Guest Reviews

Jing’s Residence: "Surpassed Expectations"

"Our room was delightfully different from your usual hotel room. Very large on the first floor at the rear of the premises. Rustic, eclectic, full of character. Food in the restaurant was first class - good choices for a small hotel. Comfortably western if that's what you want."

Rak Ko Jae Hahoe: "Best place to immerse in Hahoe culture and to see “Rope fireworks” up close"

This small very well equipped traditional guesthouse in the traditional village is next to the river where we saw the spectacular "Rope fireworks" for the first time in our life. This village can be reached by public bus from Andong or a 30 minute taxi ride. Andong is very well connected to all major cities by excellent non-stop buses. Mr Kim at RakKoJae Reservations helped us a lot with prompt responses during planning. All equipment including WiFi and bathroom fixtures worked perfectly. The attendant was a very helpful lady. Breakfast was great. A small restaurant next door serves sandwich and bear till late. This is in a traditional village where people live, work and attend religious ceremonies. Outside the village there are shops, restaurant, museum and bus stop. JW Marriott from Seoul suggested this great stop on our two week trip to South Korea. We have traveled to many more than one hundred countries. We were fortunate to get a room. This guesthouse has only four rooms. they fill in fast.

David’s Kitchen: "Excellent service, even better food!"

My experience at David's Kitchen was nothing short of amazing. It is not very often that the owner of a restaurant is the first one to greet you at the door. David welcomed us with open arms and went out of his way to make a personal connection with both my aunt and I. The service was incredible from the moment we sat down, and the drinks were even better! Throughout the dinner David stopped by twice to see how the food was and to make sure we were having a great time. The highlight of our dinner was definitely the Beef Cheeks- so tender and rich it melts in your mouth! I would highly recommend checking out David's Kitchen if you are in Chiang Mai.

The Village House: "Amazing retreat"

"We stayed at the Village House on 9th July for 3 nights. What can I say about this place, everything was great. The layout and decor is first grade and has the real feel of a relaxing yoga retreat. If you want 2 or 3 days simply to unwind and kick back in a rural setting with the soothing sounds of running water lapping over the pool then this is the place for you. We both fell asleep within minutes of arriving due to the relaxing ambience of the place. The food was excellent. Every one of our meals was delicious. The staff were very attentive and helpful in booking excursions or transport. There are a few good places to visit nearby. The Wetlands national park and Sarawak Cultural Village are on the doorstep and both well worth a visit. One thing to note though is that the hotel stands very much on its own without any restaurants or shops nearby (not that it matters with the good food on offer) so this is definitely a short stay place to recharge the batteries."

David’s Kitchen: "Amazing food"

Went there last year with my parents. Amazing food and restaurant. David had a nice chat with parents. You need to make a reservation!

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "A Truly Unique And Special Place To Stay"

