Guest Reviews

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Lovely"

"This is our second visit to Golden Buddha, the first was 4 years. I would say that many things have improved since then, First and foremost,the new manager, Massi, is truly wonderful - what a change! The restaurant have been rebuilt and now looks more smart, a new shop has been added and a pizza bar near the beach has been built. The staff is extremely friendly and smiley - many thanks to Nin, who works at the restaurant - she is a gem. The massages, we had one every day for 11 days are great too. We loved the food, but I think guests would welcome a slightly wider selection of dishes. The villas are truly well kept and very comfortable - I would recommend staying in a beachfront one and away from the restaurant. You also may want to check how close your particular cottage is to the neighbouring one. the island, with its long, deserted beaches is unique. the fact that there are truly just 3 resorts, of which Golden Buddha is the smartest, remains a big plus to us. There are a couple of things we were not too keen on. I should say that we decided to return to Golden Buddha to relax, enjoy the peace and quietness and pick up yoga again. Since our last visit the resort seems to have become popular with families with young children. Whilst some kids were well behaved, others where not and it made dinner and breakfast at the clubhouse less enjoyable that it might have been. The biggest disappointment were the yoga classes. Alex, the so called teaches ranted at each lesson about, what he called, new age yoga. Basically everything but the pure original yoga. He therefore stated that he was tracking Indian gymnastic instead. What was most annoying was his lack of interest and the fact that he did not want to correct people, hence, in my view, did not teach at all. Lastly, prices for food and massages were a tini bit high I thought and I would recommend that the resort buys lounge chairs for all its guests. In any case, I would still highly recommend Golden Buddha,. Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "THE highlight of our trip and one of the most unique experiences we have had to date"

"We recently spent a night at Noel Rodrigo's Leopard Safaris, and the entire experience left us awestruck and amazed. To place things in context, this is an actual campsite that is located next to a national park full of leopards, elephants, crocodiles, deer, wild boar and other forms of wildlife. If you're looking for a sanitised, 5-star luxury resort with all the modern conveniences that accompany such indulgences, this is not for you. If you have a sense of adventure and wish to be close to nature, however, you will find that Noel Rodrigo's has everything you will ever need. Our host and wildlife guide for our stay was Pradeeth. He is extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the wildlife in the park. He was also responsible for ensuring that our stay was comfortable and that all our needs were being met. From the moment we set foot in the camp until we left, we were made to feel like royalty. Pradeeth was supported by a team of discreet but attentive staff. We didn't manage to catch their names or speak very much to them, but this team of employees are the ones responsible for ensuring that everything in the camp runs like clockwork, and a big shout out goes to them. We were also introduced to Sajith who, much to his chagrin, has been promoted to management and no longer takes drives into the park as often as he used to. He did manage to sneak a drive in with us in the afternoon, thankfully. Sajith and Pradeeth are extremely knowledgeable about the park and it was awesome having them by our side during the drives, pointing out things we would otherwise miss. From the distinct call of a distressed deer sensing the presence of a leopard (those calls gave us an indication of where to head towards) to the paw tracks left by a passing porcupine, they made the park come alive to us, and made us attentive to even the smallest of things. Despite being a campsite, and sleeping in actual tents (think: glamping), Noel Rodrigo's had everything we needed. The accommodation was comfortable and the tents came fully equipped with safe deposit boxes, cupboards, flushing toilets and hot showers (on demand)! There is no air-conditioning, but all rooms are equipped with fans, and it does get cool in the evenings. Besides the wildlife and game drives (more on that later), the other highlight of the stay was the food. We were treated to scrumptious spreads every single meal. Beer, wine and gin & tonics were also readily available at NO extra cost. Everything was covered and there were no hidden costs. We dined al fresco every meal - literally out in the open, under the spreading canopy of a huge tree. Dinner was served under the stars, and the dining area was lit by hurricane lamps and candles. It was really special. The game drives were awesome. It could be because we were there during the off-season, but we mostly felt that we had the entire park to ourselves. We were fortunate enough to see 2 leopards during our first, afternoon drive. Pradeeth insisted that we woke up at 4:45am for our second, morning drive so that we could be the first to enter the park. This sacrifice paid off as we spotted another leopard that morning, and it was no further than 10 metres from us! Besides leopards, we also spotted elephants, deer, wild boars, peacocks, jungle fowl, mongoose (mongeese?), hares, kingfishers, crocodiles, hornbills, storks.... I could go on and on. The other thing that set Noel Rodrigo's apart was its emphasis on eco-tourism. We had the honour of being the first two visitors to take part in their new tree planting campaign (ask them about it). We were invited to plant a tree at the camp at the end of our visit in order to reduce our carbon footprint. It was a special gesture, and made us feel that we had invested a part of ourselves at the camp. We promised to return to see our wood apple tree. It also shows how the folks at Noel Rodrigo's genuinely care about the environment and nature. For this reason alone, you should consider Noel Rodrigo's over all the other safari options at Yala. We will be back soon. And until then, we sincerely hope that Noel Rodrigo's continues the good work it is doing over in Yala."

