Guest Reviews

Anopura: "Still wonderful"

"We returned to Anopura after three years, and enjoyed it just as much as before. The remote setting is wonderful, the accommodation is excellent, and Ishwar and his team provide a wonderful service. Breakfast by the pool, lunch in the shade and dinner under the stars are all delightful, with fresh local ingredients. On a walk with Ishwar we got to meet some of the producers of the food we'd eaten in the days before. After five hectic weeks in Rajasthan this was a marvellous way to finish our trip. We would love to return again. Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"

Glenburn Tea Estate: "An outstanding very special place to stay"

This is probably one of the very best hotels we have stayed in anywhere. The location is magical (although be prepared for a very rough road to get there for about the last 40 minutes) and the ambience is particularly special. We could not have been better looked after by the staff who were attentive, efficient and friendly. Meals were quite superb, amongst the very best we had in India. William and Faye are excellent hosts and keep a watchful eye to make sure your stay is as enjoyable as possible. I recommend it very highly indeed.

The Cabochon Hotel: "A Special Spot in Bangkok"

"I hope as my first post that a rather gushing review does not come off as unauthentic. I'd be happy for anyone to message me with questions as I really do think the Cabochon is a special place with kind and attentive staff. My wife and I arranged a 50th birthday weekend for a friend and chose the Cabochon as both our hotel and the restaurant for the birthday dinner. We had 9 rooms at the hotel, with 18 adults and 4 children joining. We first discovered the hotel a few years back when some friends living close by in Bangkok took us to dinner at the hotel restaurant, Thai Lao Yeh. Late last year (2015) we went back for dinner on our own and were so impressed we asked to tour some rooms with the intention of possibly selecting this as the venue for the 50th birthday weekend trip. Once the staff showed us a selection of rooms we were hooked. In hindsight I made many mistakes in coordinating such a large group. Rin, who had coincidentally been our waiter on our second Thai Lao Yeh dinner, wound up being our primary contact. Honestly I did not make it easy for Rin, yet he was able to handle request after request and never once let us down. In the end the weekend went perfectly, and everyone in our party commented how much they loved the hotel and restaurant. Let me give some targeted commentary that I hope others will find useful. Restaurant - See my (future) Thai Lao Yeh review. Atmosphere - Historic luxury, so you would think... You absolutely won't believe the hotel was relatively recently built from the ground up. The owner, architect, and builders have done an amazing job not only decorating the entire hotel with vintage pieces, but the actual structure itself (walls, door frames, etc) has been made to look aged. Multiple people in our party commented on this. It has to be seen to be believed. Staff - I have stayed at multiple top tier properties in Sukhumvit and wider Bangkok. The service was 5 star quality, with boutique friendliness. Rin was really a standout for us, but all staff were great. Rooms - The vintage look and feel does not result in any compromises on practicality. The bed was comfortable, as was the lounge furniture in our large balcony suite. The bathroom was spacious, well equipped, and worked as expected. Ground Floor Lounges - Do yourself a favor and have a drink in the lounge. Calling it a ""lounge"" may give the wrong impression. There are actually multiple sitting rooms. Choose your spot, sit back, relax, and soak in the vibe. Breakfast - If you're used to a large hotel's buffet your first impression might be negative, but the selection of fruits, breads, and a main never became boring over the 4 meals we enjoyed on this visit. Pool - It does not compare to the resort luxury of the SGS, but let's be honest the Cabochon just doesn't have the space or army of staff to compete in this area. The pool was practical, well maintained, and proved to be a nice place to hang out with friends and cool down. I can imagine during the hotter summer months it could be a bit too hot to spend extended hours poolside, so if this is your thing then look for another hotel. Location - This is the only area I have not given them 5 points. They are a little further away from both shopping and transportation than some of the hotels centered around Asok or Nana on the Sky Train. You will need to walk 7 minutes to get to Phrom Phong for the closest mall and concentration of shops and restaurants. That said, the peace and quiet of being setback about 200 meters from the street noise of Sukhumvit should be appealing to some. Without a doubt the Cabochon is now my go to Bangkok hotel. The cost performance is top class, the hotel restaurant is honestly one of the best restaurants (if not the best) in all of Bangkok, and the staff are extremely helpful. You can't go wrong if all of my commentary above resonates with you -- really. "

Jing’s Residence: "The best hotel we have stayed at anywhere!"

"My husband and I just checked out from a two day stay at Jing’s Residence, and I must say it was the most enjoyable hotel we have ever stayed at in the world. It is not overly opulent nor extravagant, just perfectly designed, with exceptional service, and every detail is taken care of. Imam and his team could not have been more accommodating and attentive, and were never overbearing or fussy. Afternoon tea was a wonderful experience, breakfast was excellent, and the in room local snacks were very much appreciated. The hotel itself is exceptionally beautiful. Furniture and artwork has been very tastefully selected, and the outdoor spaces are as well maintained as the indoor ones. The location couldn’t have been better, steps from the sights and shops but in a very quiet and peaceful part of the old city. I couldn’t recommend this hotel more, and not only should it be where you stay during your time in Pingyao, you should come to Pingyao just to stay here!"

