Guest Reviews

Tugu Lombok: "Stunning hotel/resort a must visit"

"My wife and I had stayed in the Ampenan suite that was very comfortable, especially the extra large king bed, the size of the room and quality bed linen. The individual soft furnishings and artworks made it feel very special and homely. We were also given a tour of some of the other types of villa's on offer that were all beautiful in their own individual way. The entire experience at this hotel, even though it was a short stay was very memorable from beginning to end, and everything in between. The beautiful collection of artefacts and antiques throughout the property make it a very unique resort that is also very well maintained. The service and friendliness of the entire team was outstanding. Daisy, Henry and Elly went beyond the call of duty to welcome us and to also make us feel very special. (Thank you) Only 1 of 2 restaurants were in operation due to it being low season. The food was generally of a high standard with a decent verity of local and western food. We would highly recommend Tugu Lombok to anyone who wishes for a first class experience. Thanks again to you all, Matt & Cherry. Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"

Jing’s Residence: "Superb accommodation, sensational food and Imam is the best!"

"Jing's Residence is sensational in every respect. Imam who is the resident manager is a wonderful fellow who greets you in a personal and intimate manner every time you see him.....he makes you think that you are the only person/people staying there and he is there just for you.....and yes he also possesses a great sense of humour. Upon check in you are provided with all the information that you need and are served a cool ginger tea with dates.....what a great way to be welcomed. Nothing is too much for him or his team! Breakfast was scrumptious with their cappuccino nice and hot. Dinner was 1st class, we chose two dishes with rice and the duck with seasonal fruit (duck is my favourite) was actually bettered by the chicken with preserved ginger. We finished up with their handmade apple turnover which is a house delicacy and was outrageously good! The afternoon tea ceremony is not to be missed, it's served upstairs in the lounge area and the little tray of delicacies that are served with your choice of tea were yummy. Dates, bananas, apricots, a free mini bar with chocolate, soft drinks, beer, orange juice that was replenished everyday and the toiletries provided are a nice touch. The little gift left the night before was a surprise and then the addition of red Chinese tags on your luggage is a good reminder of your visit to this beautiful restored courtyard property. We had Imam and three of the team come out and wave us goodbye.....sigh I will miss staying there, it's a long way from Australia to China for a long weekend! https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g325575-d1536016-r376919666-Jing_s_Residence-Pingyao_County_Shanxi.html#"

Blackitch Artisan Kitchen: "A master at work"

Chef Black is a true culinary master. His passion for food - from making his own soy sauces and spirits, to hand crafting seperate meals for all customers, is astonishing. Come visit this young virtuoso before the world comes knocking. Make sure to book in advance, and remember this is a small venue which would fit a max of 12 guests

Talabgaon Castle: "Calm and serene !!"

"Just one and a half hour drive from jaipur, this hotel is a gem, a beautifully converted 'haveli'. We stayed in the heritage suit which was upto the mark and tastefully done. Since we ( me, my husband and two sons) were the only guests at that time, the service was impeccable. The staff is very humble and courteous and always ready to assist. The grounds are vast and spacious with plenty of space to walk around. The food is also very good. The place has a calm and serene environment. It is a perfect destination for short relaxing and quite holiday. Highly recommend it."

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.

Mume: "The perfect place for dinner"

"I read about Mume just days before a quick trip to Taipei and to my luck the restaurant had availability! I loved the relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere, open kitchen and how the design of the restaurant makes good use of the space. The size of the tables are very comfortable and you are seated at a nice distance from other guests. Cocktails were of course delicious and the food was fantastic. Everything we ordered was perfectly balanced in flavour, texture and appearance. Each dish showed creativity, brought excitement and every bite was wonderful. The waiters and waitresses were very sweet. Thank you to everybody, front of house and kitchen, for the incredible meal!"

Manukan Island Resort: "10 idyllic days in paradise"

