Guest Reviews

Jing’s Residence: "If you are staying in Pingyao, you need to stay here"

"The only downside to our stay is it wasn't long enough. Jing's Residence surpassed our expectations in every way. From the moment we arrived we felt like we had walked into a dream. The hotel is beautiful and full of history. Even though you are in the centre of the walled old city of Pingyao it is quite and peaceful. The staff is amazing and made us feel so welcome. Our room was beautiful and spacious with seating outside in the courtyard, a perfect place to start your night and end your night. Make sure to eat here!!! The food is wonderful and fresh. My favorite was the local oat noodles, so much so I had it twice. I am a picky eater, because of dietary restrictions and was very well taken care of at Jing's Residence Restaurant. I did the paper cutting class, while my husband went out in the rain to walk the wall, and it was worth every penny to learn something new and to meet Deng Cui Ying. Please don't make the mistake we did and only stay one night. The small village of Old Pingyao is lovely and a day and a night is enough time to visit, but the extra night will let you truly relax and embrace the hotel. I can not thank Imam and his staff enough for the warm hospitality. Our stay with you was the best we had in China."

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Fantastic Stay"

"Four of us stayed at Neeleshwar over the new year period. Staff are amazing and the spa fabulous. The resort does its best to make your stay peaceful. The pool is a very good size and the beach breathtaking. Our cottages were beautiful, clean and in very good condition. We absolutely loved the seafood restaurant on the beach. It is an adult environment so sometimes noisy children can distract from this. The resort probably needs to be MORE clear with parents that only well behaved children and parents who take responsibility for their children should stay here."

Yandabo Home: "Immerso nella natura"

Questo è un lodge costituito da un insieme piccole costruzioni nascoste sotto gli alberi, ciascuna contenente 2 camere. E' praticamente collocato fra il villaggio e il fiume Irrawaddy, ma si ha la sensazione di essere lontani da ogni insediamento umano. Camera molto suggestiva, ordine e pulizia assoluti. Il ristorante offre piatti interessanti, consiglio i gamberi di fiume.

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge: "Best lodge in Pokhara… if not the whole of Nepal"

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge was by far the best place we stayed in our month long trip to Nepal. Marcus was a fantastic host, and the staff went above and beyond to make our stay the best ever. The lodge itself is beautiful and the view will definitely make you want to outstay your visit!

Locavore: "Long, Drawn-Out Food Mystery Tour"

"I have had two lunches here and although I liked almost all of the dishes, there are a few that were borderline disgusting. The whole showmanship aspect, lengthy affair of eating each morsel as its own chapter of your life, starts to feel more like some sort of culinary striptease rather than a joyous gifting. I know they want to give each taste its due, but the timing never felt quite right, and sometimes I would anticipate when the next dish would arrive, eating ridiculously slowly, only to be surprised by the sudden arrival of the next amazing thing. This place aims to create a tour de force dining experience, with discs of some mashed-together vegetable, or a deep fried leaf of something you never thought of eating. Exquisite sauces, pleasing texture combinations, and clever reinventions of some silly thing like a mushroom... these are what are in store for you at Locavore. But every once in a while, you get some taste of something straight out of American Psycho, the novel where young investment bankers vie for tables at NYC's latest culinary palaces, with such bizarre dishes as ""Shad Roe Omelet"" are on the menu. By the way, I want to thank Locavore for never serving me anything with sea foam on it. There's a gimmick you will see at Mosaic, but, thankfully, never encountered that fad at Locavore. The chef is into invention, rather than riding trends set by others. That said, there were a couple of memorable dishes (for the wrong reasons) which were just too weird to finish. I mean, I could eat around this one that had some sort of oatmeal-type grain... it wasn't polenta or oats, either. It was just too cold and mushy, though, and I went for the sauce and crispy bits next to the gruel. When I asked for a custom cocktail, describing to the waiter that I liked bitters and dry flavors, he came back from the bartender with a suggestion for something described as using sugar. I had to kind of back-and-forth it for several minutes with the waiter and bartender before he arrived at something without sugar or fruit, and it was tasty and original, but I was surprised by the amount of discussion we had to have. I do appreciate the precision concern for my tastes in alcohol and seasoning, but be forewarned that if you ask the bartender to invent something for you, it may mean starting a conference. I still give these guys a high score because there is nothing else like it in Bali, and the cooks take such pride in their work. But be aware that not every exquisite little dish will be a firecracker of pleasure. Hard surfaces throughout the restaurant make for awful acoustics. Sound bounces everywhere and I prefer softer atmospheres for fine dining."

