Guest Reviews

MesaStila: "What a retreat!"

"Had the most amazing stay in this place. From my villa, the attentiveness of the staff, the stunning views and the morning yoga surrounded by a coffee plantation. This place is definitely the best place if you are looking to disconnect and recharge energy. LOVED IT!"

Muang La Lodge: "Its a long way from anything but so worth the trip"

"We booked this hotel some time ago, aided in no small part by a series of excellent reviews on this site. It was then with some consternation, that we read a couple of rather damning verdicts that were just posted prior to our arrival. Had we made a big mistake? Had something gone wrong? Reading these reviews a second time, one got the impression that one in particular was blaming the hotel for just about everything that was occurring in the world, so we carried on regardless. We are glad we did because this is a wonderful hotel, in great settings, much attention to detail, superb food, and lovely staff. I very rarely give out 5* on a review, saving it for a truly lovely experience, and this was one of them (...). The hotel itself is small, only 10 rooms, set in beautiful grounds next to a fast moving , but shallow river, the sound of which makes a lovely background and soothing effect. It is also situated next to a natural hot spring which they have used for 2 hotel use only hot tubs and another which is shared with the locals. We witnessed Monks and local children turning up in the evening for a soak which was wonderful to see. The hotel is very focused on using as many local provisions as possible, which again we liked, as it shows commitment to the environment. They bottle water from the river for drinking use too. (...) The staff are super friendly, and of course only a few speak English, but there was never a problem because of that. As for niggles and improvements , of course there are always some, which I have suggested to the management so as not to be misunderstood by readers as complaints, because I have none really. I only wish I was rich enough to afford a helicopter for the trip here, because I would visit often. Its a beautiful experience and I cannot recommend it enough."

Mie Cafe: "Fabulous food – speciality vegan taster menu"

"We were recommended this by the chef at Cusine Wat Damnak and were not at all disappointed. We selected the vegan menu as it sounded really interesting and found it to be absolutely delicious....definitely worth having even if you are not vegan. The Samlor kary was superb and the chocolate lychee desert truly fabulous. Another fabulous meal - great way to end our holiday"

Rahai’i Pangun: "Pure and Natural – Katingan River – Sebangau National Park"

This was an exciting destination - the Sebangau Nat Park, Kalimantan. I was part of a group exploring the Katingan River area for the first time ever, with WOW Borneo, who is the first commercial tourist boat operator allowed to venture commercially on this river. Hail to WOW Borneo for being such pioneers. What explorers we were! This was a unique trip into nature. The boat cruise will now be on the regular WOW schedule. It's a an adventurous cultural trip - you simply must go. Setting camera traps for the clouded leopards in the Sebangau National park with the park ranger was the highlight for me, treking at night in the forest was a first for me, sleeping in homestays in the traditional Dayak villages - wonderful, discovering the black water lakes- beautiful, having the hornbills swooping across the wide Katingan River was a delight indeed and sleeping in forest cabins by special permission - well, that was very special. I have so much to say about this trip. We traversed the smaller rivers by canoe which allowed us to get really close to wildlife and we saw orangutans and proboscis monkeys in their natural setting. Scrumptious lunches were served on board every day, and the cooks produced the most exquisite dishes. The food is a big plus on a WOW Borneo trip. I have been on 5 trips now. What I loved about this NEW Katingan River Sebangau National Park trip is the combination of meeting local families and sleeping in villages, which allows you the chance to talk with local Dayak people. Added to this you have the comfort and luxury of the boat every day. A magical trip into a magical part of Indonesia. Should you go? Yes, most definitely. What you come back with is memories of a truly peaceful place, with silence and beauty that is untouched and not commercialized. Our side trip to the Borneo Orangutan facility BOS, was a great bonus, as we got to hear about orangutans from the experts. In all my travels of Indonesia, for me, this was the most significant trip ever - from a standpoint of solitude, natural beauty and a new discovery into protected lands.

Rahai’i Pangun: "Absolutely fantastic!"

