Guest Reviews

Reverie Siam: "Great place to relax and amazing food"

"We stayed for 3 nights in this charming resort, we came in from chiang mai by car, an interesting 2,5 h drive through a curvy landscape... We got a villa, as requested, with very good privacy (no11), everything in the villa is exactly as you see it on the internet.. The resort itself has a colonial style, very well done, we had all our dinners over here, their staff will do everything to accomodate you, food was outstanding (although more western style), but really delicious. We asked one night to be seated with view on the river, again no problem at all ! Breakfast is another great moment, nothing to fault on it. The resort itself has free transport to Pai, which itself is a small laidback town, nice nightmarket, you can very easily rent a (cheap) vespa style bike, driving around is easy, the main attraction points will not overwhelm you but because of the laidback nature it stays charming. Overall we loved our stay overhere, great place to stay, excellent staff, excellent food, we for sure would recommend this to anyone visiting Pai."

Nimmu House: "best place to acclimatise and enjoy the natural beauty of Ladakh"

"http://blog.happy-tripping.com/2015/09/06/property-review-nimmu-house-ladakh/ Nimmu house is a beautiful place, replete with apricot and apple trees is just perfect to acclimatise to the high altitude either by traversing the journey to Ladakh on road ( from Srinagar or Manali) or to stay put for couple of days at a quite place, while soaking in the stark beauty of the wonder that is Ladakh. THE SETTING The location is perfect. Conveniently located 30 minutes from Leh (30 min from the airport) , the village of Nimmu is also close to the ,confluence (Sangam) of the Indus and Zanskar rivers and the monasteries of Lamayuru, Likir and Alchi (30 minutes – 1 hour drive). Nimmu is a charming little village where time has stood still, most people are farmers and happy with their simple lives. IMG_0133 Nimmu House is a noble house belonging to the cousin of Ladakh’s King from the early 90s, beautifully restored by a Frenchman Alex . During the property tour , our manager told us about the history and the supposed curse on the house due to which the occupants never bore any children, until the curse was dispelled by buddhist monks. Quite interesting! On offer are 5 spacious tents and 2 rooms in the house , with an open terrace for meals .We stayed in the tent, which had a stunning view of the landscape , comfy bed and modern bathroom . For city dwellers like us the best part is that the property is spread over orchards with hundreds of Apple and apricot trees and the rivulet running through . Lying on the large hammocks ,smelling the sweet scent of apricot and hearing the faint constant gurgling sounds of the stream makes you put all the sightseeing plans on hold. But really who needs to step out when you can experience the nature , warm Ladakhi hospitality in absolute peace and comfort of Nimmu house . IMG_3901_1 THE SERVICE There is no formal reception desk , but the staff is always available to make your stay comfortable. This place is serviced by one chef, one french manager and two local women. We received a very warm welcome by the French manager followed by 2 days of comfort and lot of personal attention. There is so much warmth in people that you forget about demanding any hospitality. We wanted to sample momos at one of the local restaurants on our evening walk and we were not carrying any money. To our pleasant surprise, a plate of steaming momos were served to us during dinner in Nimmu House, courtesy the local restaurant. Even as we were leaving , staff come out to see us off . It was almost like staying with family . THE FOOD Chef Mahesh cooked simple , delicious meals which were served on the open terraces as the weather was lovely. Breakfast had eggs, fruits and bread, as per preference. We loved the fresh apricot jams and juices. Lunch and dinner were 3 course set meals with starter (soup /salad), main course and desert. Sample this :- – Green Salad, Lasagna, Lemon Pie – Tomato Soup, Hakka Noodles, Philadelphia Cheese Cake – Gobi Soup, Paneer Masala/ Mutton Masala, Mud Cake All meals are simple and wholesome, using fresh produce from adjoining farms and stables. The food is largely tailored to suit the western palate as most guests are westerners. But they will keep your food preferences in mind and ensure that you leave the dining table with your tummy satisfied ! Lunch at Nimmu House Lunch at Nimmu House THE FACILITIES and Activities ON OFFER Nimmu House offers the following activities to make most of your stay there . Indoor: A library and game room , Guided tour of the house , stables or cooking classes . Outdoor: village tour , short guided hike , rafting on the Zanskar, guided tour of the monasteries of Basgo, Likir and Alchi. For us it was all soaking up the apple-scented air, lying on a hammock during daytime and hiking upto local gompas in the evening. View from the Gompa View from the Nimmu village Gompa WHAT STOLE THE SHOW? Amazing setting of orchards and Ladakh’s landscape with spacious tents. Best place to acclimatise , relax and learn about Ladakhi culture. It is a far cry from dusty lanes of Leh City and will give you exactly what you came for. IMG_3899 Now that you are convinced, lets bring you up to speed with the practicalities. Know more about Nimmu house Getting there The property is in Nimmu Village and 30 min drive from Leh Airport/ Leh City. Hole in your wallet Expect to pay around Rs 10,000 per night for the tent. Internet / Television There is no TV in the room and Wi-Fi signal is available on the terrace and house. What else – this is a family guesthouse , do not expect 24/7 room service or an elaborate ala carte menu. – Be prepared to relax and enjoy the simple life"

