4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "best ever ressourcing"

Review by: pat310155 | Source: tripadvisor.com
"truly best ever cool place for the one looking for true nature, calm, meditation, relaxation and especially ressourcing. the whole staff is so nice and looking after you for the best from pick up service to satisfy as much as posible any of your needs Food is very fine considering this remote area with difficult supplies and in large portion to satisfy even big eaters, great wine list as well to enjoy !!!! Remarquable comfort of the tents surely hard to maintain in such surroundings Rare experience to be renewed for sure thanks again to everyone in 4 rivers for such experience and wonderfull stay"

Reverie Siam: "Absolutely perfect"

Review by: Sydney R | Source: Trip Advisor
"I don't have a single complaint about this place. Everything was amazing from the shuttle to the staff to the food to the room. The staff at this resort is the best staff I've ever met in all my travels! We joke that we want a boyfriend to treat us as well as the staff did at Reverie Siam. One example is when my friend was doing my hair and one receptionist saw and brought us bobby pins and hair ties! It's located about 5 minutes driving from the center of town but they have a free shuttle. We just called and told them where we were and they picked us up or we said where we wanted to go and they drove us there. They also drove us to the hot springs in the national park (I wouldn't recommend) and the temple on the hill. The room is super cute and clean with all natural ingredient toiletries. You get two free breakfasts and two juice/tea/coffee every day at the restaurant which is phenomenal! It's definitely much more expensive than most places in Pai but for good reason. It's more of a place for older couples (we were two girls in our early 20s and out of place). If you're looking to party and have fun and meet young backpackers I wouldn't really recommend. But we don't regret it at all! We miss it and wish we could go back!! "

Nimmu House: "best place to acclimatise and enjoy the natural beauty of Ladakh"

Review by: ashpi | Source: Trip Advisor
"http://blog.happy-tripping.com/2015/09/06/property-review-nimmu-house-ladakh/ Nimmu house is a beautiful place, replete with apricot and apple trees is just perfect to acclimatise to the high altitude either by traversing the journey to Ladakh on road ( from Srinagar or Manali) or to stay put for couple of days at a quite place, while soaking in the stark beauty of the wonder that is Ladakh. THE SETTING The location is perfect. Conveniently located 30 minutes from Leh (30 min from the airport) , the village of Nimmu is also close to the ,confluence (Sangam) of the Indus and Zanskar rivers and the monasteries of Lamayuru, Likir and Alchi (30 minutes – 1 hour drive). Nimmu is a charming little village where time has stood still, most people are farmers and happy with their simple lives. IMG_0133 Nimmu House is a noble house belonging to the cousin of Ladakh’s King from the early 90s, beautifully restored by a Frenchman Alex . During the property tour , our manager told us about the history and the supposed curse on the house due to which the occupants never bore any children, until the curse was dispelled by buddhist monks. Quite interesting! On offer are 5 spacious tents and 2 rooms in the house , with an open terrace for meals .We stayed in the tent, which had a stunning view of the landscape , comfy bed and modern bathroom . For city dwellers like us the best part is that the property is spread over orchards with hundreds of Apple and apricot trees and the rivulet running through . Lying on the large hammocks ,smelling the sweet scent of apricot and hearing the faint constant gurgling sounds of the stream makes you put all the sightseeing plans on hold. But really who needs to step out when you can experience the nature , warm Ladakhi hospitality in absolute peace and comfort of Nimmu house . IMG_3901_1 THE SERVICE There is no formal reception desk , but the staff is always available to make your stay comfortable. This place is serviced by one chef, one french manager and two local women. We received a very warm welcome by the French manager followed by 2 days of comfort and lot of personal attention. There is so much warmth in people that you forget about demanding any hospitality. We wanted to sample momos at one of the local restaurants on our evening walk and we were not carrying any money. To our pleasant surprise, a plate of steaming momos were served to us during dinner in Nimmu House, courtesy the local restaurant. Even as we were leaving , staff come out to see us off . It was almost like staying with family . THE FOOD Chef Mahesh cooked simple , delicious meals which were served on the open terraces as the weather was lovely. Breakfast had eggs, fruits and bread, as per preference. We loved the fresh apricot jams and juices. Lunch and dinner were 3 course set meals with starter (soup /salad), main course and desert. Sample this :- – Green Salad, Lasagna, Lemon Pie – Tomato Soup, Hakka Noodles, Philadelphia Cheese Cake – Gobi Soup, Paneer Masala/ Mutton Masala, Mud Cake All meals are simple and wholesome, using fresh produce from adjoining farms and stables. The food is largely tailored to suit the western palate as most guests are westerners. But they will keep your food preferences in mind and ensure that you leave the dining table with your tummy satisfied ! Lunch at Nimmu House Lunch at Nimmu House THE FACILITIES and Activities ON OFFER Nimmu House offers the following activities to make most of your stay there . Indoor: A library and game room , Guided tour of the house , stables or cooking classes . Outdoor: village tour , short guided hike , rafting on the Zanskar, guided tour of the monasteries of Basgo, Likir and Alchi. For us it was all soaking up the apple-scented air, lying on a hammock during daytime and hiking upto local gompas in the evening. View from the Gompa View from the Nimmu village Gompa WHAT STOLE THE SHOW? Amazing setting of orchards and Ladakh’s landscape with spacious tents. Best place to acclimatise , relax and learn about Ladakhi culture. It is a far cry from dusty lanes of Leh City and will give you exactly what you came for. IMG_3899 Now that you are convinced, lets bring you up to speed with the practicalities. Know more about Nimmu house Getting there The property is in Nimmu Village and 30 min drive from Leh Airport/ Leh City. Hole in your wallet Expect to pay around Rs 10,000 per night for the tent. Internet / Television There is no TV in the room and Wi-Fi signal is available on the terrace and house. What else – this is a family guesthouse , do not expect 24/7 room service or an elaborate ala carte menu. – Be prepared to relax and enjoy the simple life"

