Guest Reviews

Villa Song Saigon: "Luxury and serenity with wonderful service"

I can't say enough good things about this small luxury hotel. I wanted a short break at a boutique hotel and Villa Song Saigon surpassed my expectations. From the moment I arrived where I was upgraded to the Imperial Suite (with two private terraces, one overlooking the Saigon River and the other, a beautiful pool) to the spa (fabulous hot stone massage by Duyen) to the amazing and friendly service from every member of the hotel staff I encountered to the superb breakfasts on the banks of the Saigon River, afternoon cheese platters and great dinners, I spent four idyllic days here. The hotel is in District 2 so a little way out of the crazy bustle of Ho Chi Minh City centre but very easy to get to either by a frequently running shuttle bus from the hotel or taxi. But once you get to the hotel it is quite hard to tear yourself away. My only suggestion for improvement would be to have music in the spa if guests want it. I highly recommend Villa Song Saigon and if I come back to Ho Chi Minh City I will definitely stay here again.

Dewakan: "Fine dining with lots of local flavours, something really different"

"Inexpensive ingredients but the amount of effort put in to make it look so fine. Worth the dining experience. Unlike the usual Western style where you get rosemary / fennel / thyme, we get typical ingredients that can be found in Asian dishes, eg. cumin, ulam, green curry paste, local flowers. The 5 courses lasted from 8pm till midnight and staffs were already tired by then. It was so obvious we could tell it from their expressions and all. Well I feel bad for making them stay up, but then again, we don't decide when the dishes should come out so..... either buck up on serving time or.... improve on being professional even if it's till late. Don't get me wrong about service, they are pretty good in that, taking extra time to explain to us, repeating when we were a little too chatty about it. They are nice people, students learning I believe. Maybe it's better to be there earlier so it could end by 11."

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "Tranquility and service at its finest"

"I stayed at the lodge with my son and husband for three nights, and it was a highlight in our trip to Nepal. The location of the lodge is high in the mountains and away from the city. It is cooler than Pokhara City, peaceful, and the air is fresh. You will get to see magnificent views and its tranquility is simply inspiring. We stayed at cabin 7 and it was perfect for us in terms of privacy, space, and amenities. It has a balcony from where we could see the Annapurna Himalayas, beautiful sunrises, and get glimpses of birds, butterflies, and all kinds of insects (I got lulled to sleep by insect sounds in the evening). Our stay there was a relaxing pattern of glorious sunrises and sunsets (we were very lucky in this regard), nice but challenging hikes, and afternoons of reading, writing, chess and the Nepali game of “tiger and goats” (which the staff taught my son to play). We also enjoyed the pool (it is unheated but is a cool respite in the afternoon after our hikes), which has its own surreal view of Machapuchare and the Annapurna ranges. The staff members are wonderful. They are very attentive and accommodating and I really like how engaging they were with my son (who is 8 years old and very inquisitive). When my son found the library and the display it had, one of the staff kindly explained the specimens (e.g. snakes and insects) and tools (e.g. fish traps); and, I appreciate very much that the staff was quite knowledgeable (as affirmed during the hikes we had with him as our guide where he was able to tell us more about the people, places, flora and fauna, etc. in Nepal). You will definitely feel that Marcus and the staff members are doing their best to make your stay as comfortable as possible. My family is vegetarian and one of the compromises we’ve long accepted when traveling pertains to food. However, the food we were served at Tiger Mountain Lodge was simply delectable! I cannot state this enough. Each dish was delicious and I went so far as to ask for a recipe from their kitchen. The juices were always fresh, the ingredients top-grade, and you know you’re not served anything from a can. Aside from the location, service and food, I also want to highlight their advocacy for responsible tourism and accountability to the community where they are (especially within the context of developing countries like Nepal). I am supportive of the various ways in which they lessen the impact they have on the environment (e.g. minimizing the use of water bottles, not using liquid shampoos, etc) and also how they are building relationships with locals and are taking part in improving people’s lives there. I would definitely recommend the Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge to family and friends."

