David’s Kitchen: "Excellent"
Beautifully appointed decor. Greeted by owner personally, he was extremely attentive. Wait staff was well trained and wonderfully helpful. Food was excellent. In Chaing Mei it is must. Get reservation online before leaving home.Villa Song: "Simply Wow"
This was the hotel we chose as our starting point for your adventures in Vietnam. And what a place. Calm location right by the river proved to be the best possible introduction. Great staff and marvelous food.Cuisine Wat Damnak: "Wonderful food, setting & service"
Don't know why this is not No. 1 restaurant in Siem Reap. Have been 3 times in last 5 months and tried many other upmarket restaurants, this is by far the best. Flavours of Cambodian food explode in your mouth in a wonderful tasting presentation by the French chef. Other Cambodian restaurants try and some are very good but this is miles ahead of all others. Can't wait to go back.The River Resort: "Excellent séjour !"
Deux piscines, ce qui est vraiment bien, à débordement toutes les deux, petit déjeuner correct mais à améliorer avec vue sur le Mékong... Chambre confortable en bungalow avec terrasse, vue sur le Mekong... et magnifique propriété. Personnel très aimable et attentif. Bien sûr un peu cher... et l'organisation qui est excellente.Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "Very comfortable and extremely friendly"
"My godson and I stayed 3 nights here. The bungalows are beautifully designed and cater for ever need. The many windows open onto the backwaters with views of the fields beyond. It is an ecological resort with its own organic vegetable and herb garden and the kitchen is well versed in local dishes and high quality. The menu was very reasonably priced. M As with most resorts in Myanmar, it is not cheap at USD $230 per night. Yet the experience was excellent and the staff were exceptionally helpful, especially Ms. Thant Zin Aye who helped us with every detail, including choosing our menus each night. Breakfast served outside on the terrace is truly lovely. The resort is famous for its Burmese cat sanctuary and is known locally as ""the cat house"". The only downside was the Internet connection which was almost non existent. I would highly recommend this hotel for its unique boutique qualities. Stayed March 2016, traveled with friends"Tugu Malang: "An utterly awesome delight!"
"I spent 2 nights at the Hotel Tugu Malang in late May. I readily admit that I am not accustomed to luxury, and I won’t say whether any of you who are would find the Hotel Tugu Malang to be so, but I was delighted by my experience at this hotel, which I found utterly awesome! The bowl of fresh, peelable fruit – replenished each day and complete with a finger bowl holding water and a freshly cut blossom -- was just one sign that I was in a very, very nice hotel. ☺ My room was lovely and was delightfully furnished. Hot water was plentiful and the water pressure was excellent; my mini-fridge was nicely stocked, as was the tray with an electric kettle and French press; there were even washclothes among the many toiletries in the bathroom, which had lots of counter space, a bath with shower, and a window (with blind and drapes) into the bedroom. And if my balcony was tiny, it was still large enough to offer a small seating area and lovely view over the hotel’s pool area. It wasn’t just the room that wowwed me: The daily high tea held an impressive range of treats served in a delightful setting. The hotel’s spa offered a free 15-minute introductory massage. The breakfast (included in my rate) was generous and delicious. The restaurant offered dinners in several different cuisines and even had a decent selection of wines (if at prices reflecting the rareness of wine in Java). The hotel holds some remarkable artifacts, which can be seen on a tour of the property. And last, but certainly not least, the staff provided exceptional service – kudos one and all! My only very small niggle: The pool is not well separated from the restaurant, so I felt simultaneously “on display” and disruptive when I took a dip while diners were enjoying their meals. Just a small thing...."tugu lombok: "Unique, thoughtful service in a stunning location"
"We spent 3 nights in Tugu and were firstly impressed by the size and beauty of the property. The long stretch of private beach and two pools offer a lot of space and comfy sun loungers. The surrounding area and restaurant/ lobby is beautiful - very authentic and often pays tribute to the Hindu religion and times gone by, but is very charming. The service is excellent - they offer a very personal service and give great advice about hotel activities and the surrounding areas. Elly and Henry in reception are brilliant. The menu is extensive and the food was good. Smoothies and cocktails are excellent. We also enjoyed a private yoga class and massage - both were great and reasonably priced. If you are looking for sun, sea, sand, good food, service, activities - then this is the place! "Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Lovely"
