Guest Reviews

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "Very glad we stayed here"

"First & foremost, the staff at Seadancer were fantastic. Tum, Poy and Faith went above & beyond the call of duty to ensure my wife and I had a relaxing holday. I can't thank them enough and we would love to come back one day. Our room was very clean and had the most amazing view over the beach. The food was really nice and we also had a wonderful Thai massage in the Spa. Only one downside - the beach which was very rocky. Everything else absolutely fantastic. Thank you all so much! Stayed March 2017, traveled as a couple"

Mie Cafe: "Best meal in Siam Reap"

Siv Pala is a Cambodian chef to watch out for. He trained in Switzerland and has added European technique to Khmer cooking that is fresh and innovative. We tried the highly rated, over rated, very formal Damnak lounge but it pales in comparison. We had both lunch and dinner here the same day because it was so good. We had the gourmet set menu. 5 courses for $24 US but brilliant dishes starting with a shrimp cold starter and the fresh fish soup, then two amazing entrees-a langoustine crepe and an oxtail stew. Both were subtle with rich texture and full of umami. The setting, too, is lovely. Outdoor patio, romantic, opposite of stuffy. Staff were always attentive and the chef, good-ooking per my wife, youngish man of impeccable manners greeted us after dinner. Best meal of our three day stay. Do not miss!

Manukan Island Resort: "Lazy days on the beach"

For the past few days in Sabah we wanted us to relax a bit and chose the nearby island of KK Manukan. Arrival / Room: Already at the pier we were surprised: by private email boat we were taken to the island. Us a cool water was also pressed into his hand the same. On the island you received us very friendly with a cool cloth and a tea / drink. Although we arrived already at 11 am, we moved into our beach villa same. We were told everything and there were apples ready and refrigerate soft drinks and replenished daily free water. Our Beach Villa was the first one up front at the reception and on the way, but the fact that we were on the first floor, the day visitors did not bother us. The room and the bathroom are really very nice, clean and large. It is anything useful present: flip-flops, flip-flops for outdoors, beach towels, shampoo, shower gel, a comb, a toothbrush, etc. The TV has some channels in English. The WiFi does so about 50% of the time works, and if so, then the connection was good. But since I do not know that there is absolutely WiFi, I was pleasantly surprised anyway. Beach: The private beach is very nice, the chairs and umbrellas are great. With us rarely strayed days Visitors on our beach and were usually relatively quickly pointed out by the staff that they are here only allows guests. In the water was only now and then someone Resort stranger. (But was apparently just not much going on). The hammocks were also very comfortable. Unfortunately, on the first two days, a bit much trash on the beach, and although actually some employees were traveling, was not collected the. But from the third day it was all super clean. Convenient to all Villa Beach residents might still be a shower or locker room at the private beach, one could go swimming on the last day even after checking out. but otherwise it is not far to the room, so do not disturb it. Since the seabed is very sandy, the water is not always clear, especially if it is something stormy. However, I found the snorkeling better than expected. You see a lot of fish and a few living coral there still. Restaurant: The breakfast was amazing. One can choose from 6 different dishes as much as you want but until you come to order, you already have fruit, yogurt, milk, cereal, bread, jams are at the table. as we were a few days there, we tried almost everything and it was all very good. The dinner was also very good, but the selection was not quite as big. The live music was not bad, but I found it funny when they are directly at the table, but the Asian tourists found the apparently quite cool. The prices of local I found okay, I had feared worse. The cocktails were not bad either. Other: there are from the infrastructure all it takes, there are two souvenir shops that sell snacks, drinks and ice cream, three restaurants (during the day), and a rental for lifejackets / snorkel / etc, you can book some tours on Downbelow. and the resort also offers a few specials on (dinner on the beach, BBQ, picnic basket, ...) All in all, we liked it really well on Manukan. The day trippers not really bother us, but it is also pretty cool, if you have the island from late afternoon almost alone for themselves. For us it was exactly what we had imagined. We did not want to be so far away from KK, a beautiful beach and a nice room, have to go a little snorkeling and walk a little. Those who place more emphasis on marine life, should perhaps rather long way from KK (eg Mantanani Iceland or, probably best to Semporna). But we have felt very comfortable and special and can highly recommend it. Which is a shame (for which the resort but nothing can), the many garbage which is not only washed ashore from the sea, but is mainly caused by the day trippers. People throw everything away easily or leave it. In addition, an extra is that one should not use plastic bags in the shops but they are used for all sorts of things.

Hotel Tugu Lombok: "So so good!"

