Guest Reviews

Sea Dance Resort: "FLAWLESS — one of the biggest highlights of our Thailand trip"

We visited Koh Samui at the very end of our 2-week Thailand trip &, specifically, Sea Dance Resort. Our stay was, honestly, flawless. It started with a very quaint, beautiful, well-cared for resort where we were warmly greeted upon arrival & given some nice juice drinks as a welcome. Then, we went to our bungalow/room which was so stinkin' cool! It's this round, stand-alone building with a king bed in the center, little desk & day bed along the wall (which our 8 year-old son slept in comfortably). Even better, the shower, toilet & vanity were connected & outdoors. It was really special & well-done. We happened to arrive on a Wednesday evening & every week they do a complimentary happy hour from 6-7 by the water & you have a terrific cocktail or glass or wine by the sea & a band plays. You socialize with the staff & we particularly enjoyed talking to Rory, who we soon learned owns the resort. He is SO kind & personable & caring about his guests, as is the entire staff (Faith, Helen, John, etc.), I was impressed that they learned/knew my & my families names immediately & there IS a casualness to everyone yet their service is spot-on. Little examples-- we were goofing around in the pool & when we came out fresh towels & glasses of water were on our chairs. On one hot day they brought around gin & tonic popsicles for the adults, juice popsicles for the kids. The breakfasts are excellent with an egg station, tons of fresh fruits & pastries, Asian foods, cereal, juices, espresso drinks & so on. There are kayaks & SUPs you can borrow & lots of beautiful places throughout the resort where you can sit on a bench & relax. The staff took a particular liking to my son & went above & beyond by allowing him to feed their koi fish, giving him little treats, etc. We encountered a couple from S Africa who said they could "travel anywhere" but they choose to come back to Koh Samui & more specifically Sea Dance again & again because of the staff & resort; that spoke volumes. I have traveled a lot & Sea Dance is in my Top 3, best hotel experiences, ever. Partly because of the wonderful resort, even moreso because of the people.

Maison Polanka: "One of the best hotels we have stayed in"

This small hotel is almost perfect. The rooms are spacious and beautifully designed, the pool is spotless and inviting, and the dining area/bar beside the pool is delightful. The staff are professional but also very friendly, a sign of a very well managed hotel. The free use of their vintage bikes is a nice touch.

Les Maisons d’Itac: "beautiful property and great staff"

The property is beautiful and the pictures don't really do it justice. It is extremely peaceful and a wonderful place to stay outside of Moalboal. The staff and the community are very welcoming. Overall, a terrific trip and we certainly look forward to our next visit.

Satri House: "Heavenly"

I cannot say enough kind thinigs about this place. The rooms, the landscaping, the staff, the food, the spa, the smells. All perfect! Definitely worth the expense. The fact that there were bicycles we could ride throughout town made it even better. The map the hotel provided was hard to read, but mainly because i'm not sure how many street signs there actuallly are. They were so nice to help with all transportation and tours.

The Village House: "Perfect hideaway with great food!"

Wanted to stay there for two nights only, but after the first night we immediately booked three more nights. So lovely, so great. Really recommended if you are looking for a quiet and relaxed place. Not the cheapest, but well worth the money! VERY friendly staff and excellent food (dinner must be ordered in the afternoon). Nice pool as well and free bikes to explore the neighborhood. Would and will stay there again, if I have the chance to.

MesaStila Resort and Spa: "TRULY STUNNING IN EVERY WAY"

"We are a family of four from Australia, includng two young daughters. We stayed here for three nights. Firstly, all the staff are welcoming, friendly and wonderful. We had dinner here for the three nights and each meal was absolutely delicious. Great cocktails too! The breakfast is also amazing. My two daughters and I did yoga in the morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. There is so much to do and enjoy, so many activities. Great for children. Nothing is too much trouble with the staff. The surroundings are beautiful as is the atmosphere. We enjoyed afternoon tea on the verandah each day. We had a family day at the spa, with my daughters getting a hair cut and style, whilst I enjoyed a manicure. Words cannot describe this beautiful place, seeing is believing. "

Villa Song Saigon: "the very best"

We stayed for two nights recently ... and wow. Two nights were not enough. This is one of the very best places I have stayed, period. The facilities and service are top-notch. Not to mention the up-and-coming coolness of the environs, and the experience of taking the free evening boat shuttle blazing down the Saigon River after a long hot day downtown. This is an experience not to be missed in HCMC.

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "A perfect resort in an ideal location – worth every minute of the journey to get there"

We have just returned from our trip to Kerala and Mumbai and have to say that this was one of the most beautiful places I have ever stayed in. Our room was delightful, simple but to a very high standard with perfect attention to detail - sitting on our cottage verandah looking out onto the sea was amazing and very tranquil and relaxing - the cottages are designed so that we had privacy and never felt overlooked. The outdoor bathroom was luxurious and simple. Staying at this hotel was the most wonderful experience ever and I can't wait to return. The Hermitage has a peacful ambience - it is eco tourism at its finest - I particularly loved the fact there were no plastic bottles to be found on the resort! The food was superb, the swimming pool out of this world - and the staff were lovely and friendly and nothing was too much trouble. A perfect place to spend some time relaxing and being at one with nature.

Manukan Island Resort: "Wedding anniversary"

Stayed here for four nights in July for our wedding anniversary. Oh my life, it was superb. Getting off the boat is slightly daunting as 100s of day trippers use the island. We went left and we taken to the office given a cool drink and a warm welcome. Our accommodation was breath taking. Up in the hill side,villa 16. Views from the balcony , breathtaking. Inside, large living room, bedroom and very large bathroom with usual array of toiletries. The small kitchen area and fridge, where free water and Coke are provided daily. Beach towels are changed daily. Wifi is good. The food in the restaurant in the evening is ok, although not much choice to be honest. Beer is expensive, we took our own. Breakfast provides lots of choice. We had booked the cabana for our anniversary evening, but due to a double booking we were unable to have it. This was no great loss as the cabana was on a bit of scrub land with no access to the sea. Certainly not worth the money it would have cost. We had an enjoyable evening in the main restaurant being entertained by three amazing musicians who seemed to know every song in lots of languages, they were brilliant. Special mention to chef faridy who makes amazing pasta, waiting staff Chelsea, Jacqueline, Sabray and roger the boss. We would definitely recommend here, its paradise.

VILLA SONG SAIGON: "Excellent stay and wonderful experience"

"Recently enjoyed a three night stay at the Villa Song on my first vist to Vietnam. The hotel and stay thorougly exceeded my expecatations. The location was ideal, a short boat ride or cab (use Uber if you have it) ride from the center of Ho Chi Minh city which provided ideal - getting away from the intensity of the city center was fantastic. The setting of the hotel is absolutley picturesque. Very beautiful area on the river, great area for relaxing, having a meal, having a drink, just fantastic. Very peaceful and enjoyable. Pool area is also very good - they offer service at the pool so no need to go anywhere for refreshments or food. Plenty of chairs and shade. You MUST visit the spa during your stay! I enjoyed several treatments that were simply world class and delivered by the warmest and most friendly staff (sorry that I forgot her name!). Don't miss the spa during your stay! All of the staff were friendly, warm and accommodating. Service was spot on. Hotel was immaculately clean. Room was fantastic - clean, cool, well equppied, great bed, great linens, very quiet and great sleep. You cannot go wrong staying at the Villa Song Saigon - should I return to Vietnam I would say here without hesitation. "