CHAKRABONGSE VILLAS: "A palace"

It's not often you get to stay in a real palace. And the Traditional Thai teak sala hotel rooms on its palace grounds are unique and remarkable. Our room fronted the Chao Praya river,and candidly, our private lanai/patio was double the size of most hotel rooms these days. Not cheap, but an experience. And perfect for that very very special celebration Best of all, Tatien district, which is behind the royal palace and Wat Po, is experiencing a revival with new eateries, things to do and trendy hotels. We loved the Museum Siam directly across from Chakrabongse Villas, and the River Books bookstore o hotel premises. Don't miss nearby Err restaurant, traditional Thai from the folks that gave us bo.lan.

Supanniga Cruise: "An Amazing Way to See Bangkok"

If you'd like to see Bangkok's river (Chao Praya) with a touch of class then this is the cruise for you. The Supanniga is a smaller yet more upmarket vessel. Excellent and friendly wait staff, and a delicious six course meal complimented by downtempo jazzy soundscape offers the classiest and most relaxing way to see a side of Bangkok you won't soon forget.

Tugu Bali: "Superb Dining Course"

"We visited the Tugu by chance when in search for a different dining experience. Their prefixed course menu is nothing but impressive. It is certain worth the splurge. For me the most valuable was their willingness to accommodate on vegetarian options. It is recommended to book at least a day in advance. If you have a large group, they have rooms available with a rather interesting decor theme of red lights, antique and wooden carvings (picture an imperial room in Shanghai). Service is pleasant and friendly. "

Cuca: "Tasty gastronomical food with okay price"

The place is super nice. This restaurant has enormous outdoor space that kids can play after or before they eat. The staff is also kid friendly and very polite. food wise, it tasted great. We tried the mushroom, fried chicken, soft shell crab and the fried chicken. All of them are tasty. The portion of the appetizer is small but for the chicken and soft shell crab, the size is a normal size portion, not tapas portion.

Tugu Bali: "Beautiful hotel. Great service"

We spent 2 nights at the hotel for our honeymoon at the incredible Puri Le Mayeur suite...which was essentially a single-story house that has its foundation lying over a pretty lotus pond. The suite itself was huge (probably much more than the 2 of us needed)--but we made the most of it! The staff provided top-notch service from beginning to end, from welcome drinks to breakfast in our rooms. We also received a 15-20 minute "welcome massage" at the spa, and frequented the private plunge pool in our room! The hotel itself also has a very nice pool. The hotel provides ocean-views from many of its rooms (the view from the Puri suite was a partial, but still breathtaking), as well as from the common areas. There is a bar at the hotel itself, as well as many restaurants. Regarding the food, the breakfast we ordered to our rooms (Indonesian breakfast) was so delicious that we ordered it again! We also did the "dinner in bed" for our Christmas honeymoon night! The dinner took place on the hotel's lawn, which overlooks the ocean and provides an unparalleled view of the sunset all while being served drinks, food, and dessert. Overall it was a relaxing stay and the perfect place for a romantic getaway.

SUKOON HOUSEBOAT: "Sukoon means peace on heaven of 🌍"

Kashmir’s beauty can leave you gasping for air, yet amidst such splendor, exists one tiny, wondrous place to stay. Of all things, a houseboat on the Dal Lake would be the most idle place to take in Kashmir’s beauty, with the looming snowcapped peaks -far away yet so near and the lotuses floating at arm’s length on the Dal.

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "The boutique resort in Samui"

"The small and best resort in Samui. First of all, they offered me free upgrade to pool villa beach front which was the best view. Second, staff was very helpfully and warmly, one of them support me to called with a agent tour who miss pick up me. Finally, I am feel like stayed at home when they treat me as well as possible Love this resort, peaceful place, nice beach and services was good Stayed January 2017, traveled solo"

Golden Buddha Beach Resort: "Paradise"

"This is one of my favorite places in the world. As soon as you wade ashore off the long tail boat that drops you off you know your somewhere special. It's a wonderful escape from work, city living and the world. There's nothing to do here but relax. A 10km long beach with pretty much no one on it and beautiful water. Small islands and mangrove swamps to explore by kayak. Beautiful beach homes to kick back in. The option of yoga in the morning and massage any time of day. Stayed January 2017, traveled with family"