"Slithered before deciding on this hotel over the OBEROI and so glad we did. A totally unique setting nd a place you could return to every year. The Manager was a delight and always seemed to pop up somewhere when you least expected it. This is not a run of the mill chain hotel . It is for real travellers who want to feel they are somewhere different. It's not perfect in some respects but that's why it is one of our favourite hotels in the world."

The Island Lodge: "Wonderful honeymoon stay at the Island Lodge"

We stayed at the island lodge for one night to give us an opportunity to explore the Mekong delta. Our stay was very relaxing, the room was beautiful and very clean, the pool and sauna facilities were also pleasant and relaxing. We opted to go on a tour to the unicorn and Phoenix islands nearby in My Tho, guided by a member of the hotel staff. The tour was great for finding out more about the Mekong delta culture, and we bought some of the local coconut sweets and honey to take home too!

Sandat Glamping Tents: "Stylish camping amidst the rice field and tropical jungle"

"We stayed 5 nights over the Christmas period with our 8 yo boy. A beautiful location amidst the rice fields and jungle. Our tent has a amazing infinity pool facing the jungle. The tent from South Africa was very well designed . If you stay in the suite tents , they are air conditioning but over our stay we never has to turn it on as we much prefer the naturally cool breeze of the jungle and it was never too hot and can even get a little chilly in the early morning if it rained over the night. There is no TV and the only other electrical appliances in the tent are the fans and lightings which was perfect for us as we are looking for natural living experience away from the city. We never have any issues with bugs or mosquitoes during our stay , in fact we got more mosquitoes at a luxury villa we stayed after sandat in Sanur. The team at sandat did a good job in keeping the compound clean , although you do get ants , other insects and geko but then this is part of the charm of the camping experience albeit a glamorous one. So if you are looking for a urban 5 stars hotel experience this is not for you. All the staffs are friendly and helpful and always ready to do their best to make your stay a happy one. The breakfast is adequate but could be improved with more choices although I understand it is never easy with a small property of only 8 tents to do a interesting buffet. Perhaps it's better if they could offer by order ala carte menu breakfast. Free shuttle to and back from ubud centre is offered by request, and we never have to wait too long and the drivers are always happy to do their best to drop you off anywhere in ubud when they are not busy. Overall, I feel this is a property run with heart to do their best for their guests and given the tent settings and location they are doing a good job. I have stayed at other similar accommodation like Soneva Kiri that are more luxurious but then again it's not fair to compare given the price differential. I would highly recommend sandat if you are looking for a experience to live close to nature and a peaceful break from urban life. I truly missed the sound and smell of the jungle sleeping in the tent. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5."

Sanak Retreat Bali: "Marvellous !"

"One would never imagine to find such a beautiful and peaceful place in the ""middle of nowhere"". Surrounded by rice fields, this hotel composed of individual bungalows is like paradise on earth ! Staff members are so kind (they called us because we had let the car headlights on), professional and careful, the restaurant proposes high quality food (seared tuna tataki is awesome) and taking breakfast in front of the pool is a priviledge !"

SEEDS Restaurant & Lounge: "Best lunch in Yangon"

I've read about this restaurant in TripAdvisor and went to check out when my boyfriend came to visit me in Yangon. We loved each part of our Sunday lunch. The restaurant is beautiful, clean decoration, very attentive staff, beautiful lake view and very well organized. I am not sure if it is always like that but there were 2 set menu options available, 2 or 3 courses. We went for the 2 courses: starter and main dish. We ordered a rose wine to go along. The meal started with some lovely amuse bouche and they offered bread. My dishes were delicious and so were my boyfriend's. In the end, we were not sure if we had space for the dessert but we were offered a chocolate dish as house courtesy! We were delighted! The meal and drinks were not cheap but it worth each cent that we paid. The food, the ambience, the staff, the quality, the service, all high standard. I do recommend and I hope to return soon. To the Seeds' team, congratulations! It was a lovely meal and service!

Mrauk U Princess Resort: "Heaven in Mrauk U"

From Sittwe, you must take a boat. Please don't think about this as something you need to do before getting to where your holiday starts. Make the boat ride the adventure. Mrauk Oo Princess Resort has a lovely boat, where you and your friends can relax and witness life on the water as you pass by remote villages, pagodas and breathtaking views. We arrived at night with the whole resort lit up by lovely lights. Stunning. The staff was so incredibly friendly and the food was exceptional. I actually prefer Mrauk U to the more touristy Bagan. One has some beautiful archeological sites to visit from Temples to ancient Pagodas. The highlight of my trip was the sunrise and sunset that Mrauk Oo organized for us. I was not sure what to expect, but was up at 5am and was taken by car to a pathway that was a 10 minute hike to a very old Pagoda that had the most amazing view, with only my group around, we got to the top and coffee/tea and croissants were awaiting us, as the sun came up over this beautiful land. Our sunset was from a different location, the climb was a bit steeper but just as rewarding. Champaign was served instead of coffee. I felt very spoilt. For a slice of Myanmar paradise away from the hectic touristy spots, this is by far my favorite place in a long time.

