Guest Reviews

Flower Island: "Tropical Island Paradise"

My wife and I sent several wonderful days at Flower Island Resort. We made the special trip to see the Jewelmer Golden Pearl Farm on our second day. There we were shown how the oysters are propagated and grown. The crew there showed us the process of grafting oysters(where the bead is inserted in to the gonad) as while as the harvesting of the lustrous Golden Pearls. Our room was very comfortable traditional native hut with modern conveniences such as air conditioning and hot running water. We really enjoyed the wide variety of meals especially the pearl meat salad. There is a trail to a tower at the top of the island that gives you a 360 degree view. Another path takes you all the way around the island in about 35 minutes.

Mekong Villas: "Hidden Gem"

"Lovely people at a lovely spot. The only thing unfortunate was the cold wheather and Thai brick beds. Other than that plain lovely! If you like quiet the slightly steep price is definitely worth it! They organized dinner and a boat trip for us, both very reasonably priced."

Rachamankha: "Old City Oasis"

Traveling from the Chiang Mai Airport we encountered a buzz of traffic including autos, tuk-tuks and a swarm of scooters and small motorcycles. Crowded, bussling, narrow streets apperared to be the norm. Then our driver turned onto a side street and pulled into the calm and quiet of Rachamankha. The staff of the hotel and the restaurant where gracious and attentive. The grounds are gorgeous and peaceful. We spent a few quiet hours by the tranquil pool. Great experince.

Cuisine Wat Damnak: "Book in advance"

My annual visit to Siem Reap is not complete without coming here - Brilliant concept, always faithfully and energetically executed. The two tasting menus are always well thought out and balanced between sweet, sour, savoury, and spicy. An elegant and exciting way to be introduced to the flavours and ingredients of the region within the western template of a tasting menu, at frankly a brilliant price. During high season they book out so do book even before you fly, rather than when you get into town. Oh and they make a mean cocktail too :-)

Rachamankha: "Quiet and peaceful oasis in Chiang Mai"

This hotel was incredible. It was so peaceful and quaint and the greenery was beautiful. It was in a perfect location. The rooms were beautiful and the beds were very comfortable. The staff was very helpful and friendly and were always checking to make sure our stay was as comfortable as possible. We spent New Years with them and had a great party!! I would highly recommend this hotel and location.

Misool Eco Resort: "Even better the second time around!"

"My wife and I first visited MER in 2013 (if interested, see my review dated July 9, 2013) and returned for our second visit in February of this year. Our observations: In the three years between visits, the fish life has continued to rebound in a remarkable fashion thanks to MER's No Take Zone and ranger patrols of that area. There is so much to see on every dive site. Brilliant colors abound, along with critters galore, sharks and mantas, too! Diving was the focus of our visit and we found the dive operation to be efficiently and expertly managed by Calvin and his support staff. The food was once again plentiful and delicious. A change since last time was the switch during lunchtime from buffet style to family style, where heaping plates of food were passed around each table. Great conversations were had daily when the guests came together at meal time. The grounds are clean and well maintained, the staff helpful and friendly, the spa services are varied and most satisfying and while my wife and I have traveled extensively around the globe, we found ourselves more relaxed on this trip than anywhere before. Marit and Andrew have a spectacular vision for this place and continue to look for ways to conserve and protect this beautiful part of the world, while allowing guests to come along for the ride. What a privilege for those who visit. We're already planning to return in 2018 and we can't wait to once again see the friends we've made at MER. Dave and Elaine"

Maison Polanka: "Stay here for wonderful personal service. Deserving of a 7/5 rating not merely 5/5"

