Misool: "Paradise found!"

Review by: warmsandlover | Source: Trip Advisor
"There really aren’t adequate words to describe our experience at MER. I have been fortunate to visit many gorgeous beach destinations worldwide but nothing can come close to Misool Eco Resort. Not only is it visually stunning but the entire experience is unsurpassed. The staff is warm, kind and attentive...nothing is too much trouble. The diving is the best in the world of course and what the founders and staff have created is an inspiration. Special thanks to Sue and Mark for creating such a wonderful experience for us and to Sabine my ‘scuba therapist’ and new friend. Being a nervous diver despite experience she went above and beyond to teach me, support me and help me grow tremendously in my diving skills. Our ‘once in a lifetime’ will definitely be repeated....we just left and miss it already. Lisa and John Mitchell"

Labyrinth: "Substantial improvement and deserving of a star"

Review by: MichelinMadam | Source: Trip Advisor
This is our second visit and our 125th starred fine dining restaurant. The innovation of the food, presentation and quantity has improved(you now get an umbrella with the crab!) and it is truly deserving of it's star

Sandat Glamping Tents: "Perfect place to rest"

Review by: josesb818 | Source: Trip Advisor
Incredible hotel. Very calm and relaxing. The staff is very very friendly. A shuttle service is provided which a great help to visit ubud, since the road for the hotel is a little bit damaged. I only think that the breakfast could be a little bit better.

Mathis Retreat: "Excellent Boutique Hotel"

Review by: Thomas D | Source: Trip Advisor
"Me and my girlfriend (both 25 y/o from London) stayed at the Mathis Retreat for 5 nights. We thought it was fantastic and was everything we were looking for from our first visit to Bali. Room: We stayed in room 1, this was one of the bungalows and it was beautiful. (As in, we got that tingly feeling of excitement when we walked in!). The decor was tasteful, the room was cool and spacious and amenities such as shampoo and tea were provided. Food: The restaurant on site was fantastic. Breakfast is from a menu where you choose the things that you want, then they are cooked and brought to you. There is a good range of food and as we tried everything (more than once) we can confidently say it was all delicious. However, breakfast paled in comparison to just how great dinner was - arguably some of the nicest food we had during our 3 week stay. It is more expensive than most other places but is worth it particularly considering the environment and setting (see below). There is a great range of Indonesian and westernized food. Setting/Environment: If rice fields and nature is your jam then this place will certainly deliver. Sitting at the restaurant/in the pool and overlooking the fields is spectacular and on arrival will certainly give that wow factor. Truly the photos on TA do not do it justice. Staff: Everyone is lovely, it really is as simple as that. Even when waking the receptionist at 2:15 am (climbing Batur) he came out with a smile and did everything he could to help. Special shout out goes to Karen the manager who clearly makes an effort to talk to all the guests and provide insight into what can be done in Ubud and how to do everything you want to. Tours/Guides: We tried to do as much as we could for our stay in Ubud and think 5 days was the perfect amount of time. However, this was utilizing the guides provided by Karen who were superb and we would highly recommend using them as oppose to navigating the place yourself. In particular, we were very humbled by an opportunity to visit one of the guides homes and see how him, his family and their community live (they had a blacksmith, weaver and fighting chickens!). This was an eye opener into just how different life is for most locals in Bali and how tourism has changed things. Our guides name was 'Susa Wayan' get him if you can! Conclusion: Mathis Retreat was great and we can't really fault it. Staff made it clear they were there to help for any issue and would definitely go back if in that part of the world again. One final point - we paid 350k for the journey to the airport in kuta. Don't pay anymore than that (and you can probably get it cheaper!)"

Mekong Villas: "Hidden Gem"

Review by: Sandemansgirl | Source: Trip Advisor
"Lovely people at a lovely spot. The only thing unfortunate was the cold wheather and Thai brick beds. Other than that plain lovely! If you like quiet the slightly steep price is definitely worth it! They organized dinner and a boat trip for us, both very reasonably priced."

David’s Kitchen: "A Highlight of Our Trip"

Review by: AeroMomma | Source: Trip Advisor
Food: Delicious! I ordered an Asian dish (seared tuna with lemon grass) and my friend ordered a European dish (braised meat on potato mash with heavenly gravy), and both were SCRUMMY! We also got the flight of soups -- YUM! The squash soup and the pea soup were especially bright and flavorful -- I say this as someone who usually won't order either on a normal night. The lobster bisque was full of lobster (which is oddly not a given in my experience). David is an expat Brit and a charmer. Lovely man! He stopped by our table throughout the night, extolling stories about the family recipes behind his signature dishes, as well as his own mind-blowing travel experiences. The reservation page is a breeze, and best of all it asks if you'd like transportation to take you to and from the restaurant, which in a click brought a car to our hotel lobby at reservation time and made travel to the restaurant effortless. (We all agree the travel option on the reservation page is brilliant.) We will be back!!

Muang La Lodge: "Amazing small luxury resort with top service and food in an splendid setting"

Review by: Erik2540 | Source: Trip Advisor
"We were more than pleasantly surprised by this amazing small luxurious resort in the mountains of North Laos. We felt welcome and special. Top service, very friendly staff and general mananger. Top room with view on the river. The hotel organized for us 2 amazing tours to the mountain tribes. It was a real adventure and we were touch by the people in the small mountian villages. Excellent guides and driver of the 4 x 4. Wonderfull breakfast and really amazing diners ! This is really top food. This resort is in fact too good to share with others. Thanks for a wonderful 3 days. We enjoyed it !"

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Heavenly Retreat"

Review by: JaneChichester | Source: Trip Advisor
"Elegant, tasteful and spiritual haven. A wonderful end to an amazingly busy and eventful tour.We left feeling rejuvenated and fully refreshed having enjoyed the wonderfully comfortable and harmonious ambience. The attention to detail and care taken at every level contributes to the magic of this place.With only twelve cottages, we were given personal service and attention of the highest order. The breakfasts served at the beach cafe are beautifully presented and delicious.In the evening we enjoyed supper under the stars at the beach cafe too…eating freshly caught fish and sea food."

Le Calao: "Lovely lunch, perfect service & airconditioned"

Review by: Sharon T | Source: Trip Advisor
"We just had lunch. Ordered a lovely bottle of the house red, a French merlot to accompany our lunch consisting of grilled perch, grilled chicken, duck laarb and an eggplant dip. Service was excellent. The airconditioning helped cool us down on a hot day after visiting Wat Xienthong. Prices are slightly on the high side but now than made up by the delicious food and attentive, friendly and professional service"

Sea Dance Resort: "Where everybody knows your name"

Review by: chris S | Source: Trip Advisor
"...and they're always glad you came..." That theme song from the TV show "Cheers" should be this friendly resort's theme song. It seems that the staff always welcomed us by our names like a friend or family member. Great resort with clean, spacious, modern rooms. They really paid attention to details such as providing mosquito swatter, sprays, umbrellas, and unique decors too such as a pond with fishes and frog in the bathroom, fish net baskets as lights in the restaurant Loved the happy hours, buffets, entertainment provided, plunge pool privacy and expansive menu at the restaurant. All great ideas for my club facilities back home. Would definitely come back. Only drawback is the lack of scheduled on site activities and equipment fitness center. They do offer cooking classes but would be nice to have more, such as yoga or Thai cultural classes. The beach was rocky but water is clean and refreshing. Thank you so much to the staff and owner for a memorable stay.
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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.
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