Maison Polanka: "Spoil yourself"

"This place was top notch. It was beautiful and quiet and the rooms were perfect. But what makes it top notch was all of the detail and the way the staff anticipate your needs. For example, we mentioned we might take their free bicycles into town so when we later left our room we noticed they had set out two bikes but also put cold water and a map in the baskets for us. You can book drivers/tuk tuks/guides through the hotel for temple visits and they always sent water and cold towels with the drivers- much appreciated in that heat! The hotel food was the best we had in the city. There are only five rooms so it feels personal but still offers plenty of privacy. The pool is the perfect place to hang out in the hot afternoons (or any time) and the entire compound makes you feel like you are in an oasis. The staff could not have been friendlier or more thorough. This place was worth every penny. Stayed March 2017, traveled as a couple"

Rahai’i Pangun: "A Major Highlight of my Borneo Adventure"

"I went on a 4 day cruise up the Rungan River with Wow Borneo and had a wonderful time. The staff were outstanding, very warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. The food was really healthy and tasty. The boat itself was open, airy and comfortable & I loved sitting on the top deck watching life on the river. My very comfortable double room had a private BR and a small private deck as well as air con/fan to keep cool. It was totally worth the slurge! We were fortunate to see a good variety of orangutans on the various pre-release islands on the Rungan River. It was a real privilege to see these beautiful creatures fairly close up in a natural setting. I feel hopeful that most will be fully released into the wild. Like the reviewer before me suggested, I'd recommend you go soon. There were lots of gold dredges on the river banks & the sad reality is that these small operations use mercury to extract the gold which is released into the river poisoning everything downstream. It makes me sad because this is precious habitat for the local people and of course the orangutans."

Les Maisons Wat Ko: "Best of cambodia"

We travelled from Phnom Penh to Siem reap and stayed 2 nights at this beautiful place. We arrived in the evening, then the staff organised a fantastic day trip for us. One more evening and we had to check out. Breakfast was wonderful. Service amazing. Room authentic and lovely. This was my favourite place to stay in the whole of Cambodia. There is a reason Angelina Jolie stayed here when she made her latest film. It's the best. My only regret...I wish we had stayed 4 nights. Battambang deserves more time than a quick stop over.

Le Du Wine Bar & Restaurant: "Hard to find, worth the search"

"The restaurant space is clean, comfortable and a bit minimalist in design. The food is creative an superb. We like to select wines that do not typically appear on wine lists and we chose a glass of Cremant de Jura to start. Dishes of note included large river prawns with pork belly jam and shrimp paste, an incredible sous-vide pork jawl and an aged beef tenderloin. We finshed by sharing a duck egg custard with rice powder. All presented as creative interpetations and generally suggestive Thai flavors. Chef Ton oversees all and appeared to inspect every dish before they went to the table. Despite his resume, Chef Ton is quite young and should be heard from in the future. A tip to find Le Du if you go: when you turn off Silom Road onto Silom 7 Alley go to the end of the alley, to the T and you will find Le Du on the kleft."

Jing’s Residence: "Historical Treat in the old town of Pinyao"

"As soon as we stepped in the door we knew that this was going to be a wonderful experience. Imam the Manager gave us a warm welcome. Every room is unique and in traditional style set around numerous courtyards with wonderful decorative detail. Breakfast is waitress served by professional staff at all levels. There is a menu with a wide range of choices. Afternoon tea is served with a selection of treats. Attention to detail is given and nothing is too much trouble. A wonderful stay and a wonderful memory of Pingyao."

Chakrabongse Villas: "Bangkok’s best kept secret hotel"

I only knew about this hotel due to the history of the Chakrabongse family, and therefore really wanted to stay there. Quite frankly it feels that you are staying in a private house in the epicentre of old Bangkok rather than a hotel. We stayed in the garden room, and even had friends over for dinner on the terrace for one of the nights. I wish I could afford to stay here every time I am in BKK, but think I will just have to settle for when I want to treat myself (and the wife !) to something special. absolutely brilliant place to stay.

Rachamankha: "Breakfast, service, and spacious rooms"

"I had horrible allergies here, but I still think that this hotel deserves a 5 star rating. I loved the 3 course breakfast (probably too much food but prepared us for some long days!) Pool is huge and relaxing although we never saw any other guests in the water, and it closes early. A perk (for me) is that this hotel is designed for adults, and there's beautiful art everywhere. Housekeeping was always available, and the location is extremely close/walkable to shops, markets and Wats while maintaining a secluded feeling."