The Island Lodge: "Relaxing"
Excellent way to end our trip. Staff were lovely. Pool was great. Rooms are simple but perfectly furnished with a great view of the delta. Enjoyed the bike tour. Would definitely recommend and stay here again.Inle Princess Resort: "Paradise in the middle of another paradise"
"The hotel lays on the lake, and you need to get there by boat. The trip is so relaxing you starting getting into the rythm. The last part of the trip, has to be done rowing, they do not allow the noise of the boat motors bother their customers. It is just incredible. They preserve the customer rest and we even got a note from the direction apologizing because a monastery nearby had night prayers due to some festivity. The room we got was facing the lake directly. We woke up in the morning with the amazing views, and even some ducks feeding right below us. We enjoyed the best sunsets and dawns from our room porch. We visited in December, one of the coldest months there (around 18-20 ºC) but we got the option to light our chimney (yes we had one) and warm up there. The restaurant was spacious and the food amazing. They service was super educated, we got a waiter very young that clearly was being trained and we could only praise the teacher and the pupil. We did not fully use the rest of installations, but we really enjoyed our stay. I would come back if I could."Tugu Lombok: "Joie de vivre – effortless"
"We are amazed, inspired by the beauty, art, history and kindness this place is surrounded by! Around 2h from the airport (350k) you'll find peace, luxury without pretending but embedded in nature & history with style and thoughtful art - a place you never want to leave. When exploring the hotel you'll always discover new things. Food is delish & not overpriced! King bed and indivdual villas are stunning!!! Worth every penny!"Mume: "Modern contemporary cuisine in Taipei"
Helmed by chefs whom trained at the world renowned Noma, comes a modern contemporary restaurant with Taiwanese elements. Ingredients are mostly locally sourced I believe. The sensibilities are quite close to the Nordic style of cuisine, which is subtle in flavour albeit quite well balanced.4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "Quite simply, wow"
This experience was worth the long car journey and really made the holiday to Cambodia special. We arrived on the 1st October and from the moment we stepped onto the complimentary boat the relaxation began. The luxury of the tents astounded us, I especially wasn't expecting such a decent water pressure from the shower, to be able to lie in bed and just look out onto the river was unique. Another surprise was the variety of fresh food available, the daily changing set menu was wonderful. We did both the fire fly and waterfall excursions, should the weather have been better we would have jumped at the sunset trip too, the waterfall was brilliant fun and exhilarating. However what really made the trip for me was the people and their stories. The activities coordinator had such interesting stories to tell, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to his island, on the way back from the waterfall, where we met the locals and shared some fresh coconut. Seeing first hand how they live and discussing their hopes for their country was extremely thought provoking. Our last evening will be one I will never forget, from further discussions with staff about their views on the development of Cambodia, to our beautiful dinner over looking the water, I was already missing the resort when the staff all came out to play their guitars and sing for us, it was simply a fantastic experience, one I have not stopped raving about since returning. If you want to experience the hidden side of Cambodia or simply want to get away from it all for a while you really must stay here. Thank you all for making my holiday an unforgettable experience I truly do miss each of youTugu Bali: "An absolute gem. Stop searching: stay here"
"We really struggled to find the right hotel to stay at on the beach in Bali, after a three night stay in Ubud. We considered all of the top properties including the Legian, the W, the Oberoi, and the Alila in Uluwatu, but finally decided on the Tugu -- a dark horse pick! We are not fans of most major chains, and really liked the idea of staying at an authentically Indonesian boutique property. We were not at all disappointed by our choice. Firstly, with regard to location, I think we did the right thing by staying in Canggu over Seminyak. We enjoyed driving to Seminyak (about 30 minutes away) for evening drinks and dinner, but had no regrets at all about not staying there. Seminyak is pretty congested, very commercial, and the beaches can be dirty. I love going to the mall as much as the next person, but I did not want to be staying