Guest Reviews

Muang La Lodge: "A magical experience in Northern Laos"

"We have been fortunate to travel to many wonderful places with wonderful experience but I must say our recent stay at Muang La Resort rates among two that felt magical. The attractive designed buildings and immaculate green grounds set smack dab beside the Nam Pak (river) in this little valley beside the Muang La village is an idyllic spot for a vacation. From the moment we were welcomed by the general manager and staff with a welcome beverage and snack, to our beautiful and comfortable rooms and the delicious meals - we so enjoyed our stay here. Since traveling with our high-school aged son we booked two adjacent rooms at the edge of the property which overlooked the Nam Pak. The rooms were spacious and well appointed, as were the bathrooms. We enjoyed walking to the dining area (covered but open to beautiful views of the river and surrounding hills) as there is well cared for lawns and tropical plants. The meals were delicious, from several choices for breakfast to the gourmet fusion dinners. We found every staff member to be friendly and attentive to our requests and needs. You could lounge at the Resort property and thoroughly enjoy yourself - we chose to experience it all, from the infinity pool on the island in the middle of the Nam Pak (complete with pool bar and snack service - recommend the Lao Mojito and Khamu Blue), to the hot spas (both the resorts's private dip and the very hot community spa shared with the village)... the steam room was a treat for the nose and sinuses with a mixture of lemongrass and other herbs). We rode available bikes to the Khamu village across the river and also took several excursions with the arranged guide Don. Loved the mountain bike ride along the rice paddies to the local villages and through town. The 4-wheel drive adventure to the Hmong village and through the forest to climb the rock overlooking the valley was an amazing and exhilarating journey, but the biggest impact on us was walking through the villages and interacting with the people - such kind and warm people who willingly shared their life with us. Getting to Muang La Resort requires dedication (for us, a 5-hour van ride from Luang Prabang) - but so much worth it. This stay really gave us a feel for the warm-hearted people of Southeast Asia. Thank you to the management and staff of Muang La for a perfect stay - memories we will treasure!"

tugu lombok: "Too good… Tugu!"

We are travellers who enjoy the splurge when it's worth it but never like to return to locations we have previously visited (the world is just too big). Tugu is one of those places we would love to visit again though, if only for its uniqueness. One of the first things you'll hear on your intro is that Tugu is not for everyone and this is the kind of thing that makes me happy on holidays. Who wants to spend money to get holidays that are "for everyone"? In Tugu you will be taken care of individually. We stayed 4 nights at Dadap Merah on the Retreat package and definitely recommend the package to all. The room is unique and -frankly- perfect. We loved the rustic quirkiness of the resort and the kindness of all staff. Terima kasih and you again!

The Governor’s House: "Highly recommended"

I had a great stay at Governors House. The staff were warm and accommodating without being overbearing; the property and rooms were perfectly curated and cozy; and the grounds were absolutely lovely. I stayed in GH as a respite prior to a few weeks of intense work, during which I was lodged at a bigger international chain hotel that - although more 'luxury' - didn't have the charm or the homeyness of this property. I'd highly recommend it for travelers looking for a more stylish, and more personal, lodging experience in Phnom Penh.

Reverie Siam: "Amazing Resort"

"Second time here and we got a free upgrade to mountain view room!! Thanks Nink @ Guest relations. The resort is beautiful, lovely rooms with unique items such as type writers and books to make its French colonial style very realistic. The marble floors and luxurious bathrooms Are perfect. The toiletries are all local and sourced from natural ingredients which is great and smell delicious!! Refilled daily. The rooms have big tv's and DVD players and you can borrow (free) DVDs from front desk. The wifi throughout the hotel is excellent, consistent and I mean everywhere, perfect!! The staff are very friendly, attentive and welcoming. The free shuttle cart to the city centre is very helpful and they pick you up too!! The pools are lovely, clean and a very good temperature. We love the hotel and will certainly be back for a third time...!"

Rachamankha: "Fabulous architecture and ambiance"

This is a great place to stay within the walls of the old town. Superb staff and friendly throughout. Our room was generous and wonderfully decorated. Poolside was relaxing and both breakfasts and dinner were great experiences. Highly recommend.

