Guest Reviews

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "Perfection"

"This was one of our favorite places that we stayed on our 3 week tour of Thailand. We loved the private beach; the layout of the rooms and the wonderful food and drinks. However, what absolutely made this hotel was the staff. They were so friendly and accommodating and took Thai hospitality to a whole another level. It rained the entire time we were on Koh Samui, flooding even, and we wouldn't have changed a thing because Sea Dance still made our trip perfect! Thank you to Poy, Tum, Chef Toy, David and the rest of our friends at Sea Dance! Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"

Maison Polanka: "Maison Polanka: A Sanctuary in a Temple Town"

Maison Polanka is for those who prefer the serenity of a haven, something authentic and real, intimate and independent. The boutique hotel is just as elegant as the Intercontinental in Danang, as carefully and imaginatively conceived, but way, way smaller, just five rooms to the many villas and suites on Intercontinental’s water-front acreage on Monkey Mountain. Down to the smallest detail, the design and style of the hotel is a reflection of the owners’ life, that is to say, intricately linked to Asian and Cambodian crafts for over 20 years: a private collection of paintngs and photographs from Khmer, Asian, and European artists, the Art Deco and 1950s furniture and objects sourced since 1992, all found their natural home and function in the renovated “Maison” and “Khmer House.” The whole hotel is just two those Cambodian-style – read stilted – teak villas set inside spacious, lush, tropical, and best of all, secret gardens that sit behind a tall wall, which shuts out the hullabaloo that marks the start of high season.If what you are after are the temple adventures Siem Reap has to offer, Angkor Wat the crown jewel, then Maison Polanka is just a short drive from that UNESCO World Heritage Center.Upon your return home you will be tired (very, the wake-up call is generally 4 a.m. so your guide can get you there for sunrise) and sweaty (when it’s not pouring frogs, Cambodia is hot and humid), so a restorative dip in the hotel’s cool, crisp infinity pool will feel great. Or a massage.The spa is a temple within this temple. Is it possible to square serenity?The restaurant sala is next to the pool, its menu, owner Nathalie assured us, features authentic family recipes, largely her own. She also told me an aunt owns a restaurant in Boston and a cousin wrote a Cambodian recipe book. Meals at Maison Polanka are prepared by Pich, a woman who has been the family chef for 20 years.We found the menu choices all so good – a perfect caesar salad, fried spring rolls, steamed rice, stir-fried squid with peppercorns, a Khmer chicken curry, caramelized pork with an egg and rice, stir-fried eggs and veggies for breakfast, beef loc lac– we chose to eschew the many fine options Siem Reap has to offer foodies and instead, have all our meals, including several candlelit dinners, at Maison Polanka next to the pool, which at night is lit by votive candles.

Inle Princess Resort: "Outstanding"

"Another wonderful stay at Inle Princess Resort. The review is rather similar to previous ones, but we find everything at the resort just excellent, the chalets, restaurant, spa, bar, the newly redesigned gift shop, the swimming pool and again, above all, the people. Several staff members speak some basic German and Spanish and I encourage guests to give them a chance to practice their language skills. Rent a bicycle and explore the countryside, nearby villages, markets, or the Maing Thouk forest monastery, just ask at the front desk. The food, whether Burmese or Western, was always delicious. We simply followed the recommendations of the chef (Nwe Oo) or of one of her assistants (Mo Kham). The homemade Frangipani ice cream is among our favourite desserts. The special dinner on the ""honeymoon island"" just for us was an absolute highlight. Very impressive is the social responsibility of the resort owner family, supporting the local population in many ways, e.g., most recently, construction of a new high school nearby (""Bamboo School"") is under way."

Villa Song Saigon: "Magic amongst the Mayhem"

"Villa Song is on the river away from the manic mayhem of Saigon, we loved it. I would not liked to have stay in Saigon itself, its very noisy, dirty and smelly at Villa Song we had the best of both worlds. A boat takes guest back and forth to the city so its easy to get to any of the sights fairly easily. It suitated in an area that has a number of International Schools and there are some reasonalbe resturants and and shop. We chose to eat at the hotel as we were only there for three nights and it was a joy to sit by the river and watch life go by. The food was delicious and resonably priced for good quality fare. Our room had a small balcony and was very comfortable. Breakfast was delcious and plentiful. An excellent stay."

