We had 24 hours at Island Lodge in April and from the moment we were collected at the main road in the Lodge’s golf buggy and whisked down the narrow lane to the hotel, we knew we had found something very special. Michel and Francoise have gone to enormous trouble to make sure that every detail is perfect. The staff are charming courteous and discreet. The rooms are large, cool and ours had a terrific balcony overlooking the infinity pool and the Mekong River beyond. We had a very pleasant afternoon boat tour round Unicorn Island before settling down on the terrasse with an ice cold beer to watch the evening light on the river and the boats of every size and shape. Swimming early in the morning in the large 24 m pool with the Mekong just a few metres away was surreal.