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Outstanding"

This place is nothing short of top of the class! The food, rooms, service, amenities, beach and general 'vibe' (coupled with a near-perfect January climate) made for a perfect end of trip experience. If peace and quiet is not for you then the Hermitage is not for you. It might be 'off the beaten track' but it doesn't feel isolated. Terrific staff. Hard/Impossible to fault.

Villa Song: "A delight"

"Ho Chi Minh City is a buzzing metropolis. Villa Song is located 15 minutes away up the river. It was a joy to go in each day by boat and return again on the boat in the afternoon after pounding the pavements. The staff are charming. Food and service are great. Our room was spacious and comfortable.The hotel is a lively but peaceful oasis. Highly recommended."

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Understated splendour"

Marvellous! If you are coming to George Town, you’ve got to stay here if only for 1 night. Take the tour to understand the building. With curry followed by bread and butter pudding and creme anglaise for breakfast, heavenly.

Mudanwan Villa: "Luxury at its Best"

"We stayed here with our families and each family had its own villa. Each villa is unique and different from one another and faces the pond that is in the centre. The villa has a great relaxation area that serves daily afternoon tea and snacks. The area is an open space so we could listen to the nature and the insects and birds sing. The food was delicious as well. We stayed here for a couple of nights and we were able to book the private room that sat all of us around a large family round table. The food was different each night and it was delicious! The service was also exceptional. We were able to fish and swim in the infinity pool at the resort. We loved the ambience and the tranquillity. TIP: Just outside the villa there is a non-profit mini school that was started by a couple. They wanted to provide good education to the aboriginal kids who live in the area. Many university students volunteer their time to educate the children. If you were to go visit this place, please visit the mini school and perhaps you can donate some school supplies, books and perhaps mini donations. The volunteers (university students) also help serve food that the couple runs to help support the mini school. Go dine there if you are curious!!"

Tugu Bali: "Exquisite beauty and great service"

"We were given a welcome drink and then escorted through beautiful grounds to room 209, an upper- floor Renjang Suite which was huge and featured a four-post canopy bed with carved wood, a beautiful hammered metal tub (a common Tugu Hotels feature) on an enclosed porch with views to the Indian Ocean and much more. The room was done throughout in beautiful wood and felt very cosy. The ceiling must have reached 20 feet at the top of the vault. Two Aircon units in the room kept the Bali heat in check. The bedding was very comfortable and in the serene setting with the sound of the waves out the windows we slept very well. The lighting was too dim for reading in bed, so bring your clip- to- the- book light if that matters to you! There were separate rooms for the shower and for the toilet. There was a lot of closet space and plenty of room for our luggage. Breakfast was a la carte and had a nice selection. The black rice was excellent, more or less a pudding, with coconut milk, delicious. Their omelets were tasty, too. There was delicately smoked salmon on their equivalent of soda bread, a very successful combination. The front desk, the bar, the restaurant tables and a large stage all share a big space under a vaulted roof. There was a cultural evening on our Thursday evening, no charge, and it was great. The statue of some winged beast at the back of the stage is impressive. The hotel is a showplace of various Indonesian works of art and is worth visiting just for that reason. The hotel puts chairs on the beach for guests and there’s also a lawn with beach chairs. You can order dinner and drinks on the lawn. The beach walks were great. There are lots of surfers to watch, and there are bars all along the beach in case the hot sun makes you thirsty… There were plenty of bars and restaurants all up and down the streets, too, but from what I saw between the hotel and the airport, there are restaurants and boutiques nearly everywhere in Bali, some in the least likely places. Be sure to agree taxi prices before you go anywhere as they will rip you off if you let them. Our first and only experience with this ended well because the Tugu’s porter came up to the taxi when he saw me disagreeing with the driver, and when he heard the driver’s demand he told the taxi guy to take what I offered and buzz off. After that, we were careful to agree beforehand. The location seems to be good, although this was my first trip to Bali and I do not have anything to compare it to. It takes about an hour to manage the 22km from the airport. At the end of our stay, the staff prepared a nice basket of fruit and chilled water to snack on in the car to the airport, and they all came out to wave goodbye, a very nice touch. We will certainly stay at the Tugu on our next Bali visit. "