Talabgaon Castle: "Cycling stop over"

"OMG... you just have to make sure you get this hotel on your itinerary if you are travelling to Jaipur ! The atmosphere of the hotel is so mellow! It has got a fab balance between Indian heritage with modern touches. The staff were so kind, professional and you almost feel like a visitor to someone's home rather than a hotel. The food was excellent and we had dinner by the pool and breakfast in the gardens. I would have loved to have visited when the polo team and horses were about, but unfortunately they were in Jaipur preparing for a match. I really want to go back and stay again .. but next time for longer! Stayed January 2017, traveled with friends"

JL Studio: "新加坡主廚讓小吃變身高級料理的精彩之作"

Each dish is there some cultural background, creative chef also make this meal full of surprises, be sure to enjoy yourself to experience, is to let the taste buds are satisfied with the soul of a good restaurant :)

Muang La Lodge: "Une réussite"

Certainly a must in Laos. Ten bungalows, almost all along the river, rooms more than spacious, with perfect comfort. The outdoor spas offer the charm of "onsen" Japanese, and the pool has a beautiful location on an island near the hotel, which is accessed by a wooden walkway. The restaurant is classy, ​​with a Franco Laotian mix that would fade over a restaurateur. The success of this place is certainly Raphael his manager and his assistant, Matilda, that the needs, as well as absolutely efficient and cohesive team. Take the detour, the welcome is charming and intelligent, it tells you the places, activities, and then you will feel right at home. One regret: the brevity of my stay!

Villa Song Saigon: "Luxury by the river"

This hotel oozes luxury at every pore, and they have thought of every detail. The room was magnificent with a comfortable bed, beautiful interior and lovely bath soaps. Service was fantastic - helpfully booking dinner for us on each night and arranging for taxis to take us there. The food was amazing - so much so that it was a struggle (that I lost on each occasion) not to overeat at breakfast. The spa and massage was luxurious, the pool looked beautiful, and the riverside setting is beautifully peaceful. In fact my only criticims is that in making the hotel so very comfortable it was difficult to drag ourselves to leave to explore Ho Chi Minh!

Samanea Beach Resort: "Perfect for Honeymoon!"

"This resort has everything you can ask for! An amazing, comfortable room with four poster bed, a small lounge and an open bath! The food is superb. the resort is just next to the sea ( though you cant get inside the water, but the beautiful shore and pier make up for it). Slightly away from the city centre, since you need to take a tuk tuk to the crab market or the beach. Overall it is quiet, peaceful and ultra romantic! Stayed March 2016, traveled as a couple"

MesaStila: "One of a kind experience"

"We stayed at MesaStila from 10/2/17-10/9/17. We had a wonderful experience. The property is truly magical. When we arrived, the coffee trees were blooming white, fragrant flowers. The property is wonderful, mixing reclaimed old Javanese homes with old Dutch colonial buildings. Here are some notes for fellow travelers: Weather: We were worried about the weather (beginning of rainy season). However, apparently, we were lucky with weather for this time of year. We stayed a total of about 7 days. Most days, it was sunny. Some of the days, it only rained for about 10 or 15 minutes at night. One day, it rained in the afternoon. The first few days it was in the 70s Fahrenheit. Other days, it got warmer but not unbearable. Maybe the 80s or low 90s Fahrenheit. It was truly the best weather we could have wanted. Room: We stayed in the Arum Villa. I would totally recommend it. There is a beautiful red dividing wall with carvings. The huge balcony overlooks the coffee trees. The bathroom has a big blue tile tub with doors that you open, so it's kind of like an open-air shower. There was a little walkway with a fountain and trees leading to our room. We were very happy with our villa. It felt private and like we were ""somewhere else."" Excursions: Some days we spent at the resort, which we recommend. At the resort, there is a beautiful pool, yoga classes, gamelan (music) performance, Javanese dance performance, fantastic spa, croquet, and walks through the coffee trees. We also did excursions. Here are some notes on the excursions: First, we went on the Borobodur Temple sunrise tour. We enjoyed it. It was a cloudy morning, which impacted the sunrise. The resort hires a tour guide, which was very helpful in learning about the temple. You also got to see other smaller temples in the area, drink luwak coffee at a local luwak coffee roaster, and visit a local family's traditional home. We also opted for the elephant ride. We enjoyed it, but it didn't make the excursion for us. Second, we did the bicycle ride that takes you through the rice paddies, to royal baths, and an option of a local waterfall. This was my boyfriend's favorite thing that we did in all of Indonesia. You need to be a little bit athletic to enjoy the bicycle ride, because you're literally biking on a few-inch-wide path between rice paddies. The rice paddies were beautifully tiered and green with the volcano/mountains in the background. Third, we went to the Pramaban Temple and Ramayana Ballet. This was my favorite excursion. It's a long drive (about 3 hours), but you get to go to the temple, a really cool, delicious restaurant, and the Ramayana Ballet. The restaurant was this dark lit, exotic restaurant with truly great food. The ballet was performed with the temple in the background and featured traditional dances and costumes. We went on a night with a full moon and it was really cool. Fourth, we went to the local railroad station museum. You get to see old colonial trains and station houses. You also get to go on a train ride through rice paddies on an old train. This was probably our least favorite excursion, but the others were so great that it's more of a perspective issue than anything negative about the old railway station museum. Also, we highly recommend the MesaStila spa. They truly make you feel special. Food/Drinks: From our experience, we basically relied upon MesaStila for our meals. We didn't have a rental car (driving there is craziness) and you're surrounded but very small villages, so MesaStila is the ""only restaurant in town,"" if you will. The breakfast buffet is amazing. We were very happy with cocktails and drinks. You must try the gin and tonic with spices and the mojito with brown sugar. The soups, fried rice, fried noodles, and tuna appetizer were also very good. Service: The staff were very lovely. Thanks so much to Lily (reception) and Deni (driver/tour guide)!!! Central Java Overall: We were enchanted by Indonesia. The people are so friendly. You see volcanoes, mountains, tiered green rice paddies, coconut and banana trees, lizards running everywhere, and ancient temples. Between the people and the landscape, the country is a wonderful way to spend a vacation."