Guest Reviews

Samanea Beach Resort: "Perfect for a relaxing getaway"

"We stayed at Samanea for a long weekend and had a wonderful time. The resort is spacious, with a large swimming pool and a private beach. The villas are quite big, with a private patio and an outdoor shower and bath, which I really liked. The restaurant was good, we had daily breakfast and a few times lunch and dinner during our stay. I would say that Samanea is ideally located for a relaxing getaway, it's not in the center of town, but privately located at the edge of Kep. Still within walking distance to the crab market and to the Kep National Park, or alternatively the hotel can call a tuk tuk for your convenience. We'll be back!"

VILLA SONG SAIGON: "Lovely hotel"

"Two nights after a long flight- excellent spa- fantastic views across the river - nice breakfasts and helpful staff. Shuttle water taxi works well and it's nice to return to relative calm at Villa Song. We would choose to stay here again and will recommend it to our friends. "

MesaStila: "A peaceful sanctuary"

"MesaStila Resort and Spa is very serene and quiet; it is lovely for a getaway to do some writing, reading and relaxing. Our room (Aroum Villa) also had an outdoor day bed area which had the view of Mt Andong which was terrific. The room came with a bath tub which was nice to soak in and just while the time away. The room also had all the necessary amenities to make it a comfortable stay. The staff also made our bed and refilled the water twice a day. We also had complimentary fruits, and desserts in the evening. I would definitely recommend this to friends who are intending to have a short getaway, and I must say the staff at the resort made the stay very comfortable; they were attentive to our needs, and made us feel at home. We had a cycling trip to Candi Umbul and Grabag market, and our guide Nur made the experience very worthwhile. We also had a Sunrise tour at Borobodur and it was breathtaking. The tour guide, Latiff, provided many insights into the culture and philosophy of the Buddhists, and shared information about Indonesia as well. My friend and I didn't manage to try the Hammond spa (which was award-winning) and we would love to do so when we next visit MesaStila. One minor quip I had was how the menu was the same for the 4 days we were there; if there could be more variety, it would have made the resort experience perfect. My friend and I particularly liked the Indonesia dishes (at dinner) and the breakfast menu - A recommended dish would be the Nasi Goreng (fried rice). You can choose either red or white rice for the said dish, and we had the red rice option; I must say, it was a pleasant surprise! I particularly liked the muesli at breakfast - the breakfast was hearty and kept us filled for the day. I can go on about how lovely our experience at MesaStila was, but I'm afraid my words would not do justice to it; you would just have to experience it. They have thought out activities to keep their guests occupied (as the resort is situated rather far away from the city area) and have gone the extra mile to make the experience unforgettable for their guests. Lastly, I would recommend having tea at the Club House; it is calming and relaxing and the pastries went well with their wide selection of teas (and coffee). I truly had a reinvigorating time at the resort; I invite you to experience the same."

Villa Song: "Beautiful location, lovely hotel and staff."

Stayed here for a wedding. Hotel is stunning and right on the river. Can get a river taxi into District 1 included in your hotel price which takes around 15minutes. Staff very helpful and always serve with a smile. Food was amazing. There's a great bar 5 minutes walk away called Saigon Outcast.

Les Maisons Wat Kor: "Right next to Khmer ancient houses and historical attraction places"

I have spent few nights there with group of my friends from Australia and Phnom Penh. We've enjoyed our stay very much, real Khmer villa accommodations, great pool, great local foods and friendliness staff is another plus to make this property stand up the most popular in Battambang town. I have no hesitate to come back again with my family and highly recommended this property to all kinds of traveller.

Satri House: "Wonderful stay"

This is one of the most beautiful hotel that we've stayed. Wonderful decoration with traditional style and wooden furniture. Room is spacious and clean. Staff is very friendly and attentive with perfect English.

