Guest Reviews

Supanniga Cruise: "An Amazing Way to See Bangkok"

If you'd like to see Bangkok's river (Chao Praya) with a touch of class then this is the cruise for you. The Supanniga is a smaller yet more upmarket vessel. Excellent and friendly wait staff, and a delicious six course meal complimented by downtempo jazzy soundscape offers the classiest and most relaxing way to see a side of Bangkok you won't soon forget.

4 Rivers Floating Lodge: "The best of Cambodia"

"We were picked up from the airport in Phnom Penh in the car arranged by 4 Rivers. It was a Toyota Camry, the driver was excellent, we felt safe driving through the traffic of Phnom Penh. After about 1.5 hrs we stopped for refreshments at a roadside restaurant that had the cleanest toilets ever. As we got out of the city traffic the scenery got more and more rural with great views of village life. It took us about 4.5hrs to reach the reception on the banks of the River Tatai. Our luggage was loaded on to the boat and we left straight away for the 30 minute transfer to the floating lodge. As we passed the final bend in the river the lodge came into view. What a sight!!. We were met at the lodge by Adonis who showed us to our tent and gave us information about the lodge. The tent was well appointed and had the most amazing view of local village houses on the opposite bank. We chose the last tent on the west side of the lodge and felt at one with the river. We relaxed on the pontoon during parts of the day soaking up the sun and spent the rest of the time with our guide ""By"" (I think that is the spelling) He took us on a trip to a local fishing village and introduced us to the local people. He gave us an unforgettable experience and enabled us to get a real view of the hard lives of the fishing community and some of the environmental challenges they face now and in the future. We finished the trip by kayaking into the mangroves and By's local knowledge made our time so special. The following day he took us out again at dawn on a short Jungle trek. We saw some wildlife but the high lite for us was seeing the school children arriving for classes at the local school we were able to pop into the class and see the children in their lessons. Really special. The evenings were so serene the sunsets were amazing whilst swimming in the river. At night the staff continue to impress with tasty cocktails and great food. (you choose you meals in the afternoon when one of the staff visits you at your