Guest Reviews

Villa Song Saigon: "The best hotel in saigon"

"This is probably the best hotel in saigon. The setting on the banks of the saigon river is perfect plus district 2 is set in a peaceful suberb of the city offering a river taxi to the center. Fantastic food and staff made our stay very enjoyable indeed although it is very expensive for Vienam it is well worth it."

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Fantastic camping experience and safari – highlight of our trip"

"We stayed two nights at the campsite and had a fabulous time! Our camp hosts were fantastically welcoming and attentive and looked after our every need. The attention to detail at the campsite and cleanliness of our tent was excellent and the flushing toilet was an unexpected luxury! On the safari drives we were lucky enough to see 4 leopards, a sloth bear, elephants and many more animals and beautiful birds - it was incredible being able to get so close to these wild animals! Dhanu our guide was very knowledgeable of all the wildlife and helping with our photography. In camp, the food and variety was fantastic - some of the best we had during our 3 week stay in Sri Lanka and our hosts were even kind enough to give us the recipe for our favourite eggplant curry! A fabulous experience which was the highlight of our trip to Sri Lanka - cannot recommend highly enough to others!!"

Muang La Lodge: "Luxury lodge"

"Beautiful lodge with large rooms, some overlooking the river. Very luxurious - soft bed, choice of soft or hard pillows, complimentary fresh fruit in the room, his and hers sinks in the en-suite, and bathrobes and slippers. All meals are included. Dinner is a set menu using fresh, local ingredients - small portions but beautifully presented, and there are 5 courses! Drinks are relatively expensive, but there is a good choice of wine. Tea and coffee after dinner are extra and should probably be included in the price. Nice breakfast - croissants, pain-au-chocolate, fresh fruit, choice of eggs etc. The lodge will arrange a variety of excursions with a local guide, and we did a day's trek very much off the beaten track - packed lunch was provided and delicious. There is a fab infinity swimming pool on an island in the middle of the river accessed by a bamboo bridge. Also a natural hot springs with an outdoor tub filled daily. A nice touch is that the lodge has also provided a separate hot spring bath for locals to come and use, free of charge. After dark, externally, the lodge is lit by oil lamps, giving a very romantic feel. All staff, who with the exception of the General Manager, are all locals, are extremely helpful and courteous, and we were made to feel very welcome. An excellent experience. "

Misool Eco Resort: "Beautiful, Remote, Charming and Friendly. Just paradise Really"

"If you like scuba diving, peaceful tranquility, a crystal clear turquoise ocean, friendly unpretentious service, beautiful unpolluted pristine beaches and holidays are a priority that you don't mind spending a bit of cash extra on, then Misool would be a great choice. If you have small children, like hectic nightlife or need to work within a tight budget then Misool may not be the place to stay. For the four of us ( we travelled as two couples) it was heaven on earth! We are keeen scuba divers and have dived in many places across the globe but Misool really is the jewel in the crown. We opted for the unlimited dive package which is definitely worth it if you plan to dive a lot which we did. On offer every day are 4 dives - a pre-breakfast dive, post breakfast dive, afternoon dive and dusk/night dive. If that is still not enough you can dive on the house reef any time. Some dive sites are definitely better than others, but that said nearly all dive sights are significantly better than most dives that we have done elsewhere. We were there in February and the visibility was great. We also had a fair bit of rain but that in no way detracted from our holiday. Marfel, our dive guide was excellent and really looked after us. We were in an incredibly remote location with no access to medical facilities if we had had any sort of emergency but felt safe all the time due to the high standards of safety and equipment that we had. The resort itself is so beautiful, words do not really do it justice. Neither do the pictures on the web site. You have to see it for yourself to appreciate it. The service is also excellent. The staff are so friendly and will do anything for you. So are there any downsides? Well yes there a couple.Firstly getting there. It depends where you are travelling from obviously, but I would say that for most tourists it is going to be a real hike. From Dubai (which is one of the most accessible places in the world) it still took us 3 flights and a 5 hour boat journey. On the way there the boat journey wasn't too bad becuase we were the first on the boat and got the air conditioned seats at the front. On the way back we had a few staff members travelling back as well as the guests and we were stuck at the back - very cramped, with no air conditioning which was pretty uncomfortable for a long trip. Secondly, whilst the whole resort is spacious, beautuful and in some ways luxurious it is on a small island miles from anywhere. In lots of ways this is a bonus but it does mean that the air conditioning does not work as well (or sometimes at all) as it would in places where you would pay this amount of money. It may seem incredibly expensive but then you do need to factor in that absolutely everything, including water needs to be imported. Also quite a bit of money (I don't know how much) goes to conservation projects. One final point - I would not recommend the meet and greet service at the airport. It is quite expensive and a total waste of money. We had to wait nearly an hour in sweltering heat on the pavement for our guide to turn up and when he did, he did not seem to provide any added value service at all. We would have been better queing at the check in for 20 minutes ourselves and paying to get into the lounge for a fraction of the price paid. We did alert Misool to this and they are looking in to trying to change providers. Overall, I cannot fault Misool Eco Resort. This was probably the best holiday I have ever had and I would go back to Misool again tomorrow if I could. Thank you to the Misool team for making our stay so special ! "