Mathis Retreat: "An Oasis of Calm"

We stayed at Mathis Retreat for 6 nights and loved every minute of it. I found the centre of Ubud very hectic and a little overwhelming but coming back to Mathis every night was heaven. Located around a 5 minute drive from the centre of Ubud, Mathis Retreat overlooks beautiful rice paddy fields and has its own enclosure for the gorgeous ducks (a personal favourite) and it was so peaceful. We stayed in a garden bungalow and it was beautiful, the decor was gorgeous, it was spacious and private. Only minor flaws, we found the lighting very dim, while romantic, it was hard to find things in the bottom of our suitcases and there was a little noise from scooters going up & down the dirt road next to the resort, but this was only minor and as that road only services other accommodation it's usually quiet from 10pm onwards. The food at Terracotta Restaurant was delicious, we loved dining for breakfast and dinner overlooking the rice paddies. The staff were all lovely and very helpful, beautiful smiling faces every time we saw them. As this is a boutique resort it isn't hugely busy like large resorts and nabbing a spot by the pool was easy, no lounge chair reserving needed! Initially I was worried about the volcanic threat at Mt Agung as the alert level had been raised to the highest level, but I needn't be, Mathis is a long way away and life in Ubud carried on as per usual.

Jing’s Residence: "If you are staying in Pingyao, you need to stay here"

"The only downside to our stay is it wasn't long enough. Jing's Residence surpassed our expectations in every way. From the moment we arrived we felt like we had walked into a dream. The hotel is beautiful and full of history. Even though you are in the centre of the walled old city of Pingyao it is quite and peaceful. The staff is amazing and made us feel so welcome. Our room was beautiful and spacious with seating outside in the courtyard, a perfect place to start your night and end your night. Make sure to eat here!!! The food is wonderful and fresh. My favorite was the local oat noodles, so much so I had it twice. I am a picky eater, because of dietary restrictions and was very well taken care of at Jing's Residence Restaurant. I did the paper cutting class, while my husband went out in the rain to walk the wall, and it was worth every penny to learn something new and to meet Deng Cui Ying. Please don't make the mistake we did and only stay one night. The small village of Old Pingyao is lovely and a day and a night is enough time to visit, but the extra night will let you truly relax and embrace the hotel. I can not thank Imam and his staff enough for the warm hospitality. Our stay with you was the best we had in China."

Inle Princess Resort: "Quiet piece of heaven"

"Everything starts when you enter the hotel area. By boat, of course, but with the engine turned off - not to disturb other guests, and also to let you enjoy the serenity of the place. A boatman joins your boat at the gate and helps bringing your boat (using traditional rowing by leg) to the jetty. Everything is peaceful at the hotel; it is really a place to rest and relax. It is environmentally friendly and provides a lot of info on the surrounding nature, particularly the birds. The water in the pool is very cold; when you experience the evening and even more the morning temperature here, it becomes clear, why. The staff is utmost helpful, the free minibar is a nice touch, all the toiletries are high quality and locally made. The clientele is upscale and old - if you are 40, you will probably be the youngest guest; if you don't wear a shirt for dinner, you might be the only one. The breakfast is as good as the view from the restaurant which was a refreshing change from the rather dull and disappointing dinner the night before. They even make traditional dishes if you ask in advance - I tried the Shan noodles and was happy. Perfect, at a price. But this is the kind of tourism Inle Lake should do to stay as unspoiled as possible. Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"

Tugu Lombok: "Stunning property with good surprises everywhere"

