Guest Reviews

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "How big, how blue, how beautiful"

"It was a really special experience to stay at this restored turn-of-the-previous-century mansion. There's not a lot more to write about its significance as a building, or the amazing history within its walls that other reviewers have not mentioned, so I'll concentrate on the rooms. Not only is the building an exquisite example of heritage conservation at its finest, the boutique hotel they've managed to operate in this amazing building is tasteful and thoughtfully executed. Comfortable but traditionally designed, the rooms are a true oasis after a day of walking around George Town. Breakfast service was prompt and friendly. The food, while actually not as exciting as the true street fare Penang is famous for, was top quality. Lovely staff, one helped me out big time by lending me a wifi dongle they had for the duration of my stay. I stayed at CFZ Mansion for two nights and I hope that the next time I return, I will be able to stay longer . Stayed December 2016, traveled solo"

Sukoon Houseboat: "Best Houseboat in Dal Lake. Period"

"First and foremost for all those who are apprehensive and are scared to visit Kashmir, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE EVEN A BIT. Kashmir is pretty safe for tourism with no issues whatsoever. Whatever we see in the media is overhyped. Even if there are any issues out there, it will never affect tourists in any way possible. Kashmiris take very good care of tourists and they understand the importance of tourism in their life. So please do not think twice if you are planning for a vacation to Kashmir. IT IS VERY VERY SAFE. Now, about Sukoon (The houseboat). Sukoon is a luxurious houseboat located away from the hush gush in a serene location with a mind blowing view. Unlike other houseboats, they have their own boat which will take you from the Ghat to the houseboat. It is pretty convenient. Reception and welcome: As soon as you enter the houseboat, it gives you the Kashmiri feel as the interiors are done in traditional Kashmiri style. The reception area is very nice and cozy. Rooms: The interiors are very nicely done with traditional Kashmiri carvings and are well maintained as well. They have dim lights in the rooms which creates perfect ambience. Rooms sizes are perfect. Bathrooms: Very clean, very nice. Very well maintained. Food: (Dinner and breakfast) They have a small dining area. They prepare ala carte food as per the choice of the client. They do not have buffet system here which is a good part. Food is included in the tariff and you can choose from the list of available options from the menu card. Food is tasty. Very tasty. They have a deck area above the houseboat where breakfast is served. It gives a perfect start to your morning as you are having breakfast with the beautiful dal view. Just like the dinner, you can choose your breakfast items from the menu and they will make it for you. Breakfast is also very tasty. Staff: Very humble, courteous and polite. All of them work really hard. They go out of their way for the convenience of their client. Sukoon has a no plastic policy. They are trying to do their bit to protect Dal lake from ever increasing pollution. They serve clean water in glass bottles and copper vessel. This should be appreciated rather than complaining that why don’t they have sealed bisleris. Final Verdict: Just book this if you want to enjoy the serene and beautiful Dal lake. It is surely the best houseboat out there."

Mrauk U Princess Resort: "Rustic, Romantic, and Real"

"Mrauk-U ended up being a highlight of our trip to Myanmar. Unapologetic for what it is, this is not a resort for the picky. It is rough around the edges, and it does seem priced beyond its means. And yet, in the end we were so happy we stayed here. If you are considering splurging on this little gem, then it helps to release any unrealistic expectations. The rooms are rustic, imperfect, sexy, and luxurious. Loved the spacious bathroom area with double vanity, separate tub and shower. Found the king bed to be super comfy and slept well. This is a great resort for couples. If you ask for a room with king bed, you will get flower petals strewn every evening. Being surrounded by lotus ponds in rustic charm make for a super romantic excursion. Feels like a retreat. No TVs on premises and poor WiFi. It helps to have a local SIM card for internet—indispensable for Google maps used for sightseeing. We rented the rickety hotel bicycles each day and loved it. Staff is fabulous, friendly, warm, and kind. The kitchen serves probably the best food you can eat in Mrauk U (other than in someone’s home). The prices are also surprisingly reasonable. Eat as much Rakhine food as you can while here and they can make you Rakhine noodle soup for breakfast if you order a day in advance. The setting is remarkable, away from the town and in its own village. It is great fun riding the resort’s rickety old bicycles through the village, into Mrauk U town, and around the ruins. We did this two days in a row and loved it. Recommend you start early as possible around dawn because it gets hot in the afternoon. Also recommend using GPS/Google Maps. You can make a large circuit of the ruins in one day but two is better. We stayed three nights and it was perfect. We did not do excursion to Chin villages. I have it on good word that the local owner of the resort gives back to the community, if that helps encourage you to stay. You can get here by car or boat from Sittwe. We picked this resort to avoid having to deal with the government boat schedule and having to spend the night in Sittwe. As of writing this, the resort does not list the prices for its airport transfer (boat from Sittwe) on their website. The price for two people is over $500 r/t. This was shocking to me at first because you can take local transport for a fraction of the cost ($40 per person-ish r/t on the govt boat). However, you would have to stay overnight in Sittwe and it would be a hassle. It seems silly saying this, but if you can afford to stay here at all, it is worth paying for their transfer service. The price stings a little but it is so worth it. The resort has its own boat jetty, and your transport to/from Sittwe is as easy as can be. It’s a really fab ride and infinitely more comfortable than any other way of getting here. They actually cook for you on board (great food). Plus you can arrange to come out here without having to overnight in Sittwe in either direction. That means liberating time to do other stuff in Myanmar and enjoying a silky smooth journey to remote Mrauk U. Overall I would not have wanted to stay anywhere else in town and strongly recommend staying here if you have an inner princess to please. When you come with an open mind and heart, your perspective can be transformed and you may come to enjoy it as much as we did."

