Guest Reviews

Rahai’i Pangun: "Fantastic four days up the river in Tanjung Puting"

"What else can I say that others haven't already said? WOW Borneo does an amazing job making sure your visit to Tanjung Puting will be one of your most memorable experiences ever. From the amazing, spacious Klotok boat, to the tasty and abundant food, to the little things like passing out a cool wash cloth when you return from shore, these guys are really and truly committed to their work. One really nice example: at the start of the trip we changed our plans to spend more nights on the boat rather than stay for a night at Rimba Lodge. Our friends at WOW handled the change gracefully and promptly wired back the funds I had pre-paid for the hotel. My only wish, and it's small, was to get more local historical and cultural insight (in English) from our guide, Pretty - who to be fair is relatively new on the job. Despite this I always knew our needs would be foreseen and met, and I know my companions came away from our rainforest encounter with a profound send of new awareness and inspiration."

Maison Polanka: "One of the best hotels we have stayed in"

This small hotel is almost perfect. The rooms are spacious and beautifully designed, the pool is spotless and inviting, and the dining area/bar beside the pool is delightful. The staff are professional but also very friendly, a sign of a very well managed hotel. The free use of their vintage bikes is a nice touch.

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "What a wonderful cooking (and eating) experience"

"I visited Thahara Inle Heritage to take part in a culinary class with my group of seven; we were joined by another couple who also took part in the class. The head chef/director introduced himself and described the mission of Thahara Inle Heritage and the culinary school. We were provided a cup of herbal tea as well as an apron and a booklet containing the menu we were going to prepare along with the recipes for each item on the menu. We went through the gardens to select vegetables, and returned to the main classroom to start cooking. Each person was assigned one of the culinary students to assist with the cooking. I enjoyed learning about the goals of the students and how long they had been at the school. When I visited, there was 43 culinary students. I learned that the typical term is nine months for the students. I also loved sampling one of the ginger cookies that had been prepared by students. At each station we had two burners, as well as several ingredients which included turmeric, ginger & garlic, fresh crushed tomatoes, rice flower, fish and chicken. We started with a fish and eggplant soup by adding the fish to boiling water, then julienned the eggplant and added that to the water. After adding spices, we mashed the Gish and eggplant and returned them to the water. For each course, we followed the directions of the head chef (with the assistance of student chefs) to create a string bean salad, chicken curry and crispy tempura vegetable balls. We were then seated for dining and served our own dishes. Everyone enjoyed the food and the great experience. We were each given the menu and recipes as well as an apron. Such a great experience that supports Thahara Inle Heritage and provides participants with lasting memories. Stayed March 2016, traveled solo"

The Apsara Rive Droite: "Peace and Pleasure"

"I can't recommend this place more highly. A boat ride across the Nam Khan river from the Old Town, it is a haven of peace (no kids allowed!). No TV in the rooms. Excellent insect management. Delicious fruit and cooked breakfast individually prepared. Free airport transfers. Free bikes. Very helpful and friendly staff. Spotlessly clean. The hotel is a little piece of personal paradise within the paradise that is Luang Prabang. As a tip, the local monks walk past collecting alms around 7am and is an untouristy experience that the once in central LP."

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Wonderfully relaxing"

"For years my wife and I's favorite place to stay was a boutique hotel in Thailand that we discovered while working there: a (for us) perfect combination of luxury, service and simplicity. Since that closed we've vainly been searching for a replacement. I suspect nothing will ever completely replace Laem Set in my heart, but Neeleshwar Hermitage is the closest we've come. After a week travelling in Rajasthan we were ready for a recharge. Neeleshwar allowed us to completely rejuvenate in a tranquil, beautiful environment with a wonderful ayurvedic spa and yoga and meditation options. The accommodation and food are of a high quality and the staff very solicitous (barring an unfortunate and atypical experience with an incompetent and impolite tailor at the resort shop). A shame that due to the Kerala liquor laws there are no spirits sold, so no pre-dinner cocktails, we'd maybe look to bring our own fixings next time. Local wine and beer is available on request, billed as ""cold supplies"" or some-such. Overall, much to recommend, and hopefully we'll be back soon. Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"

The Apsara Rive Droite: "Dejligt hotel med super service"

Jeg har aldrig før oplevet et hotel med så god, venlig og afslappet atmosfære! Hotellet har kun 9 værelser, men iøvrigt swimmingpool og dejlige øvrige faciliteter. Også en lille dejlig restaurant med dejlig morgenmad og frokost - prøvede ikke aftensmaden. Værelset var stort, rent og med dejligt badeværelse og altan med udsigt mod poolen og floden og selve byen på den anden side af floden. - De sørger for transport frem og tilbage over floden i en lille båd, der altid er disponibel. - Personalet er utroligt venligt og hjælpsomt. - Håber meget på at komme tilbage til denne lille perle, hvor jeg virkelig følte mig hjemme i afslappende omgivelser.

