Guest Reviews

Maison Polanka: "Best hotel of our trip!"

"Maison Polanka is an incredible place. On our first evening there, we had a glass of bubbles as we watched the sky slowly turn to dusk and listened to the birds, the cicadas and the nearby monks singing -- total perfection. It was such a treat to be taken care of so well and in such a stunningly beautiful environment. We stayed for five nights in the Khmer house, which was great. Plenty of space, nice amenities, and kept nice and cool by the fans and AC. The staff worked with my husband to plan a fantastic birthday dinner for me, setting up a romantic private dining experience surrounded by candles and even ordering in a special birthday cake. We would recommend Maison Polanka to any traveler who is looking to experience Cambodia in serenity and luxury and in the care of a wonderful staff. Our biggest thanks to Cathy, Julie, Cune, Tuy La, Kong, Da, Som, Osa, Chan, Rithy, Seam, Sam, Sopharin, Thy, Sarin, Sopha, and the rest of the amazing team behind the scenes that make it such a special place."

Supanniga Cruise: "An Amazing Way to See Bangkok"

If you'd like to see Bangkok's river (Chao Praya) with a touch of class then this is the cruise for you. The Supanniga is a smaller yet more upmarket vessel. Excellent and friendly wait staff, and a delicious six course meal complimented by downtempo jazzy soundscape offers the classiest and most relaxing way to see a side of Bangkok you won't soon forget.

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Book this safari experience!"

"Everything about our experience was fabulous. We have stayed in some pretty swanky places on this holiday but the food served to us out of a jungle kitchen was the best. The guys were helpful and really fun to be with. We were lucky enough to see a huge male leopard and lots of other amazing animals. We stayed in the luxury air conditioned tent - my best sleep of the holiday. Everything had been thought of. I can not recommend them more highly. Other companies have tried to copy but failed."

The Apsara Rive Droite: "Start and end your day with a boat ride, what could be better!?"

Stayed here with friends for a business meeting and leisure trip last September. What a find! Perfectly located a short boat ride (1 minute) across the Nam Khan river from old town Luang Prabang with river views from the rooms, this is a really charming property offering all you need for a great Luang Prabang stay. By the way, it is owned by the owner of The Apsara (a hotel/restaurant) which is on the opposite side of the river and has just the best dining for authentic, and delicious Luang Prabang cuisine...not to be missed! I cannot fault my stay at the Apsara Rive Droite. The room was a highlight - big airy rooms tastefully and purposefully decorated (loved the coffee percolator with local fresh ground coffee), big balcony to sit and enjoy the peaceful river scene below, and super comfortable big bed (a lot of bigs there for a boutique hotel!...who says size isn't everything, you cannot beat a nice spacious room and bathroom). But the top highlight for me at Rive Droite was the staff, from the owner to the boatman (yes the Rive Droite boat is on call at all times and just part of the service for their guests) warm, friendly and always ready with a tip on how to get the best from your stay from recommending me a bicycle ride to sourcing some Luang Prabang sausage for me to take home, it really was like staying amongst friends. I have to say, there really cannot be a better way to start and end any day than a slow boat ride across a lazy river...

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Magical"

"Stayed for five nights in the Escoy suite,wow what an amazing room. This is one of eighteen rooms at the Blue Mansion. The hotel is a Woking museum with much care taken for the least intrusion of guests. Take the free tour it is so informative...we did this on the first morning and it definitely helped us appreciate just were we where staying!! The staff were amazing,so professional, curtious and helpful. Breakfast is a delight with a host of delicious food on offer and held in beautiful surroundings. The whole ambience at the Blue Mansion is a joy to behold. Near to all the attractions Georgetown has to offer. Room Tip: Lower floor away from food court next door if you prefer quieter rooms"

Rachamankha: "Gorgeous – memories to last"

My wife and I hosted our wedding here recently, and we cannot say enough good things about the hotel and the hotel staff. We visited several roughly comparable hotels in the Chiang Mai area, but none actually come close to what the Rachamankha offers. The hotel’s owner and architect have shown an exceptional ability to capture a sense of place and history, to create an immersive experience through architecture and design, and to pay tribute to the artistic histories and cultural life of northern Thailand and surrounding areas - yet without being heavy-handed, overly sentimental, or too pedantic. The hotel grounds are simply gorgeous: a serene series of courtyards that recall Thai and Chinese family compounds from another time. Throughout, the hotel is decorated by the owner’s personal collection of sculpture, paintings, decorative arts, and so on. The service is attentive and professional, and clearly extremely well-trained (discrete, welcoming, skillful). The suites are spacious, decorated exquisitely, and comfortably private - with superb lighting, as with the hotel grounds overall (among my favorite aspects of the hotel). The generous breakfasts are best enjoyed slowly with friends over the course of a morning, relaxing in the restaurant’s enclosed courtyard area. My wife and I particularly appreciated the hotel’s library, another intimate, tastefully appointed space that features a strong collection of works related to art, architecture, and design. I am an anthropologist, and my wife works at the UN. The larger brand-name hotels are generally uninteresting to us, but even the smaller boutique hotels we’ve encountered do not meet the standard set by the Rachamankha, combining singular character with all the amenities of a luxury hotel. We would especially like to recognize the Rachamankha’s former manager, who oversaw our wedding preparations and carried us through the big day - and who is now helping to mentor the hotel’s next generation (as it were) of management. From top to bottom the whole team at the Rachamankha were a godsend for our wedding, and we can’t thank them enough. If we could be more effusive without simply throwing out more adjectives and cliches, we would do so! Unforgettable place and people, so glad I stumbled upon it all some years back. In short, an understatement: we rather enjoyed our experience at and with the Rachamankha, and we hope to return often in coming years. You’ll surely want to do the same.

Rachamankha: "Enchanting oasis"

"This is a lovely boutique hotel with delicious food served in a beautiful courtyard, pleasant staff and a relaxing, quiet swimming pool lined with comfortable chaise lounges. Rooms are traditional and large, if a bit spartan. The owner's curated Asian art collection adds to the peaceful atmosphere. There is also a gorgeous library containing a mix of beautiful books belonging to the owner and paperbacks left by other visitors; we took advantage of this to swap our finished paperbacks for some left by other readers. Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"

Mie Cafe: "Best Fusion Khmer Cuisine"

Highly recommended for those who wish to try fusion Khmer cuisine presented in the most honest-to-goodness way. Friendly service staff and worth to pay a visit to experience this distinctively unique taste. We will be back again!

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "OMG"

I cannot say enough good things about the Golden Buddha Beach Resort. I wanted a beach hotel that was secluded, just-the-right-amount-of-rustic, stylish, and on a deserted beach. We got it! The hotel’s website is intelligently discrete but its description is correct. Highlights: meeting the hotel manager (Massi), the hotel's French owner (so friendly!), the New Years Eve dinner buffet, and the massage. The only recommendation I would make: the main dishes at lunch and dinner could benefit from a vegetable side dish; vegetable side dishes should be offered on the menu; the pricing of food could be a tad more reasonable.

The Cabochon Hotel: "A REAL boutique hotel in the heart of BKK"

Love this place. Small with highly attentive staff, large nice rooms and a rooftop pool that is awesome to hang out at. I love the interior design, done by the Taiwanese owner I believe. THe little thai/Lao restaurant is also worth trying out.