Rice & Zen Boutique Resort: "Another perfect visit to Sea Dance"

Review by: Carla M | Source: Trip Advisor
This was our second trip to stay at Sea dance resort and it did not disappoint! Such a great vibe, beautiful pool and surrounds and the food and cocktails are to die for. Nothing is too much trouble at Sea Dance, we are always well looked after and feel at home! We'll be back again for sure !

Sukoon Houseboat: "Wonderful stay"

Review by: llewellynroger | Source: tripadvisor.com
"We had 4 nights on this beautiful houseboat and it was everything we had hoped for. Its position is on a quieter part of the lake with amazing views. The staff are charming and attentive, the rooms are well appointed and comfortable with large bathrooms.The food is good, vegetarians are catered for. The large sun deck has comfortable chairs to enjoy the view, and we also had breakfast and lunch there. Free wifi in the public areas. Our stay was over far too soon, wish we could have stayed longer!"

Bali Jiwa Villa: "A dream becomes reality"

Review by: MichaelaAngerer | Source: tripadvisor.com
"The Bali Jiwa Villas are one of the most beautiful places I ever been. Apart of the beauty of the location - situated in the middle of rice field ( without destroying them ) the Villas are very carefully furnished. The wonderful furnishing taste signs of deep understanding the story of Bali. The charm of this place is simply stunning. Big bathroom ( indoor ad outdoor ), wonderful bed and sheets, enlightened by big windows and the wonderful pool just in front of every villa, very clean and just the way it should be. The staff is amazing and the food is typically balinese - very tasty and home made with a lots of attention. A real place to calm down, to enter in the deep soul of Bali - and a place where service is written in very big big letters.."

Tugu Malang: "We loved this gem of a hotel"

