Guest Reviews

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Enchantingly Memorable"

"We (family of 4 with kids 8 and 11) spent 2 nights at Noel's camp. This included 4 Safaris. Both Noel and Cecile were our hosts, a lucky thing as they are not always present at the camp. Tent - we are not campers and had just come from several days in Amanwella, so ""glamping"" was the intention. We got the aircon tent, a semi-permanent structure that runs on solar power. Very comfortable, and the AC was a key feature during the stifling dry heat of the day, and also made it a lot easier to fall asleep at night. There were a few quirks here and there but when glamping, you factor that into the mix. Overall the tent delivered beyond expectations. The one observation I will make is on security - nothing happened and there is a safe in the room, but the tents are zipper operated (no locks). The camp site is not that far from village areas. I would advise to bring 2 padlocks to lock the zipper clasps together at the 2 entrances (front flap and back flap leading to the bathroom). Your valuables will be secure enough in the safe but I didn't like the idea that someone could unzip and enter while we are asleep at night. To be clear, none of the camp staff are an issue, but it's outsiders who know the price of staying at this camp who could get ideas. Food - spectacular. They source organic and fresh from the farmers in the area, and their talented chef put together very flavorful breakfasts, lunches and dinners. It was all local cuisine, and there was always spicy plus non spicy varieties to ensure the kids would be fine. Your taste buds will be in for a real treat. Camp ambience - charming. The volunteers (especially Christina from Spain) entertained the kids with games. They also organized the building of an insect hotel which the kids loved, and also had them participate in tree planting to show the importance of giving back to nature when you leave a carbon footprint. Both entertaining and educational. Meals were communal style and made for enjoyable conversation. Breakfast and lunch under a thatched roof, dinner under the stars. Yes you will now and then see a small lizard or mantis or other creature on your armrest or the table... to be expected in a wildlife park. Safaris - prime time to see stuff is at dusk and dawn, so the AM departure is before 6AM and the PM outing is from 3pm to 6:30pm. On our first two outings, we saw numerous spotted and barking deer; eagles, kingfishers, peacocks, many other birds; mongoose; crocs; elephants. Watching 2 alpha deer bucks clash was neat but we still had not seen what we came for - leopards. The third outing was the charm, and we watched a large leopard lounging in the grass. I don't quite know how to describe the feeling of watching a beautiful and free animal in its natural habitat. All I can say is: a zoo ain't the same. My iphone camera shots won't do it justice. Fortunately, Noel was our guide and when you combine a passion for wildlife with an 8kg-supersonic-Nat Geo-caliber camera lens, the results are amazing. Attached are 2 of his pics of our leopard. As a bonus, we also spotted a young sloth bear. Noel is very knowledgeable and gave us valuable insight and commentary during the rides. His Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles were properly decked out, and I noticed in the park many other outfits carrying tourists in rickety vehicles (one was even lopsided due to different sized tires). Also must credit Noel for truly trying hard on safari #3 to spot a leopard. He badly wanted for us to spot one before we depart, and made it his mission. There are no guarantees but it helps when your guide badly wants you to leave happy. We did the 2 night package and I highly recommend it. Had we done 1 night, we would have missed out on safari #3 which was the highlight. After safari #4, we had our fill and were ready to head off so the format was just right. I guess you could get lucky on a 1 night stay but your chances go up much more on the 2 nighter. There are some who do a day excursion from their beach resort, and this would be a mistake as you would arrive past dawn and leave before dusk, i.e. be on safari while the animals are asleep in a hidden shade. This is an eco-minded camp run by owners who are passionate about wildlife and conservation, and keen to impassion others by delivering on client experience. If you visit a big city like London or Manhattan, the hotel you choose plays a part but the city itself largely makes the experience. At a wildlife park, the hosts who run your camp and guide your safaris largely make for good vs bad experience. Is this value for money? I will answer same as when someone asks me that about my Porsche: I won't describe it as value for money but will just say, it's worth every penny."

Locavore: "The best food ever"

This is my first time! And I'm super loved it! Really2 good and the service really 👏🏼👍🏼 You guys should try it! I'm not disappointed of this restaurant.

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Heavenly eco-resort at the end of the world on a dream island"

We were absolutely sensational Baan Mangon! Best location, sensationally beautiful 28 beach villas, all of which include private individuals, which are rented from the hotel. The clubhouse / restaurant and reception with shop are like old colonial villas from Indochina with many antiques. One beach is completely deserted and miles long, the other in a child-friendly lagoon. At low tide you can walk in far into paddling in flight with a kayak in the Mangrovenflüsschen and watch monkeys. On this beach it has the pizza hut and lounge chairs with umbrellas. So I do not have to eat pizza in Thailand (but they are great!), I ordered a Thai Pèicknick in the restaurant and have it delivered to the scooter. The whole resort is simply sensational, a dream, absolutely amazing breathtakingly beautiful! All eating organic, much planted himself, every day four new starters and main dishes fresh. Perfect!

