Guest Reviews

Dewakan: "A star on the fine dining stage of Malaysia"

Let me go straight to the point. We went here mid October and tried Dewakan's 17 course menu, one regular and one vegetarian (available upon request when you make your reservation). They dealt with the vegetarian request so, so well. The kitchen created completely new dishes that they'd never had on the menu before - razor clams, squid, red snapper, mushroom tarts, you name it. All presented and explained really well. Lots of delicious courses on both menus. The highlights were the duck (roasted to perfection), the lowland vegetables, the prawn umai, the mango curry and the slow cooked red snapper. The rice porridge with razor clams was also a pleasant surprise (served with ox tongue on the non-vegetarian menu). The service was great and the venue is nice and stylish. Dewakan is a little off track, probably a 35-45 mins drive from KLCC, but it's so worth it! Next time (because we will come back), I also hope there are sweet wines/ dessert wines available by the glass too. Cannot wait!

The Village House: "Ruhe nach dem Abenteuer"

Im Anschluss unserer Rundreise haben wir ein paar Nächte im Village House bei Flora (eine herzensgute Dame) und ihren Kollegen verbracht. Perfekt geeignet zum Abschalten. Ja, eine Moschee befindet sich direkt gegenüber und der Prediger mag einen das erste Mal "wecken". Aber who cares?! In anderen muslimisch geführten Teilen dieser Wet verhält es sich genauso und sollte kein Störfaktor sein. Die Zimmer sind gemütlich hergerichtet, die Badezimmer großzügig konzipiert, das Essen schmackhaft & frisch (nur die Crème Brûlée besteht zu 90% aus Butter ;) , der Pool herrlich erfrischend und sauber und die Liegemöglichkeiten eignen sich hervorragend, um einen ganzen Tag am Pool zu liegen, dort zu lesen sowie Musik zu hören und die Seele baumeln zu lassen. Ein Supermarkt & Foodcourt ist NICHT fußläufig zu erreichen. Taxis sind jedoch spottgünstig und Fahrräder sind gratis auszuleihen. Am besten nutzen sie die Strände bei ihren Aufenthalten zuvor. Der Village House Strand in ca 300 Meter Entfernung ist nicht zu empfehlen. Also, solange Sie wissen, was Sie wollen, bekommen Sie mit der Ruheoase Village House genau DAS, was Sie wollen. Toller Abschluss.

Slow Villas and Spa: "Fantastic"

"Wow, what a lovely place, we arrived early and were met by their very friendly staff who checked us in and let us use the spa to freshen up in as our villa wasn't free yet. It has a boho chic vibe about it and our villa was lovely, very clean, cool bathrooms, comfy bed, our own coconut grove (loved that) and a nice sitting area and perfect sized pool for a refreshing dip! For us it was in the perfect location, we're not really the backpacking sort so it was far enough away from the main harbour bit to be away from it all yet close enough to walk if we wanted to go to one of the beach clubs. Our favourite beach was on our side of the island just 5 min walk from slow down a path which had a couple of great restaurants on and was un spoilt and beautiful! Slow arranged for us to have a private snorkelling guide take us round all three islands, this was one of the best days Iv had in my life! Slow staff bent over backwards to make our trip great and we shall definitely be returning again!!! Oh and the breakfasts are so delicious, definitely the best breakfasts Iv had in Indonesia and in most places Iv stayed around the world!"

Sea Dance Resort: "More incredible than the pictures depict, Should be a 5 start resort!!"

This hotel was AMAZING! After staying in other "4 star" resorts on various islands and arriving to properties that did not come close to our expectations, we weren't expecting anything to write home about. Needless to say we were more than pleasantly surprised with the quality of this resort. The bathrooms are GORGEOUS, facilities are clean, and the pool was luxurious and beautiful. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, they even brought us complimentary boozy popsicles while we lounged by the pool! If you want to stay somewhere that is far enough from the town that you can experience a hidden oasis, yet easily access the town for dinner/shopping/etc. with a $4 taxi ride, then this is the perfect place for you.

