Guest Reviews

Tugu Bali: "An absolute gem. Stop searching: stay here"

"We really struggled to find the right hotel to stay at on the beach in Bali, after a three night stay in Ubud. We considered all of the top properties including the Legian, the W, the Oberoi, and the Alila in Uluwatu, but finally decided on the Tugu -- a dark horse pick! We are not fans of most major chains, and really liked the idea of staying at an authentically Indonesian boutique property. We were not at all disappointed by our choice. Firstly, with regard to location, I think we did the right thing by staying in Canggu over Seminyak. We enjoyed driving to Seminyak (about 30 minutes away) for evening drinks and dinner, but had no regrets at all about not staying there. Seminyak is pretty congested, very commercial, and the beaches can be dirty. I love going to the mall as much as the next person, but I did not want to be staying next door to one while on my vacation to Bali! Canggu, in contrast, was peaceful, had no huge high rise hotel developments and malls, and we were within walking distance of plenty of chilled out restaurants and bars. The stretch of beach in front of the Hotel Tugu, despite being fully open to the public, was spotless. The hotel has a private garden area that overlooks this beach, which has sun loungers, beds, towel and food service. Bear in mind, however, that this is a surfing beach, with fairly large waves and strong currents. We are confident swimmers and went in for dips every day, but did not swim out far as the currents were very powerful. If you're hoping for calm and peaceful seas, you may need to look elsewhere. Now on to the hotel. We loved the traditional architecture and the beautiful gardens on the property -- you really cannot get this kind of charm and character at any of the international chains. The hotel owner's art and artefact collection is truly incredible, and we enjoyed exploring every nook and cranny of the grounds to gawk at his one-of-a-kind pieces. This is an all-suite hotel so both of our rooms were very generously sized, one with a balcony and the other with a little patio with a swing and plunge pool. One minor niggle though: the AC in one of our rooms did not work very well and struggled to cool the room. Our stay came with complimentary afternoon tea each day, which was quite elaborate and enjoyable. Breakfast is also quite the affair, as the staff will bring it to you anywhere on the property -- no crowded breakfast buffets here. The staff was always smiling and never failed to accommodate our requests. We must also give a special shoutout to the GM Jenny, who was so warm and personable throughout our visit. She was never too busy for us, and in fact, made it a point to stop and chat whenever she saw us around. Again, I know I sound like a broken record, but this kind of personalised service is just not seen at the international chains. Finally, I also need to write a short note about the Tugu's fabulous new Japanese restaurant Ji. Our family lived in Japan for over a decade and we are complete Japanese food snobs. We were quite skeptical about trying the restaurant, as we could not imagine that it would live up to expectations. Well, we were blown away. Our dinner at Ji was probably one of the best of our entire trip. Every dish was on point, from the tempura to the tenderloin steak. And the setting is just mind-blowing -- the restaurant is situated inside a 12th century Balinese temple. Huge kudos to whoever was involved in designing and developing the restaurant."

Maison Polanka: "An oasis in the city"

We felt well taken care of by the staff - every time we arrived we were greeted with cold towels and a willingness to help with any details to make our trip more enjoyable. The property is utterly an oasis in the city - tons of greenery and the pool the perfect way to cool off on a hot afternoon. Since there are not many rooms, we felt like we had the place practically to ourselves and the peaceful atmosphere was most welcome.

Villa Song Saigon: "Must stay"

"I had a chance to come across this hotel as I was sourcing an outdoor venue for a corporate event. Everyone at Villa Song was very helpful with our event. For those looking for a place to have an outdoor wedding, look no further - Villa Song is the place to go to! I had the chance to stay there for a night and I regretted as it's too short!!! I will definitely be back! The room is huge and the bed is very comfortable. They have a great restaurant that is just by the Saigon river that offers 2 completely different views for day and night. Food is awesome as well and you have the choice of either Vietnamese or Western - both are great. They have a great pool as well - though they don't offer any view but they have make the pool very cosy. Just a look at the pool and you will want to stay there. Spa was great too! I had a 75min massage - price is cheaper than the 5-star hotels in District 1. Although the location is at District 2, it is not far from other places. I would recommend staying here for 1-2N for some quiet moments before staying at the downtown area. Just a note that I don't think there is any elevator. Thus if you have problems walking up the stairs, you can request for rooms that are at the ground level."

SEEDS Restaurant & Lounge: "Superb food in beautiful setting"

I had lunch with friends and was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful location, the impressive ambiance and the professional and extremely friendly service. Food was an adventure; beautiful, with surprises that pleased the palate. Not not cheap but worth every penny.

Chakrabongse Villas: "Bangkok’s best kept secret hotel"

I only knew about this hotel due to the history of the Chakrabongse family, and therefore really wanted to stay there. Quite frankly it feels that you are staying in a private house in the epicentre of old Bangkok rather than a hotel. We stayed in the garden room, and even had friends over for dinner on the terrace for one of the nights. I wish I could afford to stay here every time I am in BKK, but think I will just have to settle for when I want to treat myself (and the wife !) to something special. absolutely brilliant place to stay.

maisons war kor: "“Fabulous stay”"

"Although a little further away from Battambang (around 2km) than other hotels, the beautiful surroundings, well-appointed rooms and excellent food are well worth it. The staff are lovely and extremely helpful. We were there to celebrate a 60th birthday and they arranged dessert with candles and sang happy birthday! We had a great tour of all the sights around Battambang with Mr Dan the tuk tuk driver, arranged by the hotel. Also, we had a cookery class in the restaurant just for two of us which was a great experience. Thank you for a brilliant stay."

Les Maisons Wat Ko: "Great stay in a wonderful setting"

What a beautiful resort. We had the pleasure of staying here over Khmer New Year and had a wonderful time. The room is very spacious and overlooks the lotus pond. The pool is quite big, considering the size of the resort. The location is about 2km from the city center. As it was Khmer New Year most of the establishment in the center were closed, so we had lunch and dinner at the resort. The daily changing 3-course lunch and 4-course dinner are definitely recommended! The staff is very attentive and friendly and overall I would recommend everyone to stay here when travelling to Battambang.

Satri House: "Such a treat"

It's been more than a year since I stayed here, but this place was so good I still remember it fondly and it definitely deserves a positive review. I visited here by myself for a few days relaxation and R&R - Luang Prabang and Satri House are absolutely perfect for that. Everything about the room was perfect. I loved the bathroom, which is always a good test of whether a hotel is at the top of it's game. The pool was also divine. I would stay here again and again. Will definitely be coming back. Satri House is definitely in my top five Asian hotel experiences!

The River Resort: "Beautify spot"

"We enjoyed 4 wonderful nights here, good food, lovely staff and first class facilities. The views are amazing and the rooms well designed and spacious. Loved the choice of indoor or outdoor showers. Sitting in the garden enjoying an evening drink was magical."

Manda De Laos: "Amazing restaurant and food, and surprisingly reasonable prices"

We did not have reservations but were welcomed with a smile. Excellent service, fresh and delicious menu items: a real find.