Guest Reviews

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Absolute magic. Just go"

"If you are considering a trip to Sri Lanka, this has to be on your list. We spent a week travelling all over the country but our single night at Noel's camp in Yala summed it up - the welcoming and charismatic people and the pride in the land and its nature. We arrived just after midday and were met by Danu - who was to be our guide for the trip - in full safari regalia in his 4x4. We were already laughing at animal stories as we bounced down the track to the campsite - which has a special entrance to the park which beats the crowds we'd heard about. On arrival there was cold juice, beers and space to chill out before our first game drive. We'd booked normal tents but they were beautifully equipped, totally private and immaculately clean. An outdoor, screened shower as well as charging for phones topped it off - luxury for the middle of a national park! Over the course of our two game drives we were lucky to sight birds, wild pigs, water buffalo, crocodiles and of course - a beautiful lone elephant at sunset and a leopard at sunrise. Danu knew the right spots to take us to catch a glimpse, chose always to work with the local wardens on drives, and had a network of spotters on the radio to get us to the scene of sightings. Racing along the track, holding onto the truck with one hand and the binoculars with the other, laughing all the way was pure excitement. We would recommend anyone going to Sri Lanka to consider a safari a must. But don't go cheap - it's easy to drive around the park and spot no major game, or get stuck in traffic through the normal entrances, if you pick the wrong company and guide. Danu and all the guys at Noel's - Dilanke and the others - had a spirit of adventure and commitment to conservationism that was contagious. The park and animals of Yala are in good hands with these boys - and you will be too! You MUST do this."

Mathis Retreat: "Small, peaceful and calming paradise in the ricefields"

My boyfriend and I started our Bali journey in the heart of the island. After a good hour drive we arrived at the Kenanga Boutique Hotel in Ubud and were totally amazed by it only after a few minutes of our stay. Away from the hustle and bustle of Ubud downtown, the hotel offers breathtaking views of the rice fields. A sleep in the traditional-inspired suite made all the anxiety and jetlag disappear, the staff was extremely nice and made us feel very welcome, while the whole atmosphere left us feeling relaxed and peaceful. Beside the outstanding views, Kenanga has the most amazing infinity pool. A swim by the rice field panorama, relaxes your mind in a nicest way possible. I had one of the best breakfasts in there, the food overall was extremely delicious (I would highly suggest you visit their Terra Cotta restaurant for a healthy meal with the best view ever) The hotel was the perfect starting point for exploring the Ubud area (...) The reason more why I would recommend a Kenanga stay is the fact that they are highly connected with the local community, therefore they are helping good local people make their living. The manager was very kind and helpful, providing us with many relevant information. The overall experience exceeded our expectations, a calming and relaxing feel made us forget about the worries and opened the Bali trip we would surely never forget.

Jing’s Residence: "Pingyao’s Best Hotel"

The best location in old Pingyao. The hotel is a quiet oasis in the heart of Pingyao. It's rooms are well appointed and very clean and tidy. The hotel facilities are well laid out with a lovely restaurant, bar, spa and quiet reading areas. Its sensitive use of the ancient architecture is a pleasure to relax in, either inside or outside in one of the quiet courtyards. The staff are always there when you need help, but never intrusive or overly attentive. The style is friendly and welcoming. I will recommend this wonderful boutique hotel to all my friends.

Bassac Mekong Delta Cruises by Secret Retreats: "Highlight of our trip to Vietnam"

We were fortunate to take the 2 day with 1 night stay on Bassac 3 with only 9 people. Nicely split 5 French and 4 English. We had the luxury of 2 guides - one French speaking and Annie who looked after us and the other English couple. We learned so much about the Mekong Delta from Annie as she and her family still live there. Our walk in Annie's village was informative and we got to visit a house and eat lovely fresh fruits, ginger and baked rice paper with sesame seeds. We also visited the school. Cabins on the Bassac are compact but comfortable and quiet resulting in a good night's sleep. Food was very tasty and they accommodated peoples preferences as much as possible. We enjoyed our floating market excursion on the smaller boat and actually boarded the pineapple boat and tried one. Annie also took us briefly to the Can Tho food market on our way to our final drop off. Highly recommended

Villa Song: "Trusty amazing"

"Exceptional experience at Villa Song Saigon. Wonderful staff, amazing location by Saigon River and great restaurant. The Suite was nothing to compare. Highly recommendable and will come back. Thank you Vill Song Saigon."