Discover Muang La | Visit Laos | Luxury & Boutique Hotel: "A great resort in Northern Laos"

We had no idea what to expect but the resort proved to be beautiful. It is at the confluence of two rivers and has its own hot water spring. The staff are delightful, the gardens lovely and the rooms outstanding. But in fact the best feature of all is the food. The breakfast is fine but it is the set five course dinner which stars - a fascinating fusion of Lao and Western tastes. Lovely herbs and spices but not too much chilli! It is difficult to get to but well worth the effort. Highly recommended for those who want to get away from it all in great comfort amid stunning scenery.

Chakrabongse Villas: "Wonderful hotel"

"We stayed one night in this hotel. This hotel is really beautiful. It is authentic and well located in the city. I would definitely recommend it. The room is huge and you have a large terrace. The breakfast is really good and can be served on the terrace as well. The staff speaks a very good English and are very helpful. This hotel would be a bit more expensive than other hotels that we did in Bangkok but it is definitely worth it. We hope to come back in Bangkok and stayed there. Thank you again for the Thailand flag :)"

MesaStila: "I Love This Resort"

"I had a wonderful time at this hidden jem of Indonesia. This Central java's coffee-plantation-turned-resort is so lovely. I just loved every minute I spent there and hated the moment I had to leave the resort. Villa was nicely done in Javanese style, food was good (serving tended to be on a slow side, though - may be suitable for a leisurely resort time?), service was responsive, attentive and nicely done, the place was kept very neat and clean. The place with 22 hectare coffee plantation is something must see. I learned a lot about my favorite drink called coffee here. Thank you for all the service that made my stay wonderful. Keep at it!"

Talabgaon Castle Heritage Resort: "Beautifully restored haveli"

"A peaceful period hotel in a slightly remote setting. The gardens are enchanting, the pool side very inviting, the staff very warm and cordial. To top it off the food was really good and served in different settings in the various outdoor locales that the hotel boasts. Don't opt for the Burj rooms though. The deluxe rooms are good..And the suites are very royal though pricier. A big thank you to Mr Yogi, the manager, Mr Hemendra ( F&B) and Sandeep for taking such good care of us. And wishing Mr Dalpat Singh Rathore the very best for this venture in the future. Thank you"

Manukan Island Resort: "Staff are there main asset"

"We visited here for a 4 night short holiday at the end of our main holiday in Malaysia. We were very impressed with all the staff at the resort. They excel in customer service and really do go out of there way to make your stay enjoyable. We made some comments about the breakfast ( not covered / few flies buzzing around) - it was addressed straightway, professionally. The chalet we had was very nice and enjoyed having our little beach to come and go as we please. Everywhere is very clean. The island it self doesn't have a huge choice of things to do, other than snorkel, and is definitely bring a book place. The island is busy during the day with day trippers but it's great at night when you get it you self - you get to wander about, sat on the jetty watching the fish. There a few good food choices - the main restaurant is good - slightly more expressive than mainland but then food is imported. You might get tired of the menu after a few days - a refresh or daily specials would be good. It's doesn't offer a huge number of options for families but if you just want somewhere to relax and watch the world go by with excellent services I would recommend."

MesaStila: "Beautiful jungle retreat with excellent service"

" came on a group retreat so my experience might not be the same as a general tourist, but had the most lovely stay with such friendly, attentive and thorough service. Our every need was catered for with such politeness and efficiency. We were in a big group with multiple events throughout our stay and complex logistical needs, and everything was made so easy thanks to the staff. The rooms themselves are very traditional and rustic, but beautifully fitted out. I had a huge four poster bed with a glorious bathroom complete with a big stone bathtub (and fresh rose petals everyday). The property is HUGE and is absolutely beautiful to explore - so much greenery, beautiful mountain views, a stunning infinite pool and comfortable common areas. The wifi is fairly reliable which was quite important for us - it would fall out every now and then but not take long to reconnect. The food on offer was traditional - quite a lot of options and always delicious. My only comment would be that it was generally quite flavoursome and heavy - there were generally options for dietary intolerances but in terms of plain ""clean eating"" it was a bit harder. Similarly, the place has gym facilities but they are very basic. Although when you come to MesaStila there is enough other physical activity to do without equipment - just go for a hike around the property! It's about 2 hours from the airport which was quite a trek, but the seclusion makes it worth it. About an hour from Borobudur but easy to organise transport through the hotel. Would definitely recommend a stay for a secluded, relaxing, retreat style holiday. The one thing that would be worth noting in advance - it is a Muslim area with many mosques surrounding it and at prayer times very early in the morning and again in the evening chanting can be heard quite loudly through amplified speakers. I didn't wake up to it overnight, but a lighter sleeper might need to invest in earplugs. It's part of the cultural immersion though, so we quite enjoyed it."