Dewakan: "A Revelation"

"Many Europeans find the traditional Malaysian Cuisine challenging, with blachang , ikan bilis and fiery sambals. However at the Dewakan you will experience a startling transformation ! The chef has worked in Denmark at Noma, regarded by many as the best restaurant in the world were only local produce is used. The Chef has taken this concept to Malaysia and uses only local raw materials except for the lamb. The result is amazing. This new take on traditional Malaysian dishes is very appealing both in taste and presentation. Do not miss this experience !"

Glenburn Tea Estate: "10 Person Photo Group from the USA"

"Some of the reviews are missing the point. If you want to spend your time whining about the road, then don't go. On the other hand, if you think of each destination as an adventure and you want to experience a wonderful property having only eight rooms, with great food and warm hospitality, then go to Glen Burn. You will not be disappointed! Even though the tea factory was idle, it was still an interesting tour through the plant to see the equipment and to listen to the story of Glen Burn Walking the nearby villages with a Glen Burn guide was perfect! So many fantastic shots!!Because of a previous trip to Glen Burn, our I-Phone teacher (Karen Divine) said it was an absolute must destination being so close to Darjeeling. Stayed February 2017, traveled with friends"

Jing’s Residence: "Made a big mistake only staying one night"

This place was utterly amazing! My family and I stayed here for a quick stop on our way back from Xian to Beijing. We made a big mistake not staying here longer and we will definitely come back for a longer stay. The service staff anticipated every needs we had even escorting my wife to a store to buy some local dates they served. They even helped us bargain a price. After feeling ripped off by the local taxi getting there, they arranged for their hotel van to take us back to the train station. My favorite part was sitting in the courtyard at night and taking in the nice quiet atmosphere.

Sanak Retreat Bali: "The absolute highlight of our Bali trip"

"Now this is not the ordinary 5 star luxury resort kind of thing, it is so much better. We had great expectations upfront reading all the positive reviews and honestly were still positively surprised. This place simply is beautiful. The view, the rice paddies, the pool, in fact the whole atmosphere is so relaxed and idyllic, that you can’t help getting in harmony with nature. We stayed for four nights in a two bedroom villa, and it was nice and spacious, with a beautiful view from both balconies. Interior is basic and you won’t find aircon and other modern facilities like television etc. But you won’t need it, as temperature is very pleasant at night and the layout of the villa makes it possible to get fresh air during the day. Only room for improvement is the relatively limited closet space not matching a two bedroom villa, but we just kept most of our luggage in the suitcase. Bathroom and toilet is very basic and especially the toilet a little dark, also hot water is on/off most times, but not a huge issue for us. The restaurant is really great with very good food and on top has an unobstructed view of the valley. Food is as mentioned really great and prices are very moderate despite the remote location. You are served free water everywhere, really a nice touch. Staying at the resort you will probably have most of your meals at the restaurant, and perhaps would like to see a slightly different menu for lunch to get some variation, but there are still lots of option on the menu to satisfy most guests. We used the spa almost every day, and it’s a really great spa experience they offer at Sanak. Definitely the best spa we experienced in Bali. The spa has a really beautiful reception area and treatment rooms, nice welcome and very professional service throughout the spa treatment. Maybe a mirror to use after the treatment could be the final touch towards perfection. The pool is beautiful and the view is fantastic, so you could easily spend hours here just enjoying the beautiful view. Not enough sunbeds though, so a little busy at times and people actually had to sit on the grass, but guess they don’t want to fill up the pool area with more sunbeds spoiling the otherwise exclusive settings. Maybe a few extra sunbeds as backup could be an idea. But who wants to stay at the pool all day anyway, when surrounded by such beautiful nature. They offer a lot of different tours of northern Bali, we visited Bedugul and Jatiluwih but our favorite was the village trek with a local and very informative guide, absolutely a highlight. If possible try not to miss the local kids practice dancing in front of the pool – really fantastic. We have praised the villas, the restaurant, the spa, the pool and the local guided tours, but probably the best thing about Sanak Retreat is their wonderful staff. They are all smiling, positive, helpful and definitely a huge part of the total Sanak experience. They are all living in the local village and there’s no doubt that they are very proud of working at and supporting Sanak retreat, this is probably what makes this place so unique. From the welcome to the departure we were treated like friends. We stayed many nice places around Bali but no doubt that Sanak was the absolute highlight of beautiful Bali."