Guest Reviews

The Cabochon Hotel and Residence: "Indochine Cool"

Reminiscent of French colonial style, this hip little hotel delivers big time. Rooms are airy, beautiful and well appointed. The roof-top pool, long enough for laps, affords spectacular vistas of this booming city. Most of Bangkok's happening restaurants are nearby. (We tried Paste, Bo Lan, and Gaggan--all of them sensational). Rates include a delicious breakfast. The nearby skytrain eases travel around the city. Take a business card from the hotel desk just in case you need to take a cab back. The Cabochon is tiny and not necessarily well known.

Talabgaon Castle: "An amazing off the beaten path place"

We were staying for one night in this heritage hotel, to break our journey between Agra and Jaipur. It is on the village of Talabgaon and the castle is an oasis away from the hustle and bustle. We stayed at the ground floor suite on the main castle, it was very comfortable and spacious with all amenities. The owners were very kind and hospitable, even taking care of the accommodation of our driver and guide and genuinely care about people in the village. At night we were sitting on the pool side, having our dinner under the sky with the entertainment from the local village, very memorable experience. It also allow us to have a glimpse of rural India life. Definitely something special!

Villa Song Saigon: "Great stay– lived up to the hype"

"We were happy to leave our original hotel in district one and book a last minute two nights at Villa Song. The area has a few great spots for eating and shopping (Dolphy for coffee and Banh Mi 362). It's about a 20 minute walk into the heart of things but we really enjoyed the scenery and slower place of things. It was a really nice contrast from district one and the tourist zone. The hotel is beautiful, on a river, and the boat ride is a great alternative to viewing the rapidly expanding city of Saigon. The cab ride back home later at night was $7-8. Easy! We'd head in on the 11:30 AM boat, do touristy stuff, take a later boat back to the hotel, and then go back out later on the 6 pm boat and cab back to the hotel later. It was not too inconvenient and it was very worth it to not feel the stress of getting run over by a motorbike for a solid few hours. Also, the pool! So much more serene, private and clean than the rooftop pools in HCMC. Also, there are only 23 rooms in the hotel, so you're not fighting for pool space. The service was fantastic, as was the food. Vietnamese breakfast options were the bomb. We loved the braised beef and egg noodle soup and the chicken congee. Great fresh squeezed OJ. Stay here!"

TIGER MOUNTAIN POKHARA LODGE: "Heaven on earth"

"Having trekked for six days in the hills, Tiger Mountain Lodge was exactly what we needed. We arrived and were immediately offered refreshing drinks whilst sitting on the veranda looking at the stunning scenery.The view was incredible every single day and it was magical to sit out over breakfast and just see the mountains in the distance. The staff were on another level. They were so attentive, willing to do anything (which included making endless amounts of popcorn) and really professional. They knew exactly when we needed something and were polite and chatty. The rooms themselves were fantastic, the beds really comfy and the views stunning. The bathrooms too were much appreciated and the showers were very welcome after the hills! The food was five star: every day was something different and the breakfast especially wonderful. As a vegetarian, they were very accommodating. (...)It really is a place like nowhere else."

Yandabo Home: "Way beyond expectations"

"Yandabo is probably best known for the Treaty signed in 1826 which ended the first Anglo Burmese War as well as its famous clay pottery made in an old traditional way from river clay. Yandabo Home is an excellent stop on the ferry journey from Bagan to Mandalay or vice versa. We stayed two nights into Christmas and had a most enjoyable stay. The ""resort"" consists of 12 spacious rooms with all mod cons. Teak floors, painted grey and cream walls and an excellent bathroom consisting of a large walk in shower, double sinks, a large bed and plenty of space. There is a safe and mini-bar but no TV or WiFi. All the rooms are on the upper decking and the dining area is lower down. Food was surprisingly good and we had the Christmas Eve menu on our second night. This was very good and the kitchen had gone to a lot of trouble to prepare this and with plenty of drinks too! We were very fortunate to meet the owner, Dr Aung Myat Kyaw, a charming man and found out that Yandabo Home is actually part of a number of hotels owned including three in Ngapali Beach as well as one of the cruise boat companies plying the river. The village itself is interesting and there is plenty to see sitting back watching the river and birdlife. Highly recommended."

