Guest Reviews

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "A Truly Unique And Special Place To Stay"

"The Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion is an incredibly unique hotel. Built in the late 1800’s, the mansion was the family home of Chinese businessman and politician Cheong Fatt Tze. The mansion symbolized his wealth and prosperity, with extraordinary detail given to the original building and restoration. In modern terms, it’s one of the most “Instagrammable” buildings I’ve ever seen! Keep reading to find out why I highly recommend staying at the famous Blue Mansion. THE HISTORY The original version of the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion was built with 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, and 7 staircases, and is one of the largest buildings of its kind outside of China. Feng Shui played an important role in the design of the mansion, and each part of the layout had a specific a purpose. For example, the number of open air courtyards is because water is seen as wealth, so the more rain you have naturally coming into the house the better. Once that water was inside, there are winding drainage pipes to keep the water underneath the house as long as possible before flowing outside. There is so much history behind the building that the Mansion runs daily tours several times a dat so you can learn about the Mansion even if you are not staying there. However, I would still highly recommend booking a room because the tours only cover the common areas and not the guest rooms to maintain guests’ privacy. While the tour is still worth it if that’s your only option, staying in the hotel itself allows you to have the full experience and get better pictures! THE ROOMS The Blue Mansion has 18 rooms, each with its own name and backstory. I was in the Escoy room, named after an old smelting company in Penang. Located on the ground floor, the room had beautiful tall ceilings, detailed gold carvings, and plenty of space to spread out. In addition, there are little heirlooms and authentic 19th century furniture scattered throughout to give it even more personality. The rooms all have amenities that would have made Cheong Fatt Tze himself jealous, including a large HDTV, speedy wi-fi and a heavenly rainfall shower. It was truly a unique experience to stay in a place with such history, while still having full access to luxury amenities! THE FOOD Breakfast is served each day in the central courtyard, which is where the “Feng Shui” is strongest. The staff does a great job transforming the beautiful open air courtyard into a wonderful breakfast spread. There is a self-served area for pastries, toast and fruit, as well as made to order hot dishes from the waiter. You can also choose local flavors to be ready for your day! There is also a wonderful on-site restaurant called Indigo which was also great. Located upstairs above the central courtyard, Indigo fuses Eastern and Western culture in both the food and the ambiance. The in-house chef creates wonderful dishes each night, with each dish looking like a piece of artwork itself. The lamb and fish were especially good, so be sure to make a reservation during your stay! THE LOCATION Once you are well fed, you’ll see the Blue Mansion is perfectly located to many walkable sites. Given that Penang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are countless beautiful buildings and little areas to visit. These include the Clan Jetties, Little India, and Red Garden, a great night food market which is literally next door! One of my favorite parts of the location was is the short walk to many of the famous works of street art dotting the alleyways of Penang. Be sure to grab a map and ask the concierge for the locations of the art because some of them can be tricky to find but worth the effort! CONCLUSION Staying at the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion was one of the highlights of my entire trip to Malaysia. The history behind the building itself is extremely interesting and the hotel itself was beautiful. Be sure to bring a spare memory card when you visit because you will take countless pictures of both the Mansion itself and all the amazing sites nearby. The Blue Mansion is a very special experience and I highly recommend staying with them next time you are in Penang! Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"

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. "

The Governor’s House: "SUPERBE!"

Nice boutique hotel. I just LUVED the colonial style. Hotel is well situated and you can have a tuk tuk or taxi at the hotel. Hotel has a night guard. Lovely people, helpful, good breakfast (healty) and delicious gin (Hendrikx) tonics :-)

Muang La Lodge: "Lovey setting and relaxing atmosphere"

"Lovely setting in the hills and next to the river; rooms are set in the gardens. Rooms are large, as are the bathrooms, and well-equipped and comfortable. Rooms are access via outside steps. Meals are served on the atmospheric outside terrace overlooking the river, it is a set menu but definitely fine dining. One little moan through, we were offered coffee after our meal and were then surprised to see it billed on our account at the end; it needs to be included (preferable) or made clear that it is extra. The swimming pool is accessed via a ""trip trap"" bridge which crosses the river to an island and the salt pools in the river can be accessed from the gardens. There are also spa pools in the gardens which use the natural salt water from the river. t was definitely a lovely experience staying here and we were very well looked after."

Muang La Lodge: "Séjour Inoubliable"

"Nous venons de séjourner pendant trois jours dans ce lodge et n'avons rien à redire. La manager Raphael gère cet hôtel avec excellence. Grande attention à chacun de ses clients. Notre chambre était spacieuse, propre et décor avec beaucoup de goût. Les repas excellents et les serveuses adorables. Nous vous le conseillons si vous passez dans cette région."

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "Just perfect!"

