Guest Reviews

Pindaya Farm House: "A wonderful, relaxing time"

Aye Aye, her husband and team at Thahara Pindaya couldn't have been more welcoming. The accommodation and food were fantastic and the walks and sightseeing gave us a small insight to a spectacular, fantastic, friendly country. Thank you!

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Welcome to paradise"

"That's what Massi said to us when he greeted us at the beach upon our arrival at the Golden Buddha. Having spent amazing 9 nights there, we can confirm that Golden Buddha is a very special place that I would have no doubt calling our own paradise. The setting is truly idyllic, the houses are beautiful and it is incredibly relaxing with all your needs catered for by a very friendly team of staff. We enjoyed seeing monkeys and hornbills at the resort and although it takes one or two nights to get used to being so close to the nature (particularly at night when we had some visitors in our rooms and open air bathrooms), we have already been missing being woken up by birds, cicadas and crashing waves. We chose Golden Buddha as our family reunion (from UK, NZ, Germany and Poland) and we couldn't have asked for a better place to spend time together. It was my mum's 60th birthday and Massi organised a birthday meal for all of us in our baan which was very special and at no extra cost (included in half board). Not wanting to repeat all the compliments already mentioned in previous posts, I wanted to highlight the fact that there is a wide choice of activities too - we went for a snorkelling trip to Surin Islands which was great fun, even for those in our group who were new to snorkelling. You can also rent kayaks and go paddling up the small river among mangroves (it was peaceful and very easy with the tide coming in) or go to the nearby islands for some more snorkelling. We also took advantage of yoga classes with Alex who was a great teacher. The location of the yoga sala allows you to enjoy the early morning view of the bay whilst doing your sun salutations, just amazing! Or just get in a hammock or sit on a veranda and relax to the sound of waves crashing few meters away from you... You choose how to enjoy this paradise yourself:)"

Chakrabongse Villas: "The perfect oasis in the heart of Old Bangkok"

I have used tripadvisor to plan trips for years, but our magical time at the Chakrabongse Villas has finally inspired me to write a review of my own. We could not have found a more perfect place to spend the final 3 days of a 2 week trip to SE Asia. Atom, the manager, and her staff were incredibly warm, welcoming, and helpful in making our stay in Bangkok so special, and upgraded us to the Garden View Suite, which was lovely. Tucked away in beautiful, lush gardens right on the banks of the Chao Praya river and directly across from Wat Pho and a short distance to the Grand Palace, the Chakrabongse Villas, is truly a hidden gem. Being in the heart of Old Bangkok meant that we could return to the hotel for a quick dip in the gorgeous pool to cool off from the infamous Bangkok heat before heading out for the next excursion. I highly recommend arranging to have dinner at the Chakrabongse Villas for an unforgettable experience - the dinner we had with a private table set up on the terrace right next to the river was the most romantic, and one of the most delicious, we've ever had (the owner is a descendant of the Thai kings Rama IV & V so the dishes are from the Royal Family's own recipes). We also enjoyed our tour of Bangkok's canals in the Chakrabongse Villa's own long tail boat. If you are looking for the perfect boutique hotel that offers a peaceful, historical oasis in hectic and hot Bangkok, then I cannot recommend Chakrabongse Villas highly enough. Thank you, Atom, for helping to make our stay so extraordinary.

Glenburn Tea Estate: "Touching perfection"

From the moment you arrive at Glenburn and greeted by Will Faye and Alex, the wonderful experience of Glenburn begins. The buildings might be old English but the staff and the service is warm and attentive. A morning walk to the river of a little over 2 hours through the Glenburn Tea plantations with a wonderful guide is rewarded with welcome refreshments and a BBQ lunch. Heaven. On another day, Parveez the Plantation Manager, who manages 1000 people, took time out of his busy schedule to take us on a tour of the Tea Factory and educate us on the finer points of making tea, Darjeeling tea. We learn about Silver Needle, First Flush, Green and Oolong tea. Further walks through the local villages and we meet such happy and smiling people. You feel yourself wind down and relax. The meals are wonderful at Glenburn, all prepared with themes each evening around a table with all the guests eating together. Breakfasts and lunches are either taken on the veranda with the other guests, in your room or packed up for you if you are travelling. Nothing is too much trouble and everything is possible at Glenburn. Train tickets were changed, guides provided for private trips and food and drink prepared on request. Heaven! As Arne said famously "We'll be back!"