The Cabochon Hotel: "Intimate and tranquil boutique hotel in perfect location"

"We loved the Cabochon hotel and it's warm and friendly staff. The hotel has only eight rooms and suites in a superbly decorated French colonnial style inspired building. Wooden doors, door handles, light switches, quirky collectors items, they all are perfectly curated to add to the colonial feel. Apperently the building itself is a new structure which I only found out by realising there's no way an older wooden building would be able to carry a huge swimmingpool like the luxurious rooftoppool of the Cabocho I read another reviewer mentioning the pool as a small one. I do not know in what hotels some people might stay but the Cabochon pool is in my opinion huge! It covers the entire roof of the hotel (20-25m pool?), and is perfectly fine to do some fine swimming exercises. Another great detail which I loved is that there is no reception desk like in a regular hotel, just a tiny 'office'. From the frontdoor you step into the hallway immediately which leads to the central staircase. This also adds to the homely feel of the Cabochon. Check in is in the lounge area/Joy luck club where also breakfast is being served. You can also have your breakfast on the veranda which is great. The staff we loved. They immediately made us feel at home, spoke english well and were really helpful. Furthermore the location can't be better, at the end of a short quiet soi (alley) that leads directly to Sukhumvit Road with two skytrain stations within a five minute walk. Yes, the regular rooms are not that big but for us it just did add to the intimate feel of our stay here. It felt very special our three nights over at the Cabochon, highly recommended."

4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "A truly fulfilling bucket list worthy destination that defines the future of sustainable tourism"

"4 rivers is a resort in Tatai, Koh Kong that floats in its entirity on a river! You will book this destination most likely because of the idylic overland pictures, but read some more about it and discover what hidden treasures lie around and near this location... Once we landed we met with our driver and were on our way to 4rivers. We were pleasantly surprised on our car journey when we made a stop at a picnic resort and were able to enjoy a fantastic lunch of fresh seafood. Upon reaching the starting point of the destination is the 4rivers riverside departure point. There we were greeted with an exceptionally warm and friendly welcome explaining the short boat journey ahead. The adventure begins! We were explained the history of the area and the significance of the river enroute and it's quite interesting to hear about. You will notice immediately that there is no pollution and the water is still and clear. 4rivers is a place where you will not care if you have a wifi/3g signal or not as you are immersed in nature and truly able to absorb your pristine surrounds. It is my sincere belief that 4rivers can be healing for your soul given its placement and eco concept that takes into account the 360 degree impact of what they do there. We learned that a few of the activities they have including treks are done by former poachers or hunters who now make an income from tourism by being guides. 4rivers links with a small island of inhabitants who also work with the resort. They have very interesting stories to tell about life on the river. You meet interesting local characters here and that is part of the charm. Arriving at 4 rivers is much like discovering a lost paradise at a distance on your motor boat as it putters along the incredibly still river surrounded by lush jungle. Again a warm welcome awaits at the pier by your hosts. We are given a welcome drink and a small debriefing about the resort and a tour of the room workings. What I would highly recommend is to plan your stay by your activities, as there is plenty to do here aside from taking an instant dip in the crisp cool river or a kayak workout around the nearby island. There is the waterfall cruise where you can see and bathe in one of the most beautiful waterfalls you will ever see up close and personal. There are also treks which are of various levels of challenge and duration - some of which include a meal with some locals at a village - these require some notice. The minimum stay recommended here is 2 nights although more nights are needed to fully appreciate the location. We left thinking we should have at least stayed 1 more night and planned for a trek or kayak session. The food at 4 rivers is nothing short of delicious - the set menu options are great as are the appetizers and a la carte items. The barman serves up great drinks which is an added bonus here. You can also talk to the guys and get something made if you like as they are very attentive. You do get to know the staff here quite well even over 2 nights which is special given all that they do for you to make your stay memorable. The tent-rooms at 4rivers are well appointed with fans to keep you cool and ample space to move and lounge around. The tent structures can be fully covered with curtains or opened up with mesh liners for better air circulation, which can also be opened up to really connect with your surrounds. Bugs are easily kept out of tents and that is a relief! They do have insect repellent on-site and its recommended to use this - especially if you go for seeing the fireflies. The barrel like standing bath enclosures, which are locally constructed, have to be some of the most unique I have encountered. Overall a very wholesome experience that binds you to nature coupled with exceptional service. We departed 4rivers with a solemn promise to return again and perhaps with some more company & for a longer stay."