Sea Dance Resort: "Honeymoon heaven"

"What can I say this place was absolute heaven for the five days we stayed as part of our honeymoon travelling around Thailand. The cottages are beautiful with extreme care and attention to detail from the giant beds with high thread count sheets to two types of blinds, one to offer privacy and one to block the light completely for sleeping. The air conditioning was the best we had, modern unit with no noise at all and they even provide a mosquito racquet, flip flops and beach bag and towels. The bathroom was amazing and completely different to anything we had experienced before as it was semi outdoor and had a tropical feel to it with lots of plants but still high spec with the fixtures and fittings. The facilities are excellent in general with an infinity pool, pool bar, kayaks to borrow at no charge, excellent WiFi throughout the resort. The staff went above and beyond with their hospitality, learning each guest by name and always ready to help with a smile, Faith and Helen were especially helpful throughout our stay with advice. The breakfast area/ restaurant/ shaded area was fantastic, open air and circular and by the pool it was fab if you wanted to sit and read in the shade and have a break from the pool or just sit and watch the world go by. In the evening it had a fab atmosphere and the food served was outstanding and we ate twice here, my husband saying the soft shell crab yellow curry was the best he had all holiday. They also do a happy hour on a weds where drinks are free! What more could you want?! We also took advantage of the spa and had the most AMAZING traditional Thai massage! The woman didn’t speak much English but she definitely knew how to do a massage! We also did the Thai cooking course that the resort offers, the trip to the local market was fab and the staff so friendly and helpful! My husband found it very helpful but I would say if you’re an adept cook give it a miss, better for families or someone with not much experience (like my husband!) There’s a really handy shop just outside the resort that you can rent a scooter from which we did for 200bhat a day (£5!) and it took a couple of hours to drive around the whole island or they can organise a taxi to the local Fisherman’s village for some nice restaurants and bars and a more lively atmosphere. There is also a 7 eleven at the top of the road. This is only a small resort but perfect if you want an ultimate chilled out, relaxing and personal holiday... we would recommend it a thousand times over! Thanks for an amazing honeymoon!"

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "A fantastic experience"

What a wonderful place. The rooms are fantastic, cooking excellent and the staff are just brilliant. We had a wonderful stay and thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed, attentive service, the fantastic views from the room. The concept of the hotel is perfectly executed, a joy.

Summertime Villa: "Warm perfection"

"Summertime Villa in Calangute Goa is one of those rare places where every thing is right To wake up in a place full of sunshine and walk with bear feat over the warm tiles to the terras and have a delicious breakfast. This is what a true lazy holiday can be. The staff is always ready to serve you. Lots of attention to detail, we loved the abundance of birds. There are many colourfull birds around the house, but also insite where all kinds of bird figures are around you. The hosts also own a boat, a sunset trip to the lagoon is lovely, we even saw a dolphin. We are a family of 4 with teenage children, lots of space in three big bedrooms"

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "A M A Z I N G"

"You are looking at a small resort with bungalows for rooms. Do not expect large hotel amenities but nothing will turn you off either. Its a hidden gem that offers exquisite luxury and privacy for those who seek just that. We visited the hotel for our honeymoon between 28 of December and 4 of January. We avoided the raining season but do expect some heavy rain that usually lasts between 10-30 minutes. Don't forget that these are the tropics. We choose a private pool villa and luckily we got one that had an ocean view. Since day one the staff was the best staff ever. Room was very clean and was maintained daily as well as towels.Tum (the staff manager I think) was always present for anything we requested, we owe him a praise. Staff added water and citronella in a candle evaporator so to drive away mosquitos that worked really well. The hotel is 10 minutes maximum by taxi from Chaweng beach which is a large tourist area where you can get any nightlife, any beach action or any restaurant you seek to spend the day. The hotel beach is not ideal for swimming because its a bit rocky but the infinity pool makes up for it. We booked half board and we never left the hotel. The restaurant food is very good and has a lot of options, breakfast as well. Prices are very decent and the barbecue days are the best. Our room did not get any Wifi signal at all which wasn't a problem for us since that kept us off our phones and might be a problem for some, but the reception at the restaurant was excellent and fast. There is a 7 Eleven within 5 minutes walk where someone can buy anything even cheaper. Buy a mosquito spray repellant from there, it is offered in the room but it is more expensive. Overall we had a dreamy honeymoon that we wouldn't change it for anything else. Thank you Sea Dance Resort. Room Tip: If you want WiFi then ask for room close to restaurant."

Heritage Suites: "Relaxing weekend escape to Siem Reap"

Thanks to Jam and her team for this great relaxing weekend. Please to be back to this nice Heritage Suites and see the little changes and improvements implemented to make guests feel even more at home. Well done and recommended to all travelers who wanna enjoy comfort beside visiting the temples.

Satri House: "Charme désuet de l’Indochine avec toutes les commodités modernes"

"Quel bonheur d'arriver dans ce havre de paix au charme d'antan et plein d'odeurs exotiques. Personnel très attentionné et à la fois discret. Magnifiques jardins, piscines, chambres... tout y est parfait. Inutile de dire que nous avons adoré ainsi que les vélos à disposition pour se rendre en ville qui est à 10 minutes à pieds. Stayed February 2017, traveled with friends"

Talabgaon Castle: "Best of India"

"I can't begin to express how incredibly gracious the manager and staff are and how hard they worked to make sure our stay was nothing short of magical. Do yourself a favor and add this to your itinerary if exploring Northern India. We went to Jaipur right after by car and driver. So this was definitely doable, even if just for one night. Be sure to get cash out before you arrive and come hungry. The chef is fantastic. They have a bar and a beautiful pool on the property as well. Safe travels! Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"