Guest Reviews

Tugu Malang: "Very Unique Hotel in East Java, Indonesia"

The Hotel Tugu Malang in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, is a perfect way to see the "non-touristy" side of Indonesia, but still experience first class service and one of the most unique properties we have ever stayed at. The hotel is situated in a beautiful mountain town in eastern Java that is very close to the spectacular and often active volcano, Mount Bromo. The hotel offers much, much more however, and is a great way to get a taste of Javanese culture that is sometimes hard to find in big cities like Jakarta. We spent only two nights at this lovely hotel, but will definitely return to continue our exploration of this culturally rich area. The hotel itself is filled with truly exotic works of art and furniture, including Ming Dynasty pieces that would likely be in a carefully guarded museum in the United States. During our stay, we took the "candi" or "temple" tour on the first day, and found it as a great way to view the surrounding countryside, as well as to see some really amazing Buddhist and Hindu temples built in the 1200-1300 AD period. The next morning, we took the traditional market tour and traditional cooking class which was really the highlight of our stay. After getting a personalized tour of a nearby traditional food market with the amazing array of fruits and vegetables native to Java, we finished the tour by preparing three traditional Javanese dishes under the careful supervision of the hotel cooking staff. The dishes turned out perfectly, and opened our eyes to the possibilities of traditional Indonesian recipes. For the quality of the surroundings and service, our stay was significantly cheaper than you will pay in the much more traveled locations like Bali or Jakarta. In short, it was a very unique and enjoyable experience, and probably ranks as our "best ever" hotel experience.

Le Calao: "Great food, excellent service"

This centrally located restaurant is set in a traditional merchant’s house right on the river. Fine food and deft service.

Les Maisons Wat Ko: "Typical Khmer House in a lush garden"

"It took a bit of time to book a place in Battambang. We ended up at Maison Wat Kor, which is in a village outside Battambang. We liked our choice, since the town is pretty noisy and not too beautiful, while the village was very nice. Maison Wat Kor is great and the rooms are in typical khmer villas, very spacious, with high ceilings and dark wood furnitures. We had a lotus room upstairs, so we also had a very nice terrace with a couple of chairs, a table and a great view on the garden. The pool was great as well. After a day out at 35 degrees it was so relaxing and refreshing to take a swim. We had dinner at the hotel one night, they have daily menus that they can adapt in case you're vegetarian (as I am) and dinner was good. All the activities we did have been organised through the hotel. You might need a tuk tuk every time you go out, so please try to stick with the same driver. It's a great income for them, in particular when it's not peak season. Our driver was great and it was also very funny and nice; it took us to eat in places where he would have had lunch, he told us about his life and more in general life in Cambodia, it was very interesting to hear from someone local who doesn't need to sell you a perfect image of a country. His english was also great, which is not common in Cambodia. We went to the Circus twice in Battambang and I'd recommend to everyone to do so. The concept behind the Circus school is great, the shows are really entertaining and it's a great way to spend the night. There are 3 different shows every week, and there is a total of 5 shows per week: check with the hotel for the show and the dates as the other info we had from travel guides and internet were not up-to-date. We spent 3 nights in Battambang, maybe 2 nights would have been enough. My husband also got a massage at the hotel and it is the one he loved the most during our trip. As almost everywhere in Cambodia, everyone was extremely polite and kind, the staff would really do anything to please you and they were always talking to us using our names. I found pretty sweet the picture of Angelina and Brad on display at the reception and outside the room they stayed in...I guess the only thing that we didn't find great was the transfer option to Sihanoukville, which the hotel initially offered us for $180 (vans and bus are much cheaper, but unfortunately my husband's back was not 100% and we opted for private transfers this time); in town we found the same transfer for $120, so either negotiate or go to the town, as this is the current price for a transfer. Maison Wat Kor is a calm oasis with the kindest staff and the best atmosphere. You're going to love it. Room Tip: We loved our Lotus Room close to the pool (upstairs so we got the terrace as well)"

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 :-)

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.

SEEDS Restaurant & Lounge: "Beautiful lakeside fine dining with perfect service"

"Last night we had the most beautiful dinner at Seeds. With personalised service and attention from the owners and their extremely well trained, attentive and friendly staff, this is a perfect restaurant for a business or a romantic dinner. The delicious canoes, home made truffle ravioli with truffle foam and perfectly cooked sea bass were absolutely in keeping with the chefs’ Michelin accolades. A wonderful balanced wine list with reasonable prices rounds out the perfect meal. The architecture is stunning too. Overlooking perfectly kept gardens that undulate down to the lake there’s even a stunning water feature fountain that appears to shoot out from the lake under lights. To top it off, there’s a private dining g room on a glamorous treehouse. Just amazing!"

The Village House: "Relaxing and chill"

Seemingly in the middle of nowhere this hotel was a complete surprise to me. The staff were all incredibly friendly and really helpful with arranging things such as going to the national parks, when the shuttle bus didn't come the boss drove us himself. All the food was fantastic as where the cocktails, highly recommend this place.friendly

Samanea Beach Resort: "Good family time"

The staff was very friendly, they were always ready to accommodate your request and provide their best service. Don't forget that you are in Cambodia and their standard may not be as high as other countries in South East Asia. We were looking for a remote, quiet place to relax, the resort match our expectation and even slightly above.

Supanniga Cruise: "Unforgettable experience"

As a frequent single traveller to Bangkok, and a hard customer to please I highly recommend this dinner cruise , not a fan of the large cruise boats I decided to try the. dinner experience and I am so glad I did. Service was exceptional and the food was amazing, 7 courses consisting of small portions, super to try different dishes. The manger was superb, nothing was to much trouble a credit to the company. The views from the boat were lovely and even when it started to rain kind of added to an already lovely atmosphere.

4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "One of a Kind!"

"I have never been to a place like 4 Rivers Floating Lodge. We were amazed by the spectacular view, the tranquility, and the over-all ambiance of the place. The travel going to the hotel was a little long from Phnom Penh but everything was worth it. I highly recommend 4 Rivers floating Lodge to people who just want to escape to a world of peace and quiet. The staff were great. I also loved the food that was served.But what I'm truly impressed about is that the operations of the hotel is sustainable and environmentally sound. Kudos. Stayed March 2017, traveled with friends"