Poring Hot Spring Nature Reserve: "A variety of activities, available in one place"

We visited on a weekday - a previous review says the tubs are empty. Yes, they were, but that is so as not to waste water. The taps (one hot spring water tap, one cold water) are there for you to fill at your leisure. We clambered up to the Canopy Walk - it's a bit of a hike, but well worth the effort! Also visited the serene and informative butterfly garden and information centre. My husband and I sat in the pool at the base of Kipungit Waterfall, while our daughters trekked off to see the bat cave. I was surprised by 'sucker' fish, nibbling at my toes - you know, the ones you pay for in the 'fish massage' places? And I got mine for free! There are also sites for a rafflesia garden (world' largest flower), and an orchid site. I think this place is underrated, and offers so much for someone who has a morning / day to spare

Rachamankha: "Beautiful Rachamankha"

"My husband and I spent our honeymoon at Rachamankha during Christmas and New Year 2013, and we were thrilled to be able to return again in November 2016. We have so many wonderful memories of the hotel from our first trip and these were definitely added to on this visit. Something about Rachamankha speaks to me - it is elegant, unpretentious, immaculate, welcoming and just so beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. The gardens and grounds are immaculately maintained, the pool area is lovely, the restaurant, bar, library and courtyards are elegant and simple, and the rooms are comfortable, spotlessly clean and have everything you need. The attention to detail is wonderful. Breakfast options include a buffet with the usual suspects of breads, pastries, fruit, yoghurt, cheese, cold meats, etc., as well as many items from the menu, cooked to order. My favourite is still the banana pancakes and hubby loves the congee. Lunch and dinner options are great too, if you feel like staying in. And there is a great drinks menu with lots of cocktails, wines and other goodies. Rachamankha isn't for everyone. If you are holidaying with small kids, or you're looking for a party, then there are plenty of other wonderful options for you in Chiang Mai. But, if you're like us, and you're looking for simple elegance with comfortable surroundings, and a quiet relaxing holiday, then Rachamankha is definitely what you're looking for. In closing, I must give thanks to the staff. They were lovely, helpful and kind. The service was efficient, prompt and polite, and the staff really do take a huge amount of pride in their work. Every single team member from the security guards at the gate, the gardeners, the restaurant staff, the front office team and housekeeping are just wonderful! Again my thanks to Wanida, who is a true gem. We can't wait to return! :)"

The Governor’s House: "Colonial charm"

The Governor's House is perfect for travelers looking for something beyond main stream. This colonial house has a great deal of character and charm. Each room has it's own style with an interesting mix of antiques and contemporary touches whilst the communal areas evoke a bygone era. We enjoyed breakfast in the tranquil garden... I can highly recommend the Eggs Benedict. The garden also has a small pool and relaxing chill area. All the staff are friendly and helpful, especially Yin Yin, who does a great job as GM.

The Village House: "Borneo Adventure"

After 2 weeks of exploring Borneo this hotel provided the ideal rest and relaxation before flying home. We really enjoyed chilling out in the big recliners and the hammocks. Don't be put off by the initial setting, inside it truly is a gem and the food was the best of our whole holiday. The staff were friendly and the accommodation clean and tidy. Also don't miss the sunsets over the South China Sea.