4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "Great Service!"

"This is an awesome place to go. Can't fault it at all. Definitely do the waterfall excursion as well for some more natural beauty. But besides all of that, I just wanted to say what amazing service the staff delivered. The resort manager is a man called Adonis, and he really did go above and beyond. I ended up dropping some red wine on my beige trousers during dinner and I was leaving the next day. I didn't have the time or the right washing materials to get the stain out. Adonis said he was doing his personal washing that evening and very kindly offered to wash my trousers for me too. He used some stain remover, some other washing stuff, gave it a good hand scrub, and even managed to get them completely dry for me to take back the next morning (stain free). This was not part of any laundry service and he personally did this as a favour...thank you Adonis! Really great service all round. An awesome experience and would highly recommend staying here."

Manda De Laos: "Great food and setting"

My wife and I visited the restaurant and enjoyed a really nice meal. The Lilly Pond is beautiful and the staff were very friendly. Would definitely return.

Rahai’i Pangun: "A Major Highlight of my Borneo Adventure!!"

"I went on a 4 day cruise up the Rungan River with Wow Borneo and had a wonderful time. The staff were outstanding, very warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. The food was really healthy and tasty. The boat itself was open, airy and comfortable & I loved sitting on the top deck watching life on the river. My very comfortable double room had a private BR and a small private deck as well as air con/fan to keep cool. It was totally worth the slurge! We were fortunate to see a good variety of orangutans on the various pre-release islands on the Rungan River. It was a real privilege to see these beautiful creatures fairly close up in a natural setting. I feel hopeful that most will be fully released into the wild. Like the reviewer before me suggested, I'd recommend you go soon. There were lots of gold dredges on the river banks & the sad reality is that these small operations use mercury to extract the gold which is released into the river poisoning everything downstream. It makes me sad because this is precious habitat for the local people and of course the orangutans."

Tugu Bali: "A new favorite hotel"

Stayed here in a Rejang suite for four nights and loved every minute. This hotel is the pinnacle of Indonesian beauty, design and hospitality. All the furniture is antique yet comfortable, and there is a mysticism when entering the rooms. Echo Beach is right off the back of the hotel - a beautiful spot to relax, read, swim, watch surfers. I also appreciated that the hotel fumigates the rooms twice a week to help with the mosquitoes. :) Canggu is a great town to stay in if you're looking for peace and relaxation. It's away from the crowds further south but has more than enough life, shops, restaurants, etc. Borrowed a bike one day to explore the surrounding villages and rice patties. Stayed here on a friend's recommendation and would definitely return.

Tugu Bali: "Can’t keep the secret"

"My wife and daughters spent a few days at the Tugu in 2015 and could not wait to return again, this time with me. They were right to be so positive. The hotel lives up to all expectations with lovely traditional Balinese style rooms with many novel and attractive features. The exclusive hotel garden provides direct access to the beach and uninterrupted views of the sea and the stunning sunsets. A very short walk along the beach leads to some friendly and pleasant beach bars serving a range of food and drinks. A good tip would be to plan a visit soon as the Canggu area is developing quite quickly as more people discover this lovely section of the west coast. Finally, a word about the staff at Tugu. A very special group of people who work very hard to ensure that the guests have a perfect stay. All in all a very high recommendation for those who do not want to stay in large and impersonal hotels in the more well known Bali tourist areas. "

CABOCHON: "French Indochine Chic"

"This hotel is set in an elegant period building down a quiet lane. It has a 1920s period styling with a bit of big game hunter and French colonialism thrown in for good measure. It's not an all-out luxury hotel. It's more an experience hotel, and I had a great experience. IT's like going back in time to a by-gone period which a jarring and interesting juxtaposition from the hustle and bustle happening less than 100m on Sukhumvit. Choose this for a unique boutique experience in central Bangkok. "