Les Maisons d’Itac: "Best place we stayed in the Philippines"
"Me and my gf spent 4 nights at Les Maisons d'Itac. We were supposed to stay for 3, we loved the place so much we decided to stay 1 more night (we couldn't stay longer as the Mayson Ulisse was not available anymore, so we kept our travel plan on). What can we say? Bryan (who spoke italian, we're italians and we have very charming and nice conversations during our stay) has been the perfect host. Always ready to help, charmful and totally welcoming. We booked our trasfers to Bantayan and back to Cebu through him and it was just perfect! The food at the maisons is great, the location awsome. They have an amazing spot for snorkelling just in front of the resort that you can reach in a few mins swimming. What makes this place special (apart from the view, the nature around, the sea) is the SILENCE. In almost a month in the Philippines we never found such a relaxing spot, where you can fall asleep at night hearing at the waves sounds. A true dream come true. If you're looking for a place to stay around Moalboal (it can be reached in 25 minutes scooter ride from the resort, you can rent just asking Bryan) DO NOT HESITATE to book a stay at the Maisons. p.s: say hi to Itac and Stacey for us :) Ciao! Andrea & Marta Room Tip: Maison Ulysse is a must-to-try!"Glenburn Tea Estate: "Relaxing"
"This hotel is excellent, I will certainly return. From the pick up at the airport, tea on route and the well appointed rooms I really can't fault it, the views from anywhere in the hotel are breathtaking, the food, although limited in choice is excellent, if you like walking and enjoy peace and quite this would be a great choice, additionaly the tea plantation and working factory are a great visit. Room Tip: A room with walk in shower is a good choice"VILLA SONG SAIGON: "Best Experience in My 6 Week Asian Travels"
"Amazing Boutique Hotel that sits along the peaceful Saigon River, beautiful colonial style rooms, amazing views, personal staff, great pool, and excellent restaurant. I never wanted to leave (no kidding). The staff were so good to me it felt like they were my family. I had another month of travel upon leaving and I knew no hotel would match this. I would say it was one of the top 2 best experiences in my 30 years of travel. I want to give credit to the amazing staff (top to bottom). The Director of Operations Ta Thanh Thuy was so helpful: from future travel/hotel tips to aid with some personal business of mine (all this while being wonderfully pleasant and thoughtful). Ms. Nhu, at the front desk was the anchor. She helped me with all needs: tours, food recommendations, travel tips, and taking care of a Fed Ex package that wouldn't have gotten to me if not for her hard work. Equaling as pleasant and helpful was my friend Ms. Tuyet. Kevin, the chef, gave me wonderful advice for touring the city, and dazzled me with his Michelin level food. And finally the charming and lovely Ms. Quy. I enjoyed her big smile every day and our nice conversations. The rest of the staff were equally great, but I don't have the time or space to write on it. An unforgettable experience. I hope I'm back soon. "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."CABOCHON: "Excellent. A must stay while in Bangkok"
"This hotel is small yet feels luxurious. The rooms are very comfortable and have everything you need. The staff were a delight - helpful, informative and friendly. The food at breakfast and at dinner was excellent - delicious, adventurous and beautifully presented. The restaurant and breakfast room are a treasure trove of artefacts. The roof top pool is a wonderful touch with views that give you a very good feel for Bangkok. "Sanak Retreat Bali: "Beautiful, romantic retreat"
We booked a two-bedroom bungalow and the views of both the sunrise and sunset were amazing. Surrounded by farms, we practically had the retreat to ourselves as it was the low season. The retreat is eco-friendly and offers a range of spa and massage services. Total relaxation, perfect climate and a great place to lounge around the pool. We will definitely re-visit and stay longer.MesaStila: "Mid week getaway!"
I was expecting to be able to unwind when I got to MesaStila, what I did not expect was how quickly it happened. There is something magical and memorizing that happens from the moment you arrive. The entire resort is amazing. The staff just so gentle and warm. Even the food has healing and comforting elements. First day was spent just relaxing, getting to know the property. Our villa was spectacular and had all the mod cons we needed. Day 2 we experienced the Hammam Spa. Four months of stress disappeared after the 2 hour treatment- what an amazing facility this is. It rained for part of the time we were there which just added to the amazing experience. Reading in the clubhouse, watching the rain and mist. The resort takes you back in time but will all the modern conveniences. We also did the coffee tour, I love my coffee and now love it even more after listening to the delightful Lily explain how the coffee is grown, harvested, roasted and packaged. Thank you to all the staff of MesaStila for being so genuine! We will be back!Villa Song Saigon: "Is Villa Song as good as before"
We visited Villa Song in May 2015. Our review was a bit gushing but accurate. We finally made it back for our second visit hoping it would be as good.......it is better. If you were to write a handbook as to how to run a 5 Star boutique hotel, start with Villa Song. Nothing is left to chance. The staff are professional, friendly, efficient and so happy. The rooms are stylish and very comfortable. The pool and public areas are excellent. The restaurant puts out superb, beautifully presented food created by Chef Kevin and his brigade - you won't get bored with his brilliant and evolving menu. A guest asked for a drink from the bar that the bar staff were not familiar with. My wife told them the ingredience but before they gave it to the guest, they mixed two and brought them to our room to see which was better before mixing it for their guest.....service? I could go on and on about the hotel. In my first review I said that they treat you like an honored guest. This time we felt like friends. Who knows - next time we may be treated like family and have to make our bed and wash our own dishes...we will still be back as soon as we can. 'Our Second Home'Samanea Beach Resort: "Samanea. Lovelier the Second Time"
"I fell in love with Samanea two years ago. So many improvements have been made since. The villa, service, staff, food are delightfully better. Still, the best part is the serenity Samanea offers. The view is as breathtaking as I remember it. The sunset is simply spectacular. It’s family-friendly,too. A family brought their infant with them, and another had a toddler. Seeing them added to the natural beauty of the place. It says a lot how amazing this place is. Over-all, Samanea is a must-see, must- experience destination. When you leave, you’ll find yourself promising to come back. And you will. I did."Slow Villas and Spa: "You have to stay there ! Perfect"
Slow Private Pool Villas is the perfect place to stay on Gili Air ! Everything is perfect ! The breakfast, the staff, the boss, the private pool, the bed, the bathroom, the location, the hôtel ! Everything is perfect and you can book there with your eyes closed. It's a place like no other on earth. It will be an unforgetable stay !!! Waouw just go there and enjoy the life. Also it's a plce where they ban completely plastic in the Hôtel, then really good concept too ! Congratulations to all the staff and Julie.
Travel Asia with Secret Retreats
Secret Retreats is a curated community of independent boutique hotel, villas, yachts and river boats keen to share their Asian Homes with travelers, sustainably and responsibly.
Conservation of the environment, culture and traditions of Asia is of paramount importance to all in Secret Retreats.
A community of like-minded hospitality professionals, we offer our guests authentic travel experiences that go beyond typical offerings to unveil the essence of Asia. Supporting the Asia based hoteliers and hospitality professionals and providing incredible holidays in Asia and tailor-made Asia travel itineraries direct to public ad travel agents.
Get inspired and make savings!
By booking direct with Secret Retreats and enjoy peace of mind from our full on the ground support. Contact our concierge and plan then book your Asia holiday now!