Nimmu House: "A Quiet Ecofirendly Place to Unwind"

"Nimmu is a quiet place to relax if you are looking for a place away from all sorts of pollution - air, water, sound, light etc.. The hotel is a restored 100 year old heritage building representing Ladakhi architecture, set in the midst of a farm of walnut, apricot and apple trees, and a stream that comes alive at various points of the day! We loved the ambience, the food and the hospitality of the staff. The general manager Will Maldinez was a great host and made our stay memorable with his friendly chats and great food. You would love this place, if you are willing to be in the lap of nature away from the multitude distractions! The only sore point of our trip was the atrocious transport bill the operator charged us. They indicated an upfront transport cost of close to INR 40,000/-. The operator's representative in Leh, did not share details for the charge when verified. We trusted and went ahead with the booking. Including our airport pick-up & drop we had travelled less than 650 KM, however, we were charged aforementioned unreasonable amount. We were even asked to shell an additional taxi fare for an unscheduled trip we made to Leh! Just be wary of this, so that you are not left with a feeling of having been taken for a jolly ride by an unscrupulous operator."

Villa Song Saigon: "Elegant oasis"

Villa Song is just wonderful. It's a beautiful spot. So elegant and really peaceful. The decor is fabulous and the customer service really excellent! Getting dropped into the city by speed boat was a really nice experience too. Would not hesitate to recommend this place to others.

Inle Heritage Stilt Houses: "Fantastic place & staff"

"French word : ""Le meilleur endroit pour dormir SUR le lac, et le meilleur restaurant de la région"" We were originally staying 2 nights, but ended but cancelling a night in Nyaung Shwe to spend an additional one at Inle Heritage. This is hands-down the best hotel (& restaurant) I've experienced in Myanmar. It is not the most luxurious, but it's not the point here. The rooms are beautiful, decorated with taste, eco-friendly. Only 6 bungalows, perfectly maintained, making the place a haven of peace in the evening. It might get busy at lunch and in the afternoon as tourists come to eat and visit the place. They probably have the best restaurant in lake area, and they also have burmese cats, endemic fish aquariums, cooking classes, homegrown vegetables etc. Basically the place is also a foundation : eco-friendly hotel, burmese cat sanctuary, and a school training students for hotels and restaurants. A portion of everything you pay here (hotel, restaurant, not sure for the souvenir shop) will go to the foundation. Breakfast is fantastic : real bread, real croissants, no wonder why all the customers were French :). Restaurant is great as well and serves fine cuisine (Myanmar/Thai style, homemade recipes, and a couple western dishes). Had one of their specialties, some simple fried rice and a so-classic Chicken Sandwich, all 3 were just perfect. Their ""pancakes"" are more like French crepes rather than US pancakes, taste great ! Girlfriend got sick on first day here, and stayed in bed the whole day while I left to visit Indein. The whole staff took care of her, from the cleaning ladies to the Chef preparing a special meal, and the manager checking on her every couple hours. Staff has been fabulous. The souvenir shop is nice as well, they seem to have superior quality stuff and pretty much everything you'd need. Consider checking it as you might find better stuff than on Inle markets / temple shops. You may find more luxurious places on Inle, but you will end up in resorts. It will cost more, and there will be 30 or more bungalows which won't always be in good shape. Honestly, if you want to be ON LAKE, go straight for Inle Heritage, forget about the lake ""resorts"". It is true there is some noise because of the boats going around (can start early in the morning), but keep in mind this will happen anywhere as long as you're staying on the lake. Okay, maybe a swimming-pool would be cool, but that sounds kind of stupid when you're actually on a lake (would not recommend swimming in the lake though). Maybe if they can make some eco-friendly pool, idea for the future :) We were kind of sad to leave Inle Heritage, I'd honestly would have stayed there for a whole week. Stayed March 2017, traveled as a couple"

