Guest Reviews

NEELESHWAR: "Heavenly peace!"

"Everything about the Hermitage was wonderful - the room, the bed, the pillows, the care taken to make sure everything was perfect, the food, the off site activities offered ( alt bought these were expensive) Forewarned, we had pre- ordered full board to avoid a large bill at the end so that worked out well. Highlight was a trip to the jungle to see a Theyam ceremony. Unforgettable! The sea was like a warm bath, the food and company and the pool were all excellent. One recommendation though - mosquito burners in the spa reception area. Can't wait to return - think about it every day! "

Mume: "Always amazing"

I've been a couple of times in this high level restaurant, the taste and the visual are extremely precise. I love it, a must do in Taipei

The Island Lodge: "Magic on the Mekong"

What a surprise, much better than it shows on its website and booking search engines. A touch of casual elegance right on the river. French influences everywhere as you'd expect with French owners, very classy open air restaurant and lounge area facing the pool and river on one side and the garden and villas on the other. Rooms above are bright, airy and extremely pleasant. The food is great, although mostly western style. There's lots to do - cycling and boat trips, visits to local markets etc. Only two hours drive from HCMC (the hotel will arrange a car) it's a great escape from the city - a must visit for people seeking respite from the big smoke.

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "Superb must stay"

"This resort has all of its priorities straight. It has an Eco/ community based focus and customers are at the heart of everything that is done. We loved every minute of being here as the staff are so considerate and keen to please. The food at the restaurant is fabulous and the rooms are very nicely decorated and restful. The Burmese cat project is fantastic and the shop supports local development projects which sell their high quality products here. We believe this is a really special place to stay and we will remember it for a long time to come. Highly recommended! Stayed April 2016, traveled as a couple"

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.

Les Maisons d’Itac: "Great place to stay"

We really enjoyed staying at this resort. We slept at Maison Ulysse and I really enjoyed the interior and . The resort has a lot of details and it very well looked after. It is hard to communicate with the staff as they hardly speak any English. But Bryan (the manager) is most of the time present to help and give you tipps. Due to the fact that this resort is very small, it has a familiar atmosphere which we enjoyed. We also felt very safe, never looked our hut

Nimmu House: "Un vrai paradis"

Très belle découverte que cette magnifique maison ancienne, et ces tentes raffinées au milieu d'un verger. Escale parfaite pour s'acclimater à l'altitude avant un trek, où se détendre après! Toute l'équipe aux petits soins, une cuisine variée et délicieuse. Magique!

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."

Locavore: "Experience of a lifetime"

"First of all: YOU MUST BOOK AHEAD if you want to go to dinner; lunch is less in demand and somewhat easier. We had the most amazing evening with friendly and efficient staff, an elegant and comfortable dining room - with plenty of space between tables, such a luxury - and then the food. Our party of three included one who is violently allergic to shellfish/seafood so with great care and input from the chefs, an alternative menu was chosen for her that included dishes from the vegetarian menu as well as safe dishes from the meat/fish menu. Then we sat back and the dishes started coming. Not only is the food exquisite, but the dishes (or rocks!) on and in which it's served and beautiful too. We settled for the seven courses and even though each is little more than one or two mouthfuls, it was more than enough and every dish was a surprise and beyond delicious. My favourite (apparently I'm not alone) was the quenelle of Bloody Mary sorbet on a slice of frozen tomato that then had a little jug of hot and clear tomato broth poured over it. More like essence of tomato than broth: absolutely marvellous! Didn't have the matching drinks as I felt a puritan need to walk out under my own steam, but wine is an easy alternative and uniformly and reasonably priced. The chef-owners are passionate about local and fresh produce and experimenting – and it shows. Altogether a memorable evening."

Misool Eco Resort: "Very special place"

Just spent 9 days diving at MER. It is a bit of a trek to get to but well worth it. Don't hesitate to go. It is an extremely special place. Apart from the lovely friendly staff, great food and relaxing accommodation all made from recycled wood, the conservation work they are doing is extremely special. Make sure to attend the presentations in the Dive Centre on Mantas and the building of Misool Eco Resort, very interesting. We had great vis most of the time. The highlight had to be Magic Mountain where we had a magical encounter with 6 mantas who stayed around the whole dive and performed for us. Other favourite dives included Nudi Rock, Fiabacet and Wedding Cake. (...) A special thanks to the managers, Sue and Mark who's hospitality and personal service was wonderful. What enjoyable evenings we had chatting with them and the other great guests we shared the island with that week. We also had the honor of being the first guests in their new coffee shop which is located in front of Sorong airport. It is sure to be a great success. Tastefully done and makes a great departure lounge. The MER staff went and checked us in while we sipped coffee and browsed for last minute memorabilia. Then, half hour before the flight we were transported to the airport and walked straight through and onto our plane.