"We took the two night cruise to see the orangutans and visit the local Dayak river villages. Wow Borneo responded promptly to every question we had. Making reservations was very simple. Top deck of the boat allows a lot of space to walk about and to sit in comfortable deck chairs to enjoy the river cruise. The dining area was at the back on the top deck as well. They have a great cook who prepared wonderful, tasty, local foods. I would say it’s some of the best food we’ve had in the two years we’ve lived in Indonesia. The rooms were basic and the bed was very comfortable. We splurged on a room with air conditioning, which was well worth the added cost after an active hot day in Borneo. While there is no hot water for the showers, that’s not a real problem given that the water temperature was about 28 to 32 Celsius…It felt good to cool off a bit. The visits to the Dayak villages were enjoyable. We took motorized canoes up the tributaries to access the villages, which added to the adventure. The villagers were very welcoming and you could tell that they were proud of their communities. They had a local group of dancers and performers come right onto the ship in the afternoon. They were very proud of the dances that they performed. In fact, there are spirited competitions that the local community group had won several times. They were all wonderful. The orangutans were a blast! We went to the orangutan rehabilitation center to learn about their initiative to return orangutans back into the wild. We took small motorized canoes up the tributaries to access the islands that the orangutans live on. They would come down by the river to watch us as we passed by. It was amazing to watch them as they would swing through the trees. Truly amazing creatures. It was nice to get away from Jakarta to enjoy the beautiful scenery of this still wild area of Indonesia. It was great to stand out on the deck at night and watch all the stars. Ah, and what beautiful sunsets! We had several hours between when the cruise ended and when our flight departed. We asked the crew if they could recommend places to visit in Palangkaraya. They called ahead to their friends and relatives and spontaneously made arrangements to tour the city for a nominal fee. They brought us to the old part of the city, which was fascinating to walk through. This trip was great value for the money. It was an incredible memorable experience. One of the highlights of our stay in Indonesia."

Villa Song: "Fantastic Relaxing Location 5*"

"Amazing hotel and not that far from the centre. Perfect for a getaway if you live in Vietnam and also if you want to stay out of the hustle of the main centre. Gorgeous river location and fantastic staff. Caters for Asian and Western customers. The pool and surrounds are very relaxing."

Tugu Malang: "I didn’t stay here but had 1 lunch, 1 dinner, and the hotel tour with Ibu Poppy"

"If there's one regret I had in my Malang trip is NOT booking this hotel. It is Super amazing. You see, I've travelled in Indonesia extensively for work and play and one of my woes is the lack of seamless service beyond Bali. Well, Hotel Tugu Malang meets superb global standards and more. The minute I stepped in (flabbergasted from the icky Rumah Makn Inggil) I was warmly welcomed by Ibu Poppy. Even if I wasn't staying she warmly invited me in to the lunch area. I took photos around the beautiful hotel and she volunteered to give me a tour of the hotel and tea after! Everyone speaks impeccable English. Food arrives fast. Yes this is a big deal in Indonesia!!!! If you have been here Long enough you'll understand my delight. Thank you so much for everyone's warm hospitality, the reasonably priced yummy meals, the free tour and tea. Malang is not easy to get to from where I live, but if I go back to Malang - it's Tugu Malang or nothing!"

Reverie Siam: "Me time"

"My first visit to Pai and found out about this charming property through Secret Retreats! Flew to Chiang Mai from Hong Kong, followed by a 3.5 hour car ride, it was raining the day I arrived! Spent two days in the cosy resort, and a lot of time, sitting in the Bar overlooking the river! Oh wow, the chocolate cake was so good and had one each day during my stay! The rooms were so nicely done, lots of details! Would love to explore the neighborhood in my next trip! "

Locavore: "A must try journey for your taste bud"

OMG!!!!! No words to describe this resturant... the only resturant in Indonesia to be in top 50 Asian resturant.. enough said.. word of warning dinner reservation at least 1 month in advance... but the experience on ur taste buds... so totally worth it.. only set course available.... extremely friendly staff, top notch service.. as an Indonesian, so proud of them :) :) keep it up :)

CABOCHON: "Counting the days until I can go back"

"If you're reading through these reviews then I think you have already made up your mind to stay here. And you are making the right decision!! This has to be the best little boutique hotel to stay in Bangkok. The service is 5 star and the decor of the hotel makes you want to fully unpack and call it your new home. When I go back, I will make sure I stay a whole week. 2 nights was so short that I almost cried leaving. Do not miss the restaurant! I wish we had had more than one dinner there. Absolutely amazing and smaller plates so you can try a lot! Thank you Cabochon! Cheers to the next gin and tonic on the secret garden on the garage rooftop! "