"Hillside villas: fantastic, bright, airy, separate bedroom and lounge, satellite tv incl movies, huge bathroom with waterfall tap over bath, good warm showers, lovely little touches like slippers, bathrobes, 2 complimentary waters, 2 cokes, and 2 sprites per day. For cheaper and no steps the beach suites are newly renovated, very nice, a couple of minutes walk from the private beach area, 5 minutes walk max from restaurant, view nice but is on edge of busy public beach. Wi-fi was assigned to each room and worked all the time for me. 27 rooms/villas total now. Beach: We stayed on private beach for 10 days - wow! Gorgeous, soft white sand and lovely warm sea, palm trees full of coconuts, views of the rainforest, sunsets, monitor lizard takes a nightly swim. The beach is cleaned immaculately daily. But the seabed does need to be cleaned more from odd bits of rubbish - we mentioned to Ben, the Manager, who is talking with Sabah Parks about it. It did NOT put us off sea swimming. Facilities: huge varied breakfast outside with fans, we had all meals outside with fans - perfect, even on the beach! 16 choices on the menu but Joey the chef made a different vegetarian menu for me every night, at a very good price, our maximum bills were 65MR pp for huge buffet , most meals were less than this, even with starters. We spent under £300 for the 10 nights on food and drink! A bargain. Alcohol expensive, as per Borneo. This is indicative of the personalised service at Manukan - everything is possible, just ask! Quiet bar, pool area very quiet but nice, small parties come for an evening meal from the mainland some nights. 3 piece acoustic & bass band serenade you every night too. Staff: EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. Friendly, not intrusive, really care about all the clients and their happiness. Small and informal with very high standards of cleanliness and service. Thank you Ben, Welther, Joey, Sabre, Frederick, Yazid, Shima, Jessica, the new Mazilla, Nora, the band,.... The monitor lizards are safe and lovely to watch, hardly any spiders at all, but we used lots of deet against the mosquitoes (not too bad) and sand flies. There are mosquito plug-ins in the villa and a coil is lit at the evening turn-down service so you can continue to sit on the balcony at night. Things to do: we went on a day trip to Kota Kinabalu to see the City Mosque and do some shopping in one of the malls. Management and reception will arrange a boat at a good price 65 mr pp return (£13) or you can use the public one, slightly cheaper. It is only 10 minutes. From Manukan - There are watersports - thankfully they go offshore so it is not noisy, the sea-walking looked amazing, trips to other islands, snorkelling trips (there are not many fish jsut off the beach in comparison to the Maldives but other guests said the 3 island trip was good for fish). Cafe and shop run independently too if you need, but Manukan also sells the necessities, toiletries, drinks, crisps, beer in their shop too. A longer stay, 10 nights, allowed us to really appreciate this island. We had been to Sepilok Sanctuaries and also Turtle island before and were glad to have such peace in magical surroundings. Our memories will last forever. Do not hesitate to ask questions. Jayne and Mark"

Manda De Laos: "Elegant dining, beautiful setting, first rate"

We wanted to have dinner at Manda de Laos, but it was sold out for a corporate event. After being convinced that our Caucasian features would prevent us from slipping in unnoticed with this predominantly Thai business group, we settled on lunch. The food was traditional Lao, informed by classic French technique. We had salad rolls, green papaya salad, roast duck, grilled fish, vegetables and plenty more. All was delicious. And the setting is magnificent. It is all open air seating, built around UNESCO Lotus Ponds with tables on little boardwalks surrounding them. When we went by to make the reservation, there was a man in a small boat floating around pruning the rushes and making everything just so. Service was excellent as was the food, the ambiance and the entire visit. We walked by later that evening to see the entire street backed up with vans dropping off the corporate guests and felt glad to have been able to get in at all. I am sure it is lit beautifully at night, but during the day, we could see the lotus ponds in all their glory. Highly recommended, but reserve early. It is pricey for Laos, but a bargain in any other part of the world.

Mathis Retreat: "Fantastic property"

"If you are travelling for the first time to Ubud.. Think no further and just book this place.. When u reach seek out the manager Karen and ask her for advice.. She will help you plan your entire trip, from great bike tour, to restaurant suggestions and even massage booking.. She will tell you the best places.. And then just enjoy your trip.. The staff is attentive and pampers you.. The rooms are big and perfect for relaxing after a day of adventure around Ubud.. The food at the restaurant Terra cotta is calming and refreshing at the same time.. Look no further.. This is the place..!"

MesaStila: "Another wonderful stay at Mesa Stila"

Another wonderful stay at Mesa Stila this Easter. We cannot rate this place highly enough. The staff go out of their way to take care of you, the setting is stunning, delicious food, beautiful villas, an amazing spa. This time we made the effort to do some exercise in the stretch and aquafit classes and were very grateful to Agus and Anam for pulling us into shape! Our thanks to the chefs for giving us the recipes to our favourite dishes, for Rosy and Slamet our lovely drivers, for Erni and her wonderful team in the spa and to Lily for answering all questions Indonesian. If you have a bucket list Mesa Stila should be on it!