The Samar: "Great location for Angkor Wat"

We stayed here as a base to explore Angkor Wat and it is just 10 minutes by tuk-tuk from there, the hotel ordered our 04h45 TT to take us to Angkor for the sunrise experience. Well worth the early start, this is a truly spectacular experience and quite possibly the highlight of my Asia travels (still 17 days to go).... The hotel itself is a 10 minute ride from the centre of Siem Reap, but is located in a peaceful location away from the main road, so is very peaceful indeed. We had a suite on the ground floor (little tip, do an sweep of the room/bathroom in search of spiders), they tend to leave the room doors open whilst cleaning and if the rooms are not in use, we awoke at 04h15 to a rather large and unwanted guest in our bathroom. Even in UK I am not good with spiders, this fellow sitting on my toilet bag was huge...I was a tad alarmed. That said, it really is a lovely hotel, beautiful rooms, big comfy bed and a truly special breakfast, beautifully landscaped gardens and friendly informative and attentive staff....What more could you ask for, for $95 per night for a suite.... Great place, lovely staff, amazing country.

Glenburn Tea Estate: "Jewel in the Crown"

"My Glenburn experience started in Calcutta where we met up with the owner Husna Tara and her colleagues for an incredibly informative and fun trip round that fascinatingly historical city. It was great to have local knowledge and to be treated to a special Bengali lunch at a private apartment followed by sunset boat trip down the river. A very personal experience quite unlike any other I have had. Then it was up to Glenburn. Yes, the journey is quite long but there is a lovely picnic en route with sandwiches and tea in bone china cups and so much to see on the way that time passes quickly and the final bumpy bit was not as bad as I had feared! Anyway, once you arrive at the beautiful location and are treated to a warm welcome and a cold drink while you get your breath the journey seems insignificant. The rooms are all different and all gorgeous with Indian cottons, lovely lighting, hand embroidered sheets and framed prints. I was shown to a huge suite in the Water Lilly bungalow where I could wallow in a deep bath in the enormous marble tiled ensuite....luxury indeed! Being at Glenburn is not like staying in a hotel, more like staying in the private home of a benevolent host who has thought of everything to make your stay special. From bed tea with homemade biscuits to breakfast on the lawn, lunch under the pomelo tree, drinks round the bonfire and friendly chatty dinners with other guests, it is all a treat. The walk to the river camp is steep but your reward is a fully staffed picnic awaiting you. It is fun just to roam around the tea estate seeing how the villagers live. Will and Faye the delightful onsite managers are willing to help in any way they can to ensure that every whim is catered for. Although there are several activities that can be enjoyed it is just lovely to relax on a lounger admiring the view, go pottering round the gardens, smelling the sweet peas, admiring all the neat vegetable beds and popping into the tempting gift shop! All in all I found the whole experience truly special and quite unique."

Arumdalu: "An excellent and very luxurious unique experience"

We spent 5 days at this resort on our latest trip to Indonesia. We know the country well so we can be a bit choosy. We had a very luxurious experience at this resort with really excellent food. The accommodation was perfect with bungalows with small pool. The concept with back to nature fit our interest in a sustainable resort thinking. We just loved the whole idea and our stay here!

Tandjung Sari: "The Tandjung Sari – Beautiful Visit . . . Again!"

I stayed here about 30 years ago. The Tandjung Sari has lost none of its charm. I came back with my wife and we had had such an enjoyable time. Of course everything around the Tandjung Sari has changed, but this place is pretty much as I remember it, which is a good thing. Staff is friendly and professional. The food is excellent. Breakfast near the pool is pleasant. Several choices and it is part of your room rate. The bar on the beach still serves amazing cocktails. The rooms were spacious and I enjoyed the outdoor shower. They have great entertainment on the weekend too. This is not an inexpensive place to stay, but it is well worth a few dollars more! I cannot wait to go back again. Hopefully it will not be another 30 years!

4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "Amazing trip, missed out on boat ride"

I really enjoyed this trip, it was the most fun i ever had for such a long time. The staffs were amazing and so polite and the hotel in itself was a sight to be amazed by. I stayed in the hotel for 3 days but it was the best 72 hours i ever experienced. I really do hope to come again

Slow Villas and Spa: "Absolutely wonderful stay"

The minute I walked in, I felt relaxed. It was quiet and peaceful. The villa was well equipped - I did like the outside bathroom too! Room was very comfortable and it was good that water was provided for drinking. Breakfast was good, and a great start to the day sat by our pool. We enjoyed our massage in the new spa too. It was easy to get around the island with the bikes provided. Staff were super helpful over booking our transfer back to Bali too. Loved the private pool and sun loungers - felt so relaxed by the end of our stay! I wish we could have stayed longer. Thank you!

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Paradise in Northern Kerala"

"My partner and I stayed at Neeleshwar Hermitage for 4 nights in January. It is a beautiful resort made up of 18 cottages in a remote part of Northern Kerala. The setting is tranquil with the cottages dotted around over 3 acres amongst lush greenery and by a beautiful secluded beach. The cottages were beautifully appointed and modelled on traditional fisherman’s huts. I particularly liked the partially open roofed bathroom. We were welcomed warmly by the wonderful staff who made us feel relaxed and pampered throughout our whole stay. The food was a particular highlight with one restaurant on the beach serving fresh catch of the day seafood dishes and the other serving authentic Keralan and other Indian dishes (the menu changing daily). All dishes were superb. Some of the best food I’ve eaten in India. There is an Ayurvedic doctor on site and she gave us a free consultation about our health and which foods we should be eating and which to avoid as well as advice on exercise. We had a lovely massage there too. Neeleshwar Hermitage was the perfect place for us to relax with a book for three days by the stunning infinity pool overlooking the beach."