Sanak Retreat Bali: "Loved it!"

"We couldn't fault this place, the location, staff, food, rooms, pool, spa - all fantastic. If we could have extended our stay we would have. We had a 1 bedroom bungalow which overlooked the rice paddies. Doors opened on 3 sides to allow the breeze to flow through and the planting around the bungalow ensured privacy. We ate in their restaurant which overlooks the pools and rice paddies. The food was good, the beef tenderloin was very tender and my other half couldn't go past the chocolate mousse each night. We were highly impressed by the breakfast, the food just kept on coming and was served with espresso coffee if you so desired. My non-coffee drinking husband enjoying a pot of freshly brewed lemongrass tea each morning, which he hasn't been able to find anywhere else. The pool was beautiful, the tiling a work of art and the temperature perfect. Comfy sun beds and plenty of sun umbrellas. The location in the hills is very nice, cooler than in the coast and less crowded, with the smell of drying cloves permeating the air."

Slow Villas and Spa: "Book it now, its amazing!"

"We spent the first week of our honeymoon here. Its a really well thought through place with plenty of attention to details and a eco- thinking. The staff is super friendly. Since the beaches in Gili air is not that great, we really enjoyed having a private pool. It was the best stay during our Gili-Bali round trip and we would give our recommendations to go here, you will not be disappointed by Slow Villas"

The Cabochon Hotel: "Excellent"

Love this hotel. I had My Valentine at this hotel. Great service , friendly staff. Big swimming pool, Very intimitet place. Travel back to 1920 en enjoy. When You walk away from the hotel youre back in the crazy city Bamgkok .

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "Idyllic retreat"

"Just outside Pokhara, on a hilltop and away from the blare of the horns, it was just the break I needed in this stylish lodge in its idyllic setting. With probably the very best views of the Annapurna mountains the view from my bungalow across the valley to the Fish Tail Mountain was enchanting. It was a lovely clear morning, so certainly a wonderful way to start the day. I'd visited Tiger Mountain Lodge a few years earlier, so I was delighted to return again for a weekend. Marcus Cotton, owner of the hotel is excellent company and I enjoyed very much chatting with him over coffee, sitting on the terrace overlooking the magnificent views. (...) On my second morning, I was very glad I'd made the effort to get up at the crack of dawn to spend some time to admire the early morning sun and mountain views, and to stroll around the gardens birdwatching for an hour or so with Hari, one of the Lodge's three very knowledgeable resident nature guides. The staff here are attentive in the nicest, friendlies but unobtrusive way. I felt very spoilt, totally relaxed and was very sorry when I had to leave."

Satri House: "Wonderfully peaceful boutique hotel"

"Had a wonderful time at Satri house in late August for the first few days of our honeymoon. The whole hotel is full of the most fascinating antiques and curios, and is really beautifully designed. We stayed up in the Satri House suite, in the building where the prince of Laos used to sleep! The suite was so beautiful, and had a view over the serene swimming pool. If you are a fan of vintage and mid-century antiques, you will love it! Whilst staying at Satri House (due to it being the raining season) there were no other guests, so we were treated to the experience of staying in our 'own private mansion' with all of the fabulous and incredibly helpful staff there to cater for our every need. Just perfect! No matter the time of day or how late we had been out, we always returned to the hotel to find 4 people at the front desk ready to help us, and two behind the pool side bar, just in case we fancied ordering a drink! The food deserves special mention too. Dinner on the first night was delicious - lots of carefully crafted local specialities with 5* presentation. Although the hotel is set away from the main part of town, it's still within walking distance or a very easy 2 minute tuk tuk ride. We preferred being slightly further out as the peace and quiet was exactly what we wanted at the end of the day. "