"This is our second visit to Golden Buddha, the first was 4 years. I would say that many things have improved since then, First and foremost,the new manager, Massi, is truly wonderful - what a change! The restaurant have been rebuilt and now looks more smart, a new shop has been added and a pizza bar near the beach has been built. The staff is extremely friendly and smiley - many thanks to Nin, who works at the restaurant - she is a gem. The massages, we had one every day for 11 days are great too. We loved the food, but I think guests would welcome a slightly wider selection of dishes. The villas are truly well kept and very comfortable - I would recommend staying in a beachfront one and away from the restaurant. You also may want to check how close your particular cottage is to the neighbouring one. the island, with its long, deserted beaches is unique. the fact that there are truly just 3 resorts, of which Golden Buddha is the smartest, remains a big plus to us. There are a couple of things we were not too keen on. I should say that we decided to return to Golden Buddha to relax, enjoy the peace and quietness and pick up yoga again. Since our last visit the resort seems to have become popular with families with young children. Whilst some kids were well behaved, others where not and it made dinner and breakfast at the clubhouse less enjoyable that it might have been. The biggest disappointment were the yoga classes. Alex, the so called teaches ranted at each lesson about, what he called, new age yoga. Basically everything but the pure original yoga. He therefore stated that he was tracking Indian gymnastic instead. What was most annoying was his lack of interest and the fact that he did not want to correct people, hence, in my view, did not teach at all. Lastly, prices for food and massages were a tini bit high I thought and I would recommend that the resort buys lounge chairs for all its guests. In any case, I would still highly recommend Golden Buddha,. Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"Rak Ko Jae Seoul: "What a great experience"
"I spend 3 nights at this beautiful Hanok and it was an amazing experience ! Rakkojae is in the hearth of Bukchon, in a very quiet alley. But still, its in the centre of Seoul, Anguk Subway Station is just 5 minutes away, and plenty of restaurants, sights, shops etc. are in easy walking distance (...) Dinner and breakfast are included, and are traditional and very tasty. You can also have a continental breakfast with toast and eggs if you prefer. Korean breakfast was with smoked fish (very tasty), abalone porridge (tasty, but a bit too excotic for me as a breakfast dish) and I was glad that on the third morning (I had continental breakfast on the second morning) there was a tasty soup instead of the porridge. The ladies who run Rakkojae are very friendly. I tried the Mud Sauna on the 3rd night and liked it a lot (so I wish I had tried it on the first night already). Overall, I loved it at Rakkojae, and can only recommend it. Its an amazing and beautiful place, that words can really describe. You have to go there and experience it yourself. And if you can, stay for at least 2 nights."MesaStila: "Boutique Villa in Javanese Style"
Heard the story from staff that a Spanish lady built this place and all the villas were moved from somewhere in Central Java so that all villas are unique. I joined the coffee plantation trip and liked it. Also I bought one pack of coffee beans from gift shop, which was quite nice actually.
Travel Asia with Secret Retreats
Secret Retreats is a curated community of independent boutique hotel, villas, yachts and river boats keen to share their Asian Homes with travelers, sustainably and responsibly.
Conservation of the environment, culture and traditions of Asia is of paramount importance to all in Secret Retreats.
A community of like-minded hospitality professionals, we offer our guests authentic travel experiences that go beyond typical offerings to unveil the essence of Asia. Supporting the Asia based hoteliers and hospitality professionals and providing incredible holidays in Asia and tailor-made Asia travel itineraries direct to public ad travel agents.
Get inspired and make savings!
By booking direct with Secret Retreats and enjoy peace of mind from our full on the ground support. Contact our concierge and plan then book your Asia holiday now!