Inle Princess Resort: "Wow! A magical place to stay"

"This amazing lakeside hotel was my favourite hotel during our trip to Burma. The tranquil arrival by boat set the scene for a wonderful couple of nights stay. Hibiscus flowers decorated the bed and the towels in the bathroom. I loved the outdoor shower and nice to have the loungers to relax on to watch the sun set over the lake. The restaurant had a nice selection of Asian and European dishes and the wine list featured some local wines that were from a vineyard only a few miles away. A magical place to stay "

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Steeped in History"

"We stayed at the mansion because we were very interested in its history. Built as home to a notable tycoon named Cheong Fatt Tze, the mansion fell into disrepair until it was restored beautifully by a local architect who also become the proprietor of the hotel. The atmosphere inside was very calming and peaceful. Our room, called the Shantung, was spacious, comfortable and well-appointed with all modern comforts. It was located in one of the side courtyard of the mansion, which they call the dry courtyard - there is a wet courtyard with ponds at the opposite side of the mansion. As hotel residents we were entitled to free guided tour, which was really informative and well-presented. It made us appreciate the history of the place and the massive efforts undertaken to preserve it even more. Local snacks was placed in our bedroom at the evening. A la carte breakfast was served in the dining room just off the central courtyard. The food was excellent. We wanted to dine at the Indigo Restaurant at the 2nd floor but unfortunately it was closed off for private function during our stay. There is a swimming pool at the side courtyard, which we didn't get to use but would be a welcome respite from Penang's heat. There's a shop too selling merchandise of the mansion."

Slow Villas and Spa: "Everything is perfect here"

On a fairly rustic island, Slow Gili is a modern paradise. Julie the manager was incredibly helpful with talking us through the island and what to see. The rooms are modern, clean and plush. I just wish we had stayed here for longer. Their spa is also fantastic! Highly recommend!

Reverie Siam: "An experience to remember"

Reverie Siam will always be a very special place for my mother and I. As soon as we arrived we were transported, this place is so much more than a hotel. Every detail has been thought about, the staff were always one step ahead of us. A special thank you to Mr Sabastian for making each night so lovely, we thank you for your talent and experience. To Toffy for your humor and care, we looked forward to seeing you every morning. There is no doubt we will be back to visit you again and will recommend this oasis to all the special people in our lives. Thank you!

misool: "DC"

World class diving...the staff was friendly, accommodating, and excited to share any knowledge about marine life or surrounding area. The food was fresh and plentiful while offering a nice variety. Beautiful resort with paddle boards, kayaks, snorkeling, scuba diving, and spa services. Having air condition over the beds at night was comforting and being able to step off your deck to walk, swim or snorkel was lovely. Bring whatever you need with you as this is a remote island. Small refrigerators are in villas. Loved this resort!

The Island Lodge: "Total relaxation"

"Stayed here near the beginning of our Vietnam holiday, having spent the first 2 nights in HCMC, and it was a perfect place to relax and acclimatise to the new time zone. All the staff were really attentive and welcoming, and there was a very relaxed vibe about the place. It was a nice touch for the owners to welcome us personally on our arrival. On our departure, they also thanked us for staying and gave us a little gift of some chocolates, which was much appreciated. We loved the food - the menu was varied and interesting and also reasonably priced. It was also enjoyable to sit in the restaurant and look out over the continuous activity of the river. As we were there for 2 nights, we were able to do several of the activities on offer, including the bike ride along the fish farm trail. We absolutely loved this, and a special thank you must go to our guide, Khai, who proved a lot of fun and was able to tell us lots about the area. We also enjoyed the pool and the gardens. We shall certainly be back here, as we're already planning our next holiday to Vietnam, and this would make a good stop either at the beginning of the holiday or at the end, particularly as they offer transfers to and from the airport."