Guest Reviews

Glenburn Tea Estate: "“Magical Shangri-La up in the clouds”"

"The views from all around both properties were breath-taking and we enjoyed some of the recommended walks you can do around the grounds, especially being treated to a delicious lunch down at the river. The food was great throughout the 4 days, sitting outside for breakfast and lunches is a treat (as long as the flies are not out in force) and dinners were similarly a great experience where you get to chat with other guests in a relaxed, communial manner, though private dining is always available, which we did take advantage of one night, when we were too fatigued to make small talk. Great variation of food also - with a different food 'theme' given for different nights - i.e. Indian, Tibetan, etc. The room we had (Singuella Suite - spelt incorrectly I'm sure) was huge, had some lovely period furniture and was decorated to a high, if a little mumsy, standard. Great bathroom and loads of hot water too. Sadly our visit to Darjeeling town was not the best due to it being really overcast, so I would suggest anyone stays here at least 3 nights to make the most of their time here. The road is what everyone else has written about it - bumpy and nerve jangling, but it is what it is - certainly we felt it seemed worse on the way down than up....also it seemed to get slightly more tolerable the more you did that journey, but it's no deciding factor over whether you should go to this place - it is really special, the views are simply stunning and the bonus of getting all your laundry done here for free was a great boon for us as we had 4 weeks worth of laundry to give them from our previous travels in India. The manager Jemima was lovely too - friendly, welcoming, easy to talk to with a great convivial manner. The shop was a nice, unexpected visit, but needed a bit more diversity in merchandise....again it got all a bit mumsy and twee after a while. The only other small criticism would be some of the employees English is very, very limited, which resulted in some wrong orders and misunderstandings - nothing major, but this is a pricey place to stay at and some guests might expect the service to be highly sharpened to reflect the fee. Still, if you can do go, I felt 4 nights was just the right amount of time to spend here....had a beautiful time which I will not forget. Room Tip: The newer bunglaow - for sure"

Chakrabongse Villas: "A small green exotic oasis of calm, beauty and exclusivity"

"Chakrabongse Villas is very different to your everyday boutique hotel. I have been a guest at Chakrabongse for 12 years on at least 40 occasions. Here your privacy is respected and preserved and you do not have to deal with the typical petty tourists that you find in all the large hotels. You will hardly ever see another guest since they all have their own villa and outside area. Strangers are not permitted to enter the grounds and wander around. The staff are invisible until you need or want them. The outside world of hustle and bustle stops at the gate and you enter a small green exotic oasis of calm, beauty and exclusivity. Room Tip: Every villa is beautifully themed and decorated with art and antiques."

Le Calao: "Great place and great wines selection"

Went for dinner; I was impressed with the wines selection they have on the list and the food is amazing; so clean and taste is very good. Surely will be back for the dinner and wine

Rak Ko Jae Seoul: "Most amazing place I’ve stayed in"

"Staying here was so incredibly fun I don't know where to begin. The floors of our room were jade (!) and heated from below by radiant heat (!) -- waking up in the morning was so much more pleasant with warm feet. The futons were really comfortable and the Korean breakfast was SO GOOD. Mr Kim, the manager, was incredibly helpful and attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. The location is central and easy to get to a lot of the sights in Seoul -- but you couldn't hear ANY street noise in the rooms or the courtyard and we woke up to peaceful birds chirping instead of motors and honking. Overall the whole stay was amazing, I would recommend rakkojae to everyone, you will not regret staying here and it will probably be the highlight of your trip."

Inle Princess Resort: "Top of the Line"

"The best place to stay on Inle Lake. Gorgeous private lakeside location with beautifully landscaped ground. Well located for touring. Totally service oriented in the most friendly of ways. Very comfortable large individual chalets with large balconies, fireplace, seating area, fridge, safe, large bathroom to include outdoor shower. Nice pool area to relax at day's end. Beautiful lakeside deck for meals. We have high expectations and they were met. On arrival we asked for extra lamps (we don't like dark rooms), space heaters for the bathroom and main room and extra blankets and towels ... all were promptly and cheerfully provided. The dinning room staff was exceptional helpful in arranging meals to our individual taste. Plan on eating here ... no where else to eat."

The River Resort: "Beautify spot"

"We enjoyed 4 wonderful nights here, good food, lovely staff and first class facilities. The views are amazing and the rooms well designed and spacious. Loved the choice of indoor or outdoor showers. Sitting in the garden enjoying an evening drink was magical."

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "Incredible Experience, not to be missed"

I loved my time visiting the Inle Heritage House during my stay in Inle Lake. Passionate and talented people doing fantastic work. I enjoyed the cat sanctuary, the architecture and design of the space, the garden and sustainability efforts, and the opportunities for cooking classes... all of this while supporting the local community and hospitality education program. I would recommend a visit to anyone who will be traveling to Myanmar. Please support and enjoy this fantastic organization.

Villa Song Saigon: "Amazing experience"

We have just finished 3 nights here at Villa Song before departing on a river cruise and we wish that it could have been longer. This is an old French colonial house right on the Saigon river. The rooms are beautiful as is the grand winding staircase. We arrived on a flight at 11 pm and we're quickly shown to our room which was very spacious with a great bed and bathroom. The next morning was a wonderful experience as I walked down the stairs and onto the foyer to reveal an amazing view of the restaurant and outdoor dining on the Saigon river. Food was great, staff were superb and overall a great experience. This hotel is in a quiet area in district 2 so is a fair way out of Saigon Central, but hotel car runs frequently during the day to Central Saigon and finishes at the Opera House. But anyway even though it's a huge bustling city the taxi fare is around $A10. A wonderful stay.

MesaStila: "The best and most RELAXING stay"

This is my first time to Indonesia, and staying at Mesastilla has been the making of my stay. I have loved every part of the experience, and the best part about it all is that they provided me with guided access to so much of the surrounding areas. The real Java. We rode for miles and walked each day, meeting the locals and exploring the villages and mosques. I just loved the staff and especially the hotel manager and my personal trainer/guide. I also did the Java dance lesson and it was fabulous. Aside from all of that the spa rooms were amazing and I slept, ate and relaxed. I only had three days but it felt like longer. I am leaving tomorrow and will miss it all. I am definitely coming back and bring my friends and family.

Villa Song Saigon: "Superb"

"Great hotel - peaceful retreat from the Saigon hustle, complete with complementary speedboat service to and from the city centre (20 minutes by boat)! Excellent anytime of day breakfast service, and for a city hotel, a really good pool-size"