Review by: MunichEricJ | Source: Trip Advisor
"The hotel is stunning in its beauty. Really one of the most attractive- on- the- inside hotels I have ever been in, with light, rock, water, plantings and museum- quality antiques and artistic pieces which bring the history and culture of Java to life. There are non- Java items too, among them a 3,200 year- old Shang Dynasty sculpture. After a very friendly check- in (there is nothing like an Indonesian smile), we were shown to room 222, a large room with a four- post bed adorned with beautiful wood carvings. There was an in- room safe, mini- fridge with Bintang beers and a large work desk with convenient desk- height power outlets. The room was rich with teak wood and the wood floors were nice underfoot. If you don’t like going barefoot they provide nice batik slippers. Plenty of closet / hanger space and room for luggage too, much appreciated. The room was very quiet, except when the day- long procession of banner- waving motor scooters celebrating the local Arema football heroes went constantly past the hotel! It was great fun watching the procession from the coffee house and sipping on Bintangs.. The toilet was in a separate room from the shower room. The toilet had a built- in bidet feature, not exactly like the Toto Washlet you might be familiar with-- this was rather a simple affair with a curved water tube and a manual faucet handle on the side. It worked just fine. There is also a small hands- washing sink there. The shower / tub was huge, round, and of hammered metal. You could fit more than two adults in the tub (if you wished.) The sink was also hammered metal and had a ringing sound as the water dribbled in, very nice. The bedding was very comfortable and we slept soundly. The breakfast menu featured American, Indonesian, Chinese, Malang Street Food, Healthy and “Romantic” options. I enjoyed the fried egg covered with melted cheese on top of ham / croissant. The oatmeal included fresh fruit and crispy coconut on top, delicious. The coffee comes from their own Java coffee plantation. Service was great. The restaurant was excellent. It was beautiful, with indoor / outdoor seating and separated from the pool by plants. The menu was extensive: 170 regular food items – not counting drinks - plus a special menu with another 12 or so items. Indonesian, Dutch, Italian, Malang Street Food, Chinese, sandwiches, salads, Aussie and local steaks, from Wagyu to basic. Our food was excellent. The restaurant is open 24 hours, so when we needed to have breakfast at 05:30 on our departure day, there was no issue at all. All the early Mt. Bromo hikers can fill up before the climb. The location is very good, a short 450m from the train station (you can take the Malioboro Express from Jogja in comfort), 320m from the Bird Market / Flower Market and 1.4km from the very impressive and beautiful boulevard of Dutch Colonial houses (and many nice ones leading up to it. Malang is at 450m altitude and situated between mountains gets nice breezes channeled through which are cooler and less humid than central Java. We took a hotel- sponsored bike tour. It was on a Sunday, and they close many of the most attractive boulevards to auto traffic, so we had a very pleasant ride through parts of Malang we would never have made it to on our own. The beautiful Dutch Colonial homes were something to see, nestled amongst palm trees and lush plantings. Our tour guide, Sigit, made sure that we were safe at all times (no small thing in Indo city traffic!) and knew the area very well. The bikes were in good condition and they had loaner helmets. The hotel has my highest recommendation."

Rachamankha: "Amazing"

Review by: 944marleyp | Source: Trip Advisor
The staff here were super amazing I would reccommend staying here Location was great and very comfortable with a great breakfast The staff were sooo easy to get along with We had one incident with the washing but clothes are cheap enough that it was funny in the end Cheap and awesome

Amata Lanna: "Beautiful"

Review by: Ranga7 | Source: Trip Advisor
This small hotel is just wonderful- made of teak wood, it is traditional in style with all rooms centred around a beautiful courtyard with a swimming pool. The rooms are large and well appointed. We arrived on a cool day so the large spa tub was a delight for a warm relax. The staff are just delightful and helpful. The breakfast was absolutely gorgeous. There is the choice of shrimp or pork rice soup, or a western breakfast, as well as options for toast and fruit and juices. The mango sticky rice was a highlight and the coffee fabulous. We walk a lot, so we found it easy to walk to the old town (20 min), and the river is closer as is the Night Bizaar. The Anusan market is just to the north of the hotel- we found this a great walk through to the old town. Adored this place, highly recommend it and would stay here again.

4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "Tranqulity and Amazing Staff"

Review by: wilderfamily | Source: Trip Advisor
We stayed at 4 Rivers earlier this week as part of our family trip through Cambodia. Although a long drive from Phnom Penh (5-6 hours given Phnom Penh traffic) the drive lets you experience beautiful scenery increasingly taking you into the rainforest areas before reaching the 4 Rivers reception and a short 20 mins boat ride to the Lodge. Once you arrive it is a beautiful setting with the tents floating on the river and the jungle all around. The tents are well equipped, spacious and private. The first night we were taken out on the river the see the fire flies and the second day we kayaked, swam in the river and took the side trip to the waterfalls which were fantastic. The staff at the resort were a mix of local villagers and the managers were from the Philippines. All of them were incredibly warm, genuine and helpful and simply wanted to ensure you were having a great time. You constantly are amazed and how wonderful the Cambodians are. The food was very good (taking into account you are in the middle of nowhere). I would encourage everyone to go and visit the lodge and the region as my greatest fear is that once relay discovered the area will fall victim to major development. For now it is a wonderful and magic place.
instagram youtube linkedin blog tiktok

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!