Guest Reviews

Inle Princess Resort: "Beautiful hotel on a beautiful lake"

"Out canoe took us from the pier at Inle to our hotel. As we neared the hotel and passed a small hut, our boat slowed down and one of the hotel employees jumped onto the front with an oar. He steered the boat slowly and then started using his right leg to maneuver the oar while balancing on the edge of the boat with his left leg. He would use his hands to put the oar in the air, then use the heel of his foot to bring the oar back in and around through the water. It was amazing. I thought they were doing this especially for the tourists, but later we saw many, many fishermen doing the same thing. This is the way of the inhabitants of Inle. The boys learn this skill as soon as they begin to walk. What balance! The resort is owned by a local Shan family. And of course it is right on the lake. Inle Princess Hotel is in the midst of nature surrounded by tropical gardens and lily ponds. The rooms themselves are traditional pyinkado (a Myanmar hardwood), teak and bamboo thatched houses. The dining room overlooks a large deck which overlooks the water. What a perfect place to sit in the evening, have a drink and watch the sun set. We checked in, were greeted with a warm towel (this was the custom at all the hotels), served some tea, were escorted to our room. Each room is a hut with tall ceilings, a large bed with a canopy (later, when we returned from dinner, the entire bed was surrounded by the canopy for warmth and to keep the bugs out. It was like sleeping in a cocoon). There is a sitting area and a big fireplace. Our view is of the mountains as the lake view rooms were not available. But still beautiful. After spending the day on the lake, we got back to the hotel just in time to go the bar, order a fancy Mandalay Rum drink and watch the magnificent sunset. The sky burst into flames of red, orange, pink, purple. And all that color reflected into the water. A beautiful way to end the beautiful day. Dinner had to be at the hotel as obviously you can’t get anywhere. It got cold once the sun the down and we were glad to have our fleece sweaters. A light down jacket would have been great. The locals all wear them! The food was delicious, the menu with beautiful paintings, the room surrounded by ovens. After dinner, back in our room, the fireplace had been lit with coals, the room was toasty, the minibar was free, our bed was surrounded by the cocoon and all was well. This is an absolutely beautiful place to stay."

Jings-residence: "A lovely special experience"

We had a great time not the least because of the great staff. A truly beautiful place with a very special atmosphere. Lovely decorated modern rooms with traditional elements in place. And a great restaurant

The Island Lodge: "Excellent location, great food, fantastic staff"

"We just stayed in the Island Lodge for a night and we only regret one thing: that we didn't stay a bit longer. The location is simply gorgeous, but we especially enjoyed the special feel this family owned hotel has. Compared to some of the other luxurious hotels and resorts in Vietnam, you really feel at home at the Island Lodge. This is all thanks to Francoise and Michel and their fantastic team. We also had a great dinner here at very reasonable prices. Finally, the massages we got were by far the best we had during our stay in Vietnam. We can only recommend this place if you are around Saigon. Escape the busy city life and come to relax here for a few nights. You will not regret it. As for us: we will be back!"

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Beautiful Hideaway"

The Blue Mansion is a beautiful place to at. We stayed there for two nights during our visit to Penang. Its close to George Town. It is a beautiful place with great facilities and awesome and friendly staff.

Supanniga Cruise: "Excellent food with a view"

A great place to have an exclusive dinner on a cruise. Great food served with an excellent team always ready to serve. A pleasant evening with a great view. Will be there again!

Bassac Mekong Delta Cruises by Secret Retreats: "Wonderful trip"

We had a fantastic overnight cruise on Bassac 3 with the friendly and informative Annie as our guide. The food was delicious and the trip to the local village, where some of Annie’s relatives live, was a genuine glimpse of life on the Mekong Delta. The boat trip the following day to the floating market was just as enjoyable and eating freshly chopped fruit on one of the boats was a highlight.

Manukan Island Resort: "Charming villas with great staff"

"We stayed for one night in a beachside villa. Staff encountered were all very friendly and professional. Upon check in we were shown to our room, given a welcome tea and a friendly introduction to the room and facilities on the island. The room itself was so charming - spacious, well laid out, clean and very comfortable all round with beach towels and thongs provided and a cute little balcony overlooking the beach, it suited the environment perfectly and you really couldn't ask for anything more. We were warned that they switch generators several times a day and as such we may experience power disruptions but this was very minimal. The outside breakfast buffet was okay, we did notice insects crawling over some of the breads. Dinner, although the menu was somewhat limited, was really lovely with tables and fairy lights set up next to the beach complete with three musicians performing songs for every table - very romantic. Most of the many tourists on day trip leave the island by 4pm and after this you can really appreciate and enjoy the environment you are in as during the day it is not as pleasant, crowded and noisy. The walk to Sunset Point was a highlight though the pagoda there doesn't offer the best view - continue down the small path to the rocks, very serene. We had an earlyish flight to catch on the day of our departure and the staff were happy to ensure an early boat back to KK was made available to us. We were offered a friendly farewell and as we boarded our boat and were about to depart, a staff member ran out to return a power cable we had accidentally left behind in our room which was much appreciated. If you are planning on visiting Manukan Island we would recommend staying at this resort - very enjoyable and well managed and you are able to experience the island without the daily crowds."

Satri House: "A little bit of paradise!"

"We stayed for 4 nights in two deluxe rooms and loved everything about the hotel. We didn't see a junior suite but were more than happy with our rooms which were located on the top floor with balconies. The rooms were spacious with large shower rooms and separate toilets and free wifi. The hotel was fully occupied when we were there but as the rooms are spread around the grounds we often felt that we were the only ones there. The staff were excellent and always happy to help you. They organised for us to visit the waterfalls by travelling along the Mekong on a private boat to a nearby village where we were then picked up by a pick up who took us then to the waterfalls. It was one of the highlights of our 3 week trip. The hotel grounds were beautiful. The inside communal areas were filled with wonderful antiques and furniture that added to the charm and peacefulness of the hotel. It takes about 10 minutes to walk onto the centre of Luang Prabang, but there were free bicycles to use if you preferred. If we returned to Luang Prabang, we wouldn't hesitate in returning to this hotel. In fact, we wouldn't stay anywhere else! Thank you to all the staff that made our stay so enjoyable."

KHWAN BEACH RESORT: "Ko Samui Vacation"

"Good location，around 15mins drive from airport, 2 mins walk to Maenam Beach and 5 to 10 mins walk to shops. Yet, quiet and private in the resort. The villas are tastefully decorated, beautiful paintings inside n outside, full kitchen, good coffee maker, nice European furintures with swimming pool. Staffs are very attentive n good service. "

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Beautiful experience, relaxing stay"

"I think Neeleshwar Hermitage is a wonderful place. The atmosphere is magic, is quiet and relaxing. The rooms are clean and spacious. The bathroom has an open courtyard inside, it's really an authentic idea! There is an infinity pool and the beach. The food was great and we find an excellent staff, also in the restaurant the waiters were really lively, friendly and really good-mannered! So we really enjoy the Tim there, unfortunately we stayed there only one night. But I hope to come back soon. Highly recommended."