Tugu Lombok: "Amazing , astonishing , unique"

"This hotel has the most incredible features in the rooms, surrounding areas and further Totally recommend this hotel if you appreciate something different Most importantly staff were incredible, management always around and interested in what you were doing and attentive Probably the most remarkable hotel we have ever stayed in Food excellent , surroundings unbeatable , gorgeous beach Serene , quiet, with superb service you will not be disappointed For someone wanting a diving or snorkelling trip a little out of the way but the Hotel makes it easy to get to closer sites Stayed March 2017, traveled as a couple"

Villa Song Saigon: "Part of my 60th birthday trip to Thailand and Vietnam"

"I have never been to Vietnam before and after spending a week in Thailand we flew to Saigon ( Ho Chi Minh) I had booked the Villa Song hotel whilst in the UK. I like staying near a river or the sea and the hotel looked ideal for us. There were 7 of us incl my wife, her cousin, our 3 children and my eldest sons girlfriend. The hotel was perfect! We arrived and as a surprise some friends of ours who live in Hong Kong had flown in and were at the bar as we arrived. The setting was so good we decided to stay at the hotel for dinner and it was excellent. Great French wines at great prices The chef who also came out to see us was really nice. He was born in Luxembourg and was very helpful. The whole place was excellent - a real original Colonial house that had been renovated into a fabulous boutique hotel. The food, the breakfasts, the cocktails were all superb Great spacious rooms with satellite TV and all the staff could not have been nicer. Above all the prices were sensible and affordable I could not recommend this hotel highly enough - right on the river and just 20 minutes into the centre on a free shuttle bus provided by the hotel You must go!!"

Rachamankha: "It felt like a dream"

"This hotel is unreal. You will feel like you are in the movie, The best Marigold hotel. Very quite and calm(no offense to kids and parents, but thanks to their no kids policy) serene. Staffs were soooo nice. Their English was short but they tried their best. Location is perfect. Short walk to temples, street food, and sunday market(Must go!!!-food, music and everything is there, it's huge!!) You will get lost because every street looks the same and similar temples are every corner. We got lost so many times but just take tuk tuk back to your hotel. (I recommend writing down hotel addresss in thai since most drivers dont understand English. Room is beautiful, not 5 star hotel way, but more authentic kind of way which I love. The best part that made me almost cry? We had to leave hotel at 4am to catch our super early flight, they prepared us little bag of sandwiches, fruit, cracker, yogurt and soy milk. We arrived at the airport, nothing was opened, I had the sandwich which was made with love. Almost tasted like what mom makes for the kids. With a lot of love. Almost made me cry. I love love this hotel sooooo much. I will be back very soon."

The Island Lodge: "The perfect oasis of calm and relaxation"

This hotel really is a gem, yes the rooms are lovely, the pool is delightful, and the setting overlooking the Mekong is second to none, but the real quality of the island lodge is in it's staff. The owner personally greets each guest, and the Vietnamese staff, from the manageress to the security guard were all friendly, and incredibly helpful, nothing was too much trouble. The breakfast is excellent and the lunch and dinner menu is varied. Prices are relatively high for Vietnam, but not for a hotel of this class. If I had one suggestion, it would be to add a snack or sandwich menu to the food options, there are no alternative restaurants nearby, and sometimes we wanted to just eat something light by the pool.

The River Resort: "Great hotel"

This is a great place and we really enjoy our stay here. The hotel is very nice with amazing river view from all rooms. breakfast is included with many options. Staff is very professional and attentive with very good English