Guest Reviews

The Island Lodge: "Such luxury"

So close to HCMC but away from the bustle. We were greeted by staff and Michel ( the host). Our room was authentic country luxury with no marble in site. Gave us a feeling of tropical colonial luxury. A beautiful pool, tropical gardens, amazing French cuisine for dinner and breakfast. Staff were incredibly polite and service was amazing. Thanks so much for sharing your spot of paradise.

Talabgaon Castle: "A pearl tucked in the beautiful Rajasthani countryside"

"Located one and a half hour from Jaipur on the way to Ranthambore or Bundi, Talabgaon Castel is the perfect blend of Rajasthani heritage and culture ! The road to reach is crossing the countryside and villages. I love the thrill of diving deep in the rural India and suddenly reaching this splendid property. It brings you back in the royal times ! The castel has been remarquably renovated and improved by this family of polo players who are passionate about their legacy. I came with some friends and we were welcomed and by two of the brothers who take great care of us all along our stay. The staff is professional and provided an excellent service. They serve authentic Rajasthani food made with the vegetables from the organic garden. The rooms are large, clean, comfortable and beautiful. Chose one with the view on the swimming pool ! I particularly loved the gardens where you can stroll until the organic gardens, the farm the polo field and meet on your way some peacocks and even an emeu ! Perfect place to explore the rural life of India and to relax. They offer a large range of activities in an around the hotel (horse riding, walks, jeep safaris, camel cart ride...). We all wished we had stayed longer ! Thank you to the Talabgaon family for lovely time! Stayed January 2017, traveled with friends"

Manukan Island Resort: "Great relaxing break"

"We stayed 2 nights in hillside villa 11. Boat trip over and back was included in the room cost. After a small mix up we travelled over on a day trippers boat which was fine. We were welcomed off the boat and taken through to the small reception room and given refresher towels and a drink while doing the paperwork. We knew we wouldn’t be able to get into our room straight away so had come prepared to swim. The pool was lovely and was never busy so we always felt like we were the only ones there. We relaxed on the beach until our room was ready an hour early. The room was amazing, beyond expectations. Everything was modern and clean. We were shown through and informed that the soft drinks in the fridge were complimentary which was a lovely touch. The view from both balconies was incredible and as our room faced away from the jetty we really didn’t even know day trippers were there until we went for a walk. The TV had a range of channels, the air con and fans worked well, and the hot water was easy to use just by turning on the switch half and hour before you wanted to use it. We were surprised to find the food was cheaper than at sutera harbour resort and just as lovely. We only had dinner at the restaurant the first night. The second night we decided to try the cheap take away stall near the beach mid afternoon and then just had snacks for dinner. The food at this stall was ok and really cheap. We had rice with beef and black bean sauce for 7.50rm. Breakfast had 6 items to order from but then they also brought extras to your table including fruit, bread to toast over coals, yogurt, juice and cereal. It was one of the more relaxing and enjoyable breakfasts I have had while travelling and certainly plentiful. We decided to travel to Sapi Island to go on the coral flyer and Ben organised for us to go on one of the island hopper boats. It seemed quite expensive to us but we were ok with that. Unfortunately the Coral flyer was fully booked when we got there but we enjoyed a snorkel and look around Sapi anyway. The internet was intermittent. We managed to log on in the mornings and evenings quite quickly but during the day it seemed more difficult. This didn’t really bother us as it is nice to be without internet and not constantly checking it. The things that we didn’t enjoy about Manukan Island were way beyond the resorts control so would in no way negatively review the resort for them, but here they are. The water was very murky. That was probably the biggest disappointment. I’m guessing that time of year and number of boats can affect that but for us it was almost zero visibility. We were fortunate to see a lot of wildlife, some more friendly than others. We spotted the birds the island is named after on our way back from sunset point as well as some fireflies. We saw a rhinoceros beetle and some geckos on our balcony. We spotted a couple of monitor lizards around the island. Now the not so nice ones. We had a snake go across our balcony but were assured it was harmless and Ben said he has only seen a handful in all his years on the island. Then we had a centipede in our bath. As soon as we informed staff it was gone within 5 minutes which was appreciated. When we left we were walked out to the jetty and put on the resort boat and waved off. Amongst the boards of day trippers this made us feel pretty special. We were the only ones on the boat and the trip back was smooth and easy. Over all I would highly recommend Manukan Island as a lovely relaxing get away, just don’t expect to spend the whole time snorkeling."

The River Resort: "Great place to stay in South of Laos, close to Vat Phong!"

Wow, this is The place to be in the South of Laos! Along the mighty Mekong, great rooms, very friendly staff, good restaurant with a amazing view on the river. Value for money too! Very close to Vat Phong. Highly recommended.

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Friendly, beautiful and excellent"

"We went in the month of June to this resort. It was monsoon time. whatever people say we love travelling in the monsoon. The beauty of the countryside is seen during this season. The manager of the place we stayed was very friendly on the phone while we checked on availability and proved more so on meeting. Room was lovely a large bedroom with an semi-open bathroom. Eco-friendly place. Food was sea food which was excellent with choice of chicken and mutton. The menu for each day was fixed and had enough variety to satisfy everyone. Swimming pool overlooks the sea and quite beautiful. Our kids enjoyed the pool even when it rained. We could walk out into the private beach though the sea was stormy given the monsoon. The staff was friendly and courteous. The resort is non-smoking but i did catch a fellow guest smoking. Books to read. No liquor other than beer and wine so if you drink carry your booze. All in all a great visit."

Heritage Suites Hotel: "Perfect location"

Wonderful small hotel, excellent service, nice pool and very good bedrooms.Picked up at the airport in classic Mercedes which is great. Very good tour operators in hotel for trips to Angkor temples etc

Manda De Laos: "Idyllic setting and sublime food, with price tag to match"

"A beautiful evening meal at Manda, on our first night in Luang. Didn't have a booking but we were early so they found a space for us. Lovely cocktails, and a delicious meal with very attentive service. A table overlooking the lily ponds is just beautiful...but do take yr insect repellent and spray up before you arrive, to make life pleasant. This is a pricey establishment, by Laos standards, but you get what you pay for in terms of really memorable setting and top-drawer food."

Manda De Laos: "Wow!"

What a delightful restaurant! The setting is so idyllic and food was awesome .. coconut sticky rice is a must ! The service was great and we loved how attentive the staff was to our needs. Highly recommend for a adult night out in Luang Prabang!

Tugu Bali: "Can do in Canggu"

We had a great stay in Canggu. Hotel Tugu staff were friendly helpful and could not do enough for my wife and I. The surf was at our doorstep, there was massage, yoga nearby, great dining so there was something for everyone in my family.

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "Amazing"

Tiger Mountain Lodge is amazing. Though access may be slightly problematic for the less agile such as myself, any efforts are certainly worthwhile. My room (7) had breathtaking views over the mountains and (very kindly ) the weather Gods lifted the clouds enabling the magnificent scene to unfold. Though this reality was obviously outside the control of the lodge management , the friendly and efficient care that was delivered throughout the stay at the lodge. My food requirements are unusual to say the least, but an understanding staff managed to accommodate those peculiarities very efficiently. All aspect of care lived up to or exceeded expectations and Grateful thanks are due to a very efficient team.