"Ne changez rien, vous êtes parfait. Du début à la fin! Une belle découverte mais il faut l'apprécier. Voilà un hôtel (atteignable uniquement en bareau) à la hauteur de ses notes sur Tripadvisor! Magnifique. Six chambres seulement dans un écrin de verdure priviligié, toutes montées sur pilotis avec un standing supérieur! Les chambres sont (très!) grandes et ce sont en fait des bungalows indépendants qui vous mettent déjà le voisin à distance. La décoration est de bon goût et le confort est de mise. Un coin salon avec canapé et table basse et un grand lit disposant d'une bonne literie. En outre, durant les périodes fraiches, chauffage à disposition et bouillottes installées durant le repas dans nos lits! Excellent. La salle de bain est jolie et dispose d'une douche italienne. WC séparés. Une jolie terrasse privative avec deux chaises longues nous invitent à profiter du coucher de soleil. Un safe se trouve dans la partie salle de bain. Pour les addicted, pas de TV! ce sont ça les vacances! Mais une bonne connection WIFI partout sur le site. A noter qu'il n'y a pas de mini-bar non plus. Le staff - grand nombre de personnes - est agréable et au petit soin. A noter que l'hôtel utilise une partie de sa structure comme école hôtelière (on les voit à peine). De plus, le staff de cuisine utilise de nombreux légumes cultivés sur place et qui sont utilisés dans nos repas. Le petit déjeuner est simple, frais et servi à table. Des produits sains. J'y ajoute la qualité des repas, des prix de plats et boissons corrects et un esprit très écologique, c'est simplement parfait. Je vous le recommande les yeux fermés. Stayed February 2017, traveled as a couple"

Satri House: "Wonderful stay in a beautiful oasis"

"We loved our 3 night stay at Satri House. Hotel Manager Jacques and his staff were offering free drinks and canapés at the poolside bar on our first night at the hotel which made for a lovely first impression. We found the decor and service perfect throughout our stay. Sure, some staff didn't have perfect English but they made up for it with their friendliness and professionalism. All our requests were dealt with promptly and efficiently. If you're looking for ambience, comfort and tranquility, look no further. Stayed February 2017, traveled with family"

Mudanwan Villa: "養生休憩之旅"

"沒想過在台灣也可以有這麼靜謐的享受！ 在villa裡就能享受室內、室外兩種溫泉。此外也可以在湖畔邊發呆、釣魚或是沈靜在牡丹書房裡。 Stayed June 2016, traveled with family"

SEEDS Restaurant & Lounge: "The Founders of Seeds have created a utopia!"

"We were invited to Seeds on behalf of the extremely generous, creative, artistic & kind owners, Lucia and Felix Eppiser, as a gift for their staff in that we were sharing conscious movement workshops to build team morale, body awareness & self esteem. This alone should tell you what an amazing couple they are - the very fact that they create workshops and events like this for their staff, treating them like beloved family and wanting the best for them to experience! For many of the staff, they may never have the opportunity to be with a professional dancer multiple times over a week and in such a fun, joyful, team building way. I also heard from the staff that the owners gift many types of trainings to them, team building experiences and fun activities. How wonderful! Lucia and Felix care so much about the well being of their staff, and this care is reflected in the way the staff presents themselves, how they serve, how they interact with the guests and with each other. The ambiance is absolutely wonderful, efficient, and incredibly courteous. We even saw that when it was their off days, the staff were still coming to the restaurant or meeting up with one another. And one of the highlights was to hear the staff’s ‘boy band’ sing a really great song to us as a celebration thank you during one of our meals - they sound like professionals!!! And they were so happy!! This is the kind of talent, artistry, community and joy that Lucia and Felix support within their restaurant family, and it is reflected everywhere. The ambiance of the restaurant is also aesthetically beautiful. And when you hear the stories about how the table cloths were made, how the drapes were woven, how the plates were commissioned, how the cups and bowls were selected, how the murals were done on the walls, where the lamps come from, etc - you will again see how much care the owners have taken to not only create a beautiful restaurant with meaning, but most importantly - to include the local artistry of the Myanmar community — so much has been hand crafted by the locals, and to me, this was an astonishing surprise. It is easy to simply buy in bulk from premade factories, but Lucia and Felix have taken the time to select the best and to support the local craftsmanship. Now the food... oh my... it is insanely delicious!! We couldn’t stop eating! And we are challenging diners in that we are vegan, gluten free... and Felix specially created 7 course meals day after day for us that were absolutely delicious, as well as so beautiful! The culinary artistry of Felix is one of a kind. The care in which the food is displayed, how the local ingredients are transformed into unique gourmet dishes - and the gluten free bread (the best I have ever had!) — all was exquisite! You will really feel that you have stepped into a private oasis, a hidden utopia, when you enter Seeds. The wall of bamboo on the outside gives a feeling of going into a secret garden that is far away from the hustle and bustle of Yangon. The lake view is superb, and just wait until the dry season when you can sit lakeside or even have the VIP in the bamboo bird’s nest (I believe it is the most unique structure at Seeds!). Whether you are with business, on a date, having a marriage reception, or with your family - your experience will be fantastic. We really look forward to returning to Seeds again in the near future!"

Villa Song Saigon: "Magic amongst the Mayhem"

"Villa Song is on the river away from the manic mayhem of Saigon, we loved it. I would not liked to have stay in Saigon itself, its very noisy, dirty and smelly at Villa Song we had the best of both worlds. A boat takes guest back and forth to the city so its easy to get to any of the sights fairly easily. It suitated in an area that has a number of International Schools and there are some reasonalbe resturants and and shop. We chose to eat at the hotel as we were only there for three nights and it was a joy to sit by the river and watch life go by. The food was delicious and resonably priced for good quality fare. Our room had a small balcony and was very comfortable. Breakfast was delcious and plentiful. An excellent stay."