Guest Reviews

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Just perfect!"

"We stayed for just three nights, if only we had known we would have made it longer. We have stayed in lots if different hotels all over India and I think the staff at neelshewar come top of the pile. We could not pick out anyone as they were all amazing from the manager to the waiting staff to the gardeners. These delightful people made our stay here just perfect. The accommodation was looking over the sea and beach, beautifully clean and comfortable. Tea brought to our room every morning.The food at the beach was amazing with fresh fish with different delicious marinades. The breakfast was wonderful with so many choices and the best fruit so far in India! A complimentary yoga class in the morning, run by a lovely young man, was great. The pool was perfect temperature and fresh drinking water topped up all the time with the usual excellent service. The little shop has lovely pashminas etc with a beautiful young lady assisting who arranged the excellent tailor to make me a lovely linen dress in a day. Overall a most wonderful stay. Just go there! Room Tip: We stayed in Virya which was halfway to everything (7 or 8)"

Villa Mathis: "Quite fantastically wonderful!"

I would heartily urge everybody to plan to have at least one stay in their lifetime at Villa Mathis - and to prepare yourself for many return visits as once will never be enough! From the first day of our six nights' stay, we felt as if we'd walked into a kind of personal Eden. The grounds were full of arbours housing day beds, with all kinds of private relaxation areas nestling amongst the bird-filled trees, vividly coloured flowers and exotic vegetation. Chris and his team were wonderful: they were there when you needed them, discreet when not required and incredibly helpful, smiling and friendly all of the time. We took advantage of the "romantic night" offer and were given a pampering via massage and petal filled bath prior to a wonderful private meal served in fairytale candlelit surroundings. Even though the 18 bedded premises were apparently fully occupied during our stay, we could never have guessed - such is the design of the whole area. Our personal villa was spacious, comfortable and had beautiful décor. If you are looking for tranquility and balm to the soul - this is the place for you as it is out in the countryside but only a very inexpensive 10-15 minutes' taxi ride away from Seminyak. I am sure there are still some glorious rooms and hideaway areas that we didn't manage to discover - so we shall just have to go again!

Inle Princess Resort: "A dream come to life"

Absolutely beautiful in every way! This was the highlight of our 2 week vacation in Inle Lake. The staff is courteous and friendly, and the food we had for dinner each night was better than some of the meals we have had in New York City. The bikes they rented us for our ride up to forest monastery were so much better than the ones we saw other tourists walking up the hill (mountain bikes with different gears) and they customized an itinerary for us for our one full day in Inle Lake so we could visit the hot springs at Khaung Daing (highly recommended towards the end of the day) and see the floating markets and various other sites. I wish I could remember the name of the man who took us around on our motor boat for the day -- he was an absolute pleasure! The outdoor showers in the rome are a nice romantic touch, and the sunsets from the deck of the rooms have to be seen to be believed (will try to upload pictures and add later). Though the Wi fi connection was spotty, who wants to be on the Internet when you rate surrounded by so much nature and beauty?! (If totally necessary, the connection by the reception and restaurant was reliable). Kudos to all of the staff -- you made our stay in Inle Lake a highlight of a lifetime of traveling!

Villa Song Saigon: "Wonderful place"

"Everything is just perfect! The hotel is beautiful and nicely decorated. The shuttle boat takes you in historical center of Saigon in 15 mins and when coming back at night you enjoy the lights of the skyline and are really happy to escape noise and pollution. The restaurant is very good (we had dinner and breakfast) with direct view on the river. The swimming pool is as big as on photos and very quiet. All the staff is specially nice and helpful and they all speak English well. Late check out most appreciated. I strongly recommend this place where I would be happy to come again!"

Cuca: "Wonderful dining experience with superb service"

One of the most enjoyable dining experiences I've ever had. You can sit inside or outside in the beautiful and spacious garden. There are also limited says available looking directly into the kitchen where you can see e chefs preparing. We chose the chefs selection menu and found that all the dishes were delicious, and very well presented. The real highlight for myself, and for my girlfriend who doesn't care for seafood was the smoked butterfish - make sure you try this it's unbelievable. The meat and potatoes dish, which is essentially a dressed up shepherds pie, is the real surprise. I've eaten many in my time but none so rich and warming as this. Seasoned absolutely perfectly. The desserts are also very good and the cocktails are incredible! They do double measures of each one which really made me happy! Finally the superb service of the ultra friendly staff has to be noted - from the moment we stepped in- and to when our waiter escorted us to our taxi outside. A memorable evening.

Locavore: "Birthday dinner"

Me and my wife loved the experience there and just how creative they were with the menu! Recommend it for a special evening

The River Resort: "Perfect Accommodation"

My husband and I stayed there for 4 nights whilst touring through Laos. It has the perfect location being situatyed n the Mekong River. From 5pm to 7pm cocktails are cheaper. The service and the food was excellent. You could even eat down in the garden although a little dark with dim lighting but still very nice.

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Royal Treatment in Elegant Surroundings"

Highly personalized & friendly service in a completely restored Peranaken mansion - painted blue. Comp breakfast with both Western & Penang mains. Main dining room offers Penang fusion specialities.lunch set menu.

Maduzi Hotel: "Excellent"

Maduzi Hotel is a charming boutique hotel that has its customers in mind in every minute detail. Allow me to share what's excellent in this hotel: 1. Location - near the BTS Asok station and Terminal 21, just 5 minutes walking distance. 2. Flexible - hotel can adjust the time of your check out; this is especially good if you're catching an evening flight. 3. Big spacious and cozy room with a comfortable king size bed and fluffy pillows. Just note that the toilet / bathroom are open and do not have a door. 4. Complimentary mini bar that they replenish daily! This hotel is very generous. 5. Complimentary drinks can be claimed any time during your stay, and also unlimited hot / cold drinks at the bar which is perfect after a long day outside touring or shopping. This is always a welcome treat! 6. Jacuzzi a plus, though the hotel does not have a swimming pool facility but every little detail and care in this hotel compensates for the lack of it. 7. Staff is very helpful and commendable for giving excellent customer service. 8. Breakfast menu is varied and plated well, with unlimited salad and fruit bar. 9. You must try their vegetable shot offered during breakfast! They offer a concoction of fresh vegetable juices for US$1.5 per glass. This hotel is commendable, worth staying and recommending!

Bassac Mekong Delta Cruises by Secret Retreats: "Excellent overnight cruise"

I agree with all the other reviews that rate this highly. Annie was our guide too (on Bassac III, the biggest of their 3 boats, sleeping a maximum of 24). Annie was a lovely guide with extremely good English. Even though she was a last minute substitute for another guide who had been taken ill, and she had been working herself and was expecting to go and visit her mother, she was gracious, enthusiastic and helpful. I didn't get up to see the sunrise but I loved the visit to the floating market and the peacefulness and beauty of the smaller canal we went along.