"The Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion is an incredibly unique hotel. Built in the late 1800’s, the mansion was the family home of Chinese businessman and politician Cheong Fatt Tze. The mansion symbolized his wealth and prosperity, with extraordinary detail given to the original building and restoration. In modern terms, it’s one of the most “Instagrammable” buildings I’ve ever seen! Keep reading to find out why I highly recommend staying at the famous Blue Mansion. THE HISTORY The original version of the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion was built with 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, and 7 staircases, and is one of the largest buildings of its kind outside of China. Feng Shui played an important role in the design of the mansion, and each part of the layout had a specific a purpose. For example, the number of open air courtyards is because water is seen as wealth, so the more rain you have naturally coming into the house the better. Once that water was inside, there are winding drainage pipes to keep the water underneath the house as long as possible before flowing outside. There is so much history behind the building that the Mansion runs daily tours several times a dat so you can learn about the Mansion even if you are not staying there. However, I would still highly recommend booking a room because the tours only cover the common areas and not the guest rooms to maintain guests’ privacy. While the tour is still worth it if that’s your only option, staying in the hotel itself allows you to have the full experience and get better pictures! THE ROOMS The Blue Mansion has 18 rooms, each with its own name and backstory. I was in the Escoy room, named after an old smelting company in Penang. Located on the ground floor, the room had beautiful tall ceilings, detailed gold carvings, and plenty of space to spread out. In addition, there are little heirlooms and authentic 19th century furniture scattered throughout to give it even more personality. The rooms all have amenities that would have made Cheong Fatt Tze himself jealous, including a large HDTV, speedy wi-fi and a heavenly rainfall shower. It was truly a unique experience to stay in a place with such history, while still having full access to luxury amenities! THE FOOD Breakfast is served each day in the central courtyard, which is where the “Feng Shui” is strongest. The staff does a great job transforming the beautiful open air courtyard into a wonderful breakfast spread. There is a self-served area for pastries, toast and fruit, as well as made to order hot dishes from the waiter. You can also choose local flavors to be ready for your day! There is also a wonderful on-site restaurant called Indigo which was also great. Located upstairs above the central courtyard, Indigo fuses Eastern and Western culture in both the food and the ambiance. The in-house chef creates wonderful dishes each night, with each dish looking like a piece of artwork itself. The lamb and fish were especially good, so be sure to make a reservation during your stay! THE LOCATION Once you are well fed, you’ll see the Blue Mansion is perfectly located to many walkable sites. Given that Penang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are countless beautiful buildings and little areas to visit. These include the Clan Jetties, Little India, and Red Garden, a great night food market which is literally next door! One of my favorite parts of the location was is the short walk to many of the famous works of street art dotting the alleyways of Penang. Be sure to grab a map and ask the concierge for the locations of the art because some of them can be tricky to find but worth the effort! CONCLUSION Staying at the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion was one of the highlights of my entire trip to Malaysia. The history behind the building itself is extremely interesting and the hotel itself was beautiful. Be sure to bring a spare memory card when you visit because you will take countless pictures of both the Mansion itself and all the amazing sites nearby. The Blue Mansion is a very special experience and I highly recommend staying with them next time you are in Penang! Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"

Maison Polanka: "Maison Polanka a Haven"

Amazing experience in this Haven!!it is really a right decision to stay in Maison Polanka,,,,really the best Haven in Angkor!!!best Hotel ever,,,,!!surely will be comin back with my fam and friends!!excellent service and amazingly beautiful!!

Glenburn Tea Estate: "One of the most amazing places we have ever stayed"

"We stayed at Glenburn for a long weekend. It was an unbelievable experience. Set in a truly unique location the estate is immaculately kept. Very nice rooms with magnificent views. The dining room is one very large table where all quests eat together. The food is excellent. The estate arranged various trips for us. They are very accommodating. We took a long walk down hill, several hours through absolutely gorgeous tea plantations. At the bottom Glenburn estate has a little cottage where lunch (with cold beers!) was served. We could have walked back up, but chose to drive back up. Very convenient. its the perfect place to unwind and relax and get a feel for this unique part of India."

THE ISLAND LODGE: "A great and cosy place to recharge ones batteries"

"We had a short stay in The Island Lodge from 8th to 10th of April - I can say, a great finding! It made us extend our stay right after the first three hours on Michels premises. For us, since we were looking for a quiet place away from the busy days in Ho Chi Minh City, it was an excellent option. It was a great experience in all aspect. You will find a very idyllic small road leading to the west-end of Thoi Son island followed by a small path guiding to the entrance of the resort. A beautiful, silent place, which was obviously built and choosen by someone paying a lot of attention to details, will appear. Rooms are very clean and harmonic, the staff is extraordinarily friendly and attentive, food and service met our expectations. Overall a very cosy atmosphere - a place to recharge ones batteries :) "

Bassac Mekong Delta Cruises by Secret Retreats: "Wonderful experience"

Seeing the sunrise over the Mekong was an unforgettable experience. The food on board the boat is superb and we enjoyed the visit to local villages and seeing the floating market. Our guide, Annie, was excellent too.