Maison Polanka: "Stay here for wonderful personal service. Deserving of a 7/5 rating not merely 5/5"

"I will start with the summary: tranquil garden, great room, excellent F+B, attention to detail, but the wonderful staff is what made our stay in Siem Reap a truly memorable one (in addition to the the magnificent ruins, of course). The small touches such the chilled towels in the car and upon our return to Maison after each of our trips were truly appreciated. They provided a mobile phone with Maison's number preloaded in directory, another thoughtful and helpful detail. We found the staff not merely polite and helpful but genuinely concerned about our well-being. Maison arranged tuk-tuk rides for our trips into the center of town and the drivers were courteous. Our car/van driver was friendly and informative on the ride back to the airport, making us feel welcome in Cambodia even as we were about to depart. We cannot remember all the names of all who took care of us but special thanks to to Kathy and Sorpana (?) at reception for all their attention to us. Of course, we cannot say enough about Francis. From the initial email exchanges to our actual stay he remained on top of everything. We appreciated his meeting us at the airport on our late night arrival, something we did not expect. Initially I had considered one of the larger hotels but chose to look for a boutique hotel instead. I chose Maison based on both excellent reviews and the compelling back story as told on the hotel webpage. Several email communications with Francis were promptly answered; he readily addressed concerns about airport transfers (a hotel van is available; recommended as tuk-tuks and taxis may not know the hotel or its location) transport to the town center (tuk-tuks that the hotel apparently has an arrangement with and will wait for you at your destination in town). Maison Polanka is located on the east side of the Siem Reap river in a quiet secluded neighborhood (the nearby Po Lang Ka pagoda is what presumably gave name to the road and hotel), about 9km away from the airport and 2.5km from the markets in downtown Siem Reap. The Angkor National Museum is the closest site of interest within very easy walking distance less than 1km from Maison. Of course, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom are much further away 6.5km and 11km respectively. We rode the hotel van for our tour of the temples and took tuk-tuks to town. The hotel grounds are meticulously maintained, heavily wooded and thus shaded. There were flowering plants everywhere including orchids and butterflies were flitting around from bloom to bloom. There were just a few rooms. The largest accommodation was the Khmer House, a stand-alone building. We had booked the the Yellow Room in the ""Maison"" which also housed the Green, Orange, and Purple Rooms. Francis told us that Maison could accommodate at most 15 guests and that the entire hotel has been booked in the past for family reunions. Check-in was smooth; we had the first of many culled and scented wet face towels to freshen us up. We were also given glasses of chilled fruit juice while we waited to complete check-in. We were then led to the Maison building and askedo leave our shoes at the bottom of the stairs. The Yellow Room lived up to what the hotel website promised, as did the entire property. The decor was rustic with sophisticated touches. A small plate of sliced fresh fruit had been left on the desk for us to enjoy. The amenities were as listed on their website. The bathroom was actually on a higher level with a short flight of stairs curving up from the far corner of the room. We had no issues with the stairs but it could get wet and slippery. Having traveled with my elderly parents I have become more acutely aware of the need for secure handholds; a single handrail at the corner where the stairs make a left turn on the way up would a world of difference. The bathroom was spacious. The shower stall was large and even had a small tile bench along the wall. I do not recall how textured the floor tiles were but I did not see a rubberized bath mat with suction cups that other hotels sometimes offer. Again, a small handrail at the level of the threshold of the shower would help steady anyone stepping out of the shower. Not that the the edge of the shower was raised very high, just a couple of inches perhaps. The bed was comfortable and we slept well on both the nights during our stay. There was a narrow balcony that we never ventured out on. We had our meals at the ""Sala"", the open-sided communal area by the pool that served as lobby, living room and dining room. What I had initially thought was the reception desk turned out to do double duty as a bar. There was an adjacent area with couches and armchairs clearly meant as a lounging area for those not interested in relaxing by the pool. As one might expect for a kitchen serving such a small number of guests the menu was not extensive but our meals were well-prepared and delicious. The young ladies serving us were attentive but not hovering over us. We had our not had dinner by the time of our late arrival but I had made arrangements with Francis beforehand and, once we had freshened up, dinner was quickly prepared for us. Should our travels ever take us back to Siem Reap we will definitely be staying at Maison Polanka again."