Jing’s Residence: "Perfect in every way"

Family of five, had 2 rooms. Was easily the best place we stayed in china. The staff treated us like family, teaching the boys calligraphy, taking the time to teach us about chinese culture. We were truly spoiled. The rooms were impeccable, traditional in style but comfortable and modern. Breakfast was included and delicious - we ate one dinner there and it was our best meal in china. The hotel is inside the pedestrian only area of the town, so we had the hotel pick us up from the train station. Can't sing praises enough of this establishment. A real gem in a gorgeous little town.

Blackitch Artisan Kitchen: "A Foodie Paradise!"

Run - don't walk - to this culinary gem! Tucked away on Soi 7, Blackitch is easy to miss, and but for the recommendation of our Concierge, would never have been on our radar. Thankfully it was. The quirky but inviting dining area only holds three tables, creating a kitchen-table like atmosphere which complements Chef Black's generous and personal approach to cooking for his guests. The 9-course menu changes daily according to the freshest ingredients available that day. Our meal incorporated plants he had foraged at 6 am, deep dark honey he had carried back from Chiang Rai, beef and pork he had fermented for two weeks, and smoked short rice grains collected from the nearby hill tribes. The ice cream was being hand-churned in the gelato lab downstairs when we arrived. Each course is carefully introduced and explained, and as one sips the 2 year-aged plum wine (made by Chef Black of course), it is easy to get lost in the narrative. The food however speaks for itself, as does the warmth and sincerity of our host. A true Chiang Mai "Must"!

Rachamankha: "Perfect: it’s quiet and serene and I did not want to leave"

So beautiful and elegant in every way. I have stayed in many wonderful hotels and this was my favorite. The rooms are comfortable and so well appointed you hate to turn out the lights. Great beds, linens and towels. A pool to spend a life by and a restaurant with the best breakfast and lunch I had anywhere in Thailand. All capped off by wonderfully friendly and instantly helpful staff.

The Island Lodge: "Excellent Hotel perfect for relaxation"

"This gem is located within Mekong delta and offers piece and quiet, beautiful ambiente and very helpful and friendly staff. There are a few rooms which ensure no mass tourism. Slow food and tranquility, perfect hospitality and harmony are the keywords. We stayed there for 3 days and enjoyed a pre-paradise experience. Especially the spa with different types of massages is a soul-supporting experience. The rooms are clean with the option to use an airconditioning. The bathroom and shower is clean and showing lots of litte details which sum up to a very special hotel. At every step one finds another detail which makes this hotel a personal little home. We felt at home instantly and will return as soon as possible. For our little lady of the age of 9 it was a paradise. The pool is clean (which we did not spot everywhere in even more expensive hotels in South East Asia). The Coconut Smoothie became her favourite drink. :-) We enjoyed boat cruises and a visit at the next town's pagoda with impressive statues. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful - even by Asian standards. The transfer from HCMC to the hotel gave us a good possibilty for a first insight to people and country. We recommend this gem for everyone who seeks piece and quiet in a very special atmosphere within a safe and clean environment. We are looking forward to our next stay at the Island Lodge."

Slow Villas and Spa: "Amazing stay in private pool villas"

"The peace in the peaceful Gili Air. We really enjoyed our time in the private pool, the breakfast ""at home"" and the attention to simple details (from the furniture to the kitchen appliances). It was the well-deserved relax after 2 weeks of rumbling around Bali, Lombok and the Gilis. Only remark, it is almost in the center of the island, you have to bike to get to the coast (bikes are avaiable for rent) and at night it is pretty dark."