Reverie Siam: "Amazing!"

"We stayed at this hotel on our Honeymoon in September 2014. I would write a long review about how good this hotel was but you will see there are countless others already! All I will say is our stay here was amazing, from the fantastic villa to the brilliant breakfast, great pool, delicious evening menu, lovely drinks and even great entertainment. 100% recommended"

Rachamankha: "Serenity in the midst of the old city"

"The Rachamankha is a hotel designed in the Lanna style by one of the leading Thai architects Ong-ard Satabrandhu. In fact he still has an office in the grounds. The hotel only has 28 rooms of which two are suites. All the rooms are set around two courtyards and are tastefully done. The furnishings are antique replicas but there are real antiques dotted around the property. The hotel does not allow children under 12 and therefore there is a peace and quiet around. There is never a feeling of crowds and noise. In fact, during our 5 day stay, we hardly came across other guests other than at breakfast. The breakfast is served in the restaurant and has an outdoor courtyard. It is a la carte and very well done. It makes a change from the usual buffet mêlée. Fresh juice and lovely warm breads and pastries accompany a selection of hot breakfast choices including the traditional eggs benedict as well as noodles and rice! The breakfast staff were excellent though with the personalised service a tad slow. Food was good and well presented. The grounds of the hotel is divided into various courtyards including one for the pool. Each had a water or some architecture feature and it was tranquil for a rest. There is a library filled with antique books as well as current books and magazines that you can browse. There are a couple of PC's there and a decanter of cognac that you can help yourself to. A nice quiet spot to do some reading. The pool area is beautiful and the blue tiled pool was very welcoming with its warm water. Although there is a spa area, there is no resident spa team. They get staff from outside to come provide the spa services. The rooms are very comfortable and quiet. The bathrooms are a little tired around the edges but that seems to add to the charm. The housekeeping staff are great and as with all good properties, you get an evening turndown. The addition of a coffee capsule machine is a welcome feature and it means that you can have a nice cup of coffee in your room or take it out to the guest sitting area outside. It was my birthday during our stay and on the day itself when we got back from visiting some temples, there was a lovely card and bottle of fizz on ice waiting for us. This was a lovely gesture and made you feel special. All in all, I would recommend this hotel for it's location, facilities and staff who were attentive and helpful. A great stay and we hope to be back"

The Village House: "Gorgeous Boutique Hotel"

This is the perfect place to unwind for a few days. It's an easy 40 min drive from Kuching, and it's incredibly relaxing and peaceful. It's a simple hotel but a lot of care and love has gone into its set up and decoration, and it was full of beautiful artwork from local artists. The rooms were lovely (we stayed in the Raj room), the food was delicious and the service wonderful and attentive. 

Muang La Lodge: "Remote but worth the trip"

"A jewel in the middle of nowhere in Northern Laos. They have added in room a/c and wi-fi in the last several months so now truly a 5 star experience. Lovely rooms, great food, nice pool, interesting activities. Only 10 rooms and since we were there just before her the high season, less than half full so we got a free upgrade to nicest room category. Worth the travel to get there unless time constraints."

Mathis Retreat: "THIS IS IT!"

"No doubt you will have looked at about 20-30 hotels in Ubud on TripAdvisor and be completely exasperated by the process. Fear not! Your searching HAS COME TO AN END! This is the one! Where to begin. Located just on the outskirts of Ubud, it overlooks pristine rice fields with no other hotels in sight. From the front reception where you are greeted with a welcome drink and refreshment to the high quality rooms and the blissful infinity pool, there is little more you could ask for. Family rooms exist, and the presence of a few children around this small hotel does not distract from the relaxation. The restaurant on site is relaxing and has a high quality food menu that does not break the bank! (Very reasonable actually) The best bits - free to and from shuttle into Ubud centre every hour, tours available via booking at reception (including airport transfers) The 'could be improved' bits - very little, although the internet was a little slow... if you are dependent on this I suggest you need to rethink the meaning of holiday! ;o)"