"I will start with the summary: tranquil garden, great room, excellent F+B, attention to detail, but the wonderful staff is what made our stay in Siem Reap a truly memorable one (in addition to the the magnificent ruins, of course). The small touches such the chilled towels in the car and upon our return to Maison after each of our trips were truly appreciated. They provided a mobile phone with Maison's number preloaded in directory, another thoughtful and helpful detail. We found the staff not merely polite and helpful but genuinely concerned about our well-being. Maison arranged tuk-tuk rides for our trips into the center of town and the drivers were courteous. Our car/van driver was friendly and informative on the ride back to the airport, making us feel welcome in Cambodia even as we were about to depart. We cannot remember all the names of all who took care of us but special thanks to to Kathy and Sorpana (?) at reception for all their attention to us. Of course, we cannot say enough about Francis. From the initial email exchanges to our actual stay he remained on top of everything. We appreciated his meeting us at the airport on our late night arrival, something we did not expect. Initially I had considered one of the larger hotels but chose to look for a boutique hotel instead. I chose Maison based on both excellent reviews and the compelling back story as told on the hotel webpage. Several email communications with Francis were promptly answered; he readily addressed concerns about airport transfers (a hotel van is available; recommended as tuk-tuks and taxis may not know the hotel or its location) transport to the town center (tuk-tuks that the hotel apparently has an arrangement with and will wait for you at your destination in town). Maison Polanka is located on the east side of the Siem Reap river in a quiet secluded neighborhood (the nearby Po Lang Ka pagoda is what presumably gave name to the road and hotel), about 9km away from the airport and 2.5km from the markets in downtown Siem Reap. The Angkor National Museum is the closest site of interest within very easy walking distance less than 1km from Maison. Of course, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom are much further away 6.5km and 11km respectively. We rode the hotel van for our tour of the temples and took tuk-tuks to town. The hotel grounds are meticulously maintained, heavily wooded and thus shaded. There were flowering plants everywhere including orchids and butterflies were flitting around from bloom to bloom. There were just a few rooms. The largest accommodation was the Khmer House, a stand-alone building. We had booked the the Yellow Room in the ""Maison"" which also housed the Green, Orange, and Purple Rooms. Francis told us that Maison could accommodate at most 15 guests and that the entire hotel has been booked in the past for family reunions. Check-in was smooth; we had the first of many culled and scented wet face towels to freshen us up. We were also given glasses of chilled fruit juice while we waited to complete check-in. We were then led to the Maison building and askedo leave our shoes at the bottom of the stairs. The Yellow Room lived up to what the hotel website promised, as did the entire property. The decor was rustic with sophisticated touches. A small plate of sliced fresh fruit had been left on the desk for us to enjoy. The amenities were as listed on their website. The bathroom was actually on a higher level with a short flight of stairs curving up from the far corner of the room. We had no issues with the stairs but it could get wet and slippery. Having traveled with my elderly parents I have become more acutely aware of the need for secure handholds; a single handrail at the corner where the stairs make a left turn on the way up would a world of difference. The bathroom was spacious. The shower stall was large and even had a small tile bench along the wall. I do not recall how textured the floor tiles were but I did not see a rubberized bath mat with suction cups that other hotels sometimes offer. Again, a small handrail at the level of the threshold of the shower would help steady anyone stepping out of the shower. Not that the the edge of the shower was raised very high, just a couple of inches perhaps. The bed was comfortable and we slept well on both the nights during our stay. There was a narrow balcony that we never ventured out on. We had our meals at the ""Sala"", the open-sided communal area by the pool that served as lobby, living room and dining room. What I had initially thought was the reception desk turned out to do double duty as a bar. There was an adjacent area with couches and armchairs clearly meant as a lounging area for those not interested in relaxing by the pool. As one might expect for a kitchen serving such a small number of guests the menu was not extensive but our meals were well-prepared and delicious. The young ladies serving us were attentive but not hovering over us. We had our not had dinner by the time of our late arrival but I had made arrangements with Francis beforehand and, once we had freshened up, dinner was quickly prepared for us. Should our travels ever take us back to Siem Reap we will definitely be staying at Maison Polanka again."

Slow Villas and Spa: "Unique hideaway"

"During my stay in Gili Air I was unfortunate with the weather. It was probably the biggest rain I've witnessed on this lovely little island but arriving to Slow villas made it all disappear. Receptionist welcomed me with a smile that almost brought out the sun again. The manager escorted me to my villa holding an umbrella for me. Got to love that. Villa was exquisite from top to bottom. Beautifully finished little details gave me ""wow"" moments throughout the whole stay. You could order almost everything you wanted from the reception so the remote location and bad weather wasn't an issue. And the breakfast....fantastic!! Many different options to choose from and everything served in a way that just makes you want to have breakfast for lunch and dinner as well. A perfect getaway. My favorite piece of paradise."

sukoon: "Sukoon… Peace of mind"

"Happened to stay at sukoon for one night. Houseboat is located in one corner of dal lake and it rightfully earns it's name ""sukoon"". All I can hear was birds chirping, occasional ripples of water caused due to shikara and ofcourse my baby girl commenting in her coded language. You will find an amazing team who amongst themselves can communicate in total 10 Indian languages. Give a free hand to chef Anand who can experiment and amaze you with his culinary skills. Try Kashmiri bread with butter and apple cinnamon jam. For travellers who would like to watch TV this place would disappoint you as in principle it's against the theme. For history lovers make sure to read a letter from the office of Neil Armstrong dated 1972. A vote of thanks to tariq, kiran, azad and Anand for their wonderful hospitality. "

Satri House: "A pleasant stay"

"We stayed here for four very comfortable nights...a quaint hotel, comfortable rooms with a balcony....very antique furniture collections from all over the world...and some special touches. It's not hard to find yourself lost here with all the different walkways to different rooms etc. took me a couple of days to finally get it right!!! Service was excellent.... In the afternoons a knock on the door with a small snack....mini bar restocked each day. Wifi good. Easy access to the town...not far to walk. No tv...which is a plus to relax and enjoy. There is a library! Full breakfasts were lovely...we had cooked every day..starting off with a large fresh fruit salad and yoghurt. Staff and management were friendly and helpful. We paid the bill and received a farewell gift. Thank you Satri House."