny misses"

Review by: Luke D | Source: Trip Advisor
"Walking into the Blue Mansion really does take your breath away. It's a beautiful property with a sense of serene grandeur that photos don't *quite* do justice. Every courtyard, corridor, staircase and room just looked beautiful. The feeling of tranquility was such a contrast to the hustle and bustle of George Town. There is a new pool that is opening in January apparently. We could see it through a window and it looks AMAZING. The 3 daily tours (don't go into guest wings) gave a great historical background to the property, walking through the building afterwards you could feel the echoes of past inhabitants. Overall Would definitely stay here again, serene, relaxing, historical, photogenic! Room We stayed in a Liang room - Towkay. Liang is the base room type, but it is very big and spacious. Comfortable and appropriately decorated in keeping with the mansion. Snacks and juices were provided daily. The room was really welcoming and relaxing to come back to after a humid day of urban hiking and eating! Some other reviews mentioned mosquitos, we didn't have any problem. We were staying in the quiet wing, away from the hawker centre next door. That side has some decorative pools, so maybe an issue on that side, but we didn't have any problem at all with mosquitos or noise. Breakfast The breakfast is served in the central courtyard and was fine. Good coffee, fruits toasts, DELICIOUS spreads. There is also an a la carte menu of around 6 choices of local and western cooked breakfasts, which were good also. Not spectacular, but good. We didn't eat lunch or dinner there. The staff could sometimes take a looonng time to acknowledge you and the cooked breakfast could take it's time. Coffee was good :) Location Great. Walking distance to everything you need. Close to a hop on hop off bus stop if that takes your fancy. Service Good by Malaysian standards. Calls to the front desk were dealt with promptly, friendly and cheerful at all times. Tiny Misses The wifi in the room was great on the first day and then terrible for the next day or two. Really, really frustrating when using to research things to do and book tours etc. When we asked if it was being fixed, we were offered a pocket wifi to use out and about and in the room. This may have been mentioned in the room booklet, but we didn't notice it until our last day! We arranged an airport transfer, and understand that this is always going to cost way more than a taxi or uber. Pick up was good, in a nice car. Return trip they put us in a taxi that I think was waiting for someone else, the driver put the meter on when we sat down and had no idea that it was paid for by the hotel and had to go back in and check. I don't think they actually booked the return trip. We could have got a taxi ourselves and paid half the price we did. PS. Uber is so super cheap in Penang! Nice Touches Juices, treats most afternoons, and some nice soaps as Christmas presents (we were there on Christmas day), friendly front desk staff. Room Tip: Ask for rooms away from the Red Garden hawker centre. Ask for pocket wifi on arrival!"

Anopura Resort: "Heaven on Earth"

Review by: MariekesAoL | Source: Trip Advisor
I have travelled extensively all over India for more than two decades and never come across a more perfect haven - the most wonderful respite after hectic days at JLF and the hurly burly of Jaipur. It is so rare to feel so spoiled in such an unspoiled setting of invigorating sweet air and such pleasing aesthetics. Ishwar and his team are without parallel for their genuine hospitality, highest standards of solicitous service and sheer warmth. There is so much to admire about this sanctuary - the pleasing artistic details, the supreme comfort, the cosseted sense of privacy and privilege and the most outstanding food.I cannot commend this place enough as somewhere to come to be at the still centre of the world, to rest and revive. One night is not long enough and even before leaving, yearn to return. Congratulations to everyone involved in this exceptional boutique project.

Glenburn Tea Estate: "Heaven on Earth"

Review by: snazzyaz | Source: Trip Advisor
It's a four hour drive from Bagdogra airport and a very bumpy one at that, but the moment you arrive you forget all of that. The tea estate accommodation is amazing. I stayed in the Singalila suite in the bungalow and it was to die for. The interior design was immaculate and the view from my window of Kanchenjunga in the morning heavenly. Food was fantastic. So quiet and peaceful, a great place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the cities.

Tugu Bali: "Charming Hotel – really makes you want to stay in Bali"

Review by: Cindy T | Source: Trip Advisor
This boutique hotel is Bali at its finest- excellent service, gorgeous rooms, wonderful food, and traditional Balinese antiques incorporated flawlessly into the property. We were warmly greeted upon arrival by Putu, who was more than attentive and helpful for the entire duration of our stay. He made sure everything was ready for us, including our drop-off to the airport, and even gave us a tour of the art around the properly. Our room was comfortable, spacious and charming, complementing the rest of the hotel with antique art pieces on display right in the room. Every member of the staff greeted us with a smile and accommodated every small request. Extra perks make this boutique hotel special- like the freedom to have breakfast wherever we wanted. We chose to have our breakfast in a cabana overlooking the beach and every detail was taken care of, plus the food was delicious! This hotel made our Bali experience thoroughly enjoyable and we would definitely visit again.

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "Amazing Experience"

Review by: Crystalbug20 | Source: Trip Advisor
"This hotel gives the best experience during our April 2017 Kalaw-Inlay vacation. We ( husband and daughter ) stayed here for only 1 night and my 11 years old daughter request me to plan a 3 days stay next time :) Staff are very friendly and professional , especially on our arrival , Thant Zin welcome us with the warm and genuine smile and touring around hotel. Throughout the stay we experienced the hospitality of all. The bungalows are spacious, clean and beautifully decorated. We had dinner & breakfast there, we were so content with the oven fresh breads and croissant and the quality of the food. All in all , we were so happy and surely will come back again with all family members. My love of nature is completed by the surroundings , mini organic farms, aquarium , authentic Burmese cat village, birds chipping around the hotel . Thanks for your wonderful service & experience , Hotel Heritage ! Stayed April 2017"

Tugu Lombok: "Second time…. in Hotel Tugu… even better"

Review by: Ignacio C | Source: Trip Advisor
"My wife and I had the chance to come back to Hotel Tugu, in Lombok... You know that when the first time is memorable, your expectations for the second time might become a bad reference. This is not the case in this hotel. We planned, this time, more than three days of stay... this time it was a week!. We discovered some new and wonderful corners of the hotel; we walked along the wide beach... almost alone, just some fishermen coming back or reparing their nets.... that's only can be experienced over there... all connected to the hotel. The staff remembered our names and, even the type of breakfast we used to have.... that's only can be expected in Hotel Tugu Lombok. Palm trees, green grass and white sand... together with the coral reefs at walking distance! !!.... all the staff led by Elly and Henry do an outstanding job. ... you gave us a lot of happiness!... Thank you all for your warming care.... I hope other travelers are going to have the chance to enjoy as we did."

Mume: "Great all around experience"

Review by: Confused_ExpatHanoi | Source: Trip Advisor
MUME clearly deserves to be ranked in asia's top 50 restaurants as its creative menu, intimate settings, and enthusiastic staff. The food itself is very reasonable for the quality level and we loved the atmosphere and creative cocktails that were offered up by the top notch staff. Moreover, we found the setting warm and for this level of service they managed to avoid some of the usual pompous pitfalls of other fine dining restaurants in town. In short, it was our best meal in Taipei and I would strongly recommend booking in advance for anyone planning to visit Taiwan
instagram youtube linkedin blog tiktok

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!