next door to one while on my vacation to Bali! Canggu, in contrast, was peaceful, had no huge high rise hotel developments and malls, and we were within walking distance of plenty of chilled out restaurants and bars. The stretch of beach in front of the Hotel Tugu, despite being fully open to the public, was spotless. The hotel has a private garden area that overlooks this beach, which has sun loungers, beds, towel and food service. Bear in mind, however, that this is a surfing beach, with fairly large waves and strong currents. We are confident swimmers and went in for dips every day, but did not swim out far as the currents were very powerful. If you're hoping for calm and peaceful seas, you may need to look elsewhere. Now on to the hotel. We loved the traditional architecture and the beautiful gardens on the property -- you really cannot get this kind of charm and character at any of the international chains. The hotel owner's art and artefact collection is truly incredible, and we enjoyed exploring every nook and cranny of the grounds to gawk at his one-of-a-kind pieces. This is an all-suite hotel so both of our rooms were very generously sized, one with a balcony and the other with a little patio with a swing and plunge pool. One minor niggle though: the AC in one of our rooms did not work very well and struggled to cool the room. Our stay came with complimentary afternoon tea each day, which was quite elaborate and enjoyable. Breakfast is also quite the affair, as the staff will bring it to you anywhere on the property -- no crowded breakfast buffets here. The staff was always smiling and never failed to accommodate our requests. We must also give a special shoutout to the GM Jenny, who was so warm and personable throughout our visit. She was never too busy for us, and in fact, made it a point to stop and chat whenever she saw us around. Again, I know I sound like a broken record, but this kind of personalised service is just not seen at the international chains. Finally, I also need to write a short note about the Tugu's fabulous new Japanese restaurant Ji. Our family lived in Japan for over a decade and we are complete Japanese food snobs. We were quite skeptical about trying the restaurant, as we could not imagine that it would live up to expectations. Well, we were blown away. Our dinner at Ji was probably one of the best of our entire trip. Every dish was on point, from the tempura to the tenderloin steak. And the setting is just mind-blowing -- the restaurant is situated inside a 12th century Balinese temple. Huge kudos to whoever was involved in designing and developing the restaurant."Manda De Laos: "Fine Dining in Luang Prabang"
We showed up without reservations after reading the Trip Advisor reviews and seeing the sign for the Manda as we rode our bikes around. They looked at us for a minute said no reservation.........Then seated us by the pond it was a great table/location. This is fine dinning so its not cheap, but worth it. Best fine meal in Laos. We had the duck and the fish, both were really good. Service was good, a little show but good. Yes, I would go back and eat here again and you should tooMesaStila: "A Piece of Heave"
"I have been here several times, mainly because I just LOVE the souvenir store they have - I have never left there without buying something. Items they sell seem to be handpicked wisely. I've also gone there just to take breathtaking photos. I've gone there just for a drink of coffee; I've gone there for meals. But recently my husband and I finally decided to overnight there. One night was not enough. Now planning at least a 2 night stay there next month. The coffee plantation tour is a must! "Tugu Lombok: "Christmas getaway"
"Excellent service where staff knows your name and you are guaranteed to enjoy the privacy and good food. The place also has tons of art allover as the owner is a collector. Great excursions with knowledgeable guides taking you around. Will definitely come back to this hotel and recommend to all my friends."Misool Eco Resort: "Holiday at Misool Eco Resort"
"I went to Misool Eco Resort again (5th time). The diving seems to be better every year. For the past 7 years fishing around the resort is not allowed anymore, so there is more fish every time. A few years ago i saw a shark every now and then. Now there are sharks on every dive. Saw mantas several times. This was the first time i was there in March/April and the visibility was very good. I found my stay here very relaxing, even with the 45 dives i did in two weeks. The weather: mainly sunny. I think it rained at night a few times. The restaurant serves excellent food, mainly Asian cuisine and they have good wines. The overall experience is excellent."Travel Asia with Secret Retreats
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