"I find myself at a loss for words to describe Tugu. It is such an amazing place with lovely people that I really don’t know where to start! We stayed during the end of rainy season and were amazed to find we were almost the only guests there at the time. Sure it rained a couple of times in the afternoon, but there is plenty enough sun in the mornings so this really should not keep you from going there then. The hotel is on the northern side of Lombok, a path much less trodden by tourists there so definitely a bonus for us as we prefer to steer clear of mass tourism. It is a great place to stay in a peaceful surrounding while also being a good base to see other parts of the island. It is also only 30 minutes from here to the Gili islands and the hotel offers rides there on its own dragon boat. The wow factor started for us the minute the car entered the driveway, the grounds on which the hotel sits encompass 6 hectares and all the buildings are well spaced apart. The entrance/reception is beautiful with antique wood carvings and a cooling carp pool where you sit while being registered with a lovely cool drink astound and soothe you after your journey there. We had booked a Svarga villa, but we were also shown the Aloon-Aloon villa and took this instead as the bathrooms are indoor (but not air-conditioned) whereas in the Svarga they are partially outside and we were worried about mosquito bites when using the bathroom at night. Both villa types were stunning and each villa, even of the same type, has slightly different compositions (e.g. different styles of beds) making each a very individual experience. The Aloon-Aloon villas are stand-alone, each with a private walled in garden and all the lights are controlled from what can only be described as a James Bond style control box on the bed side table. They are also close to the main restaurant and bar in a garden area with large coconut and other trees offering lovely shade and cool. The villas are huge, our own flat at home now seems so much smaller and cramped we wish we were back there! You have almost absolute privacy and the only thing we heard in our time there was the Muezin call to prayer that you hear anywhere on the island. The hotel has two restaurants, the main one with a T-shaped pool in front not far from the Aloon-Aloon villas and reception area was the one we mainly used as the other (wedding) hall is only open three times a week if enough guests are there. This other hall was stunning, huge and high ceilinged with a range of captivating statues and antique art pieces and included a number of ceiling fans that were great for cooling you while you ate. We did not use the adjoining bar, but did take a look and it was just like a vision out of colonial and historic buildings from all over Asia. The main restaurant was smaller and had no ceiling fans, however, you have the opportunity to eat at various places on the property if it was not raining. We ate on a raised dais just in front of the beach a couple of times as there was a nice breeze there. Regardless of where you choose to eat the service is fantastic and the food is amazing. I am allergic to cucumber, Zucchini and related food stuffs while my wife is allergic to onion and garlic, quite a challenge for the kitchen who were amazing about it all and the staff were very good with us. We also did a cooking course with Sukma, which we thoroughly enjoyed and I learned an awful lot about Indonesian cooking in the process. I can only highly recommend this course. The hotel also offers a number of activities and outings that we found very useful and excellently delivered. While the tours are pre-defined they are always very accommodating in changing the parameters of these if this is required. There are two pools on the property all can use, some of the villas also heave their own private pools. The largest pool is around 2 minutes’ walk from the main reception and has it’s own bar on site. A small children’s pool leads into the main pool, which has a deep centre with sides you can walk on. There are several sun loungers around the pool and it is a great area for families. We mainly used the pool at the front of the main restaurant that is built in a T-shape. It is perfect for cooling off while staying close to the main restaurant and bar areas, I would say it could do with a little clean as some of the inside surfaces including lights did have a build-up of algae on them, but this in no way stopped us from swimming there. Please do not get the wrong idea from my last comment, I have to say the staff are amazing and spend a huge amount of time cleaning in all areas of the hotel. The staff are wonderful and very attentive while also keeping a level of distance in order to provide the guests with a level of privacy. We got on really well with everyone and all staff made a huge effort to make our stay as fantastic as possible, I have to give particular thanks here to Ruslan who took the time to teach me a number of Indonesian phrases I found very useful while there. The beach is amazing here with lovely white sand and direct access to the sea. The corals near to shore are a little bleached and covered in sea weed, but there are still amazing fish to see not far from shore. It might have been the time of year, but there were always strands of sea weed floating in the water that were a little off putting, but otherwise well worth a visit. All around the hotel grounds and buildings there are amazing statues and details to be discovered while walking around. I think I could have easily spent another week there and still not get bored of discovering the place, I can only highly recommend a stay here and hope to be back some time myself too. Room Tip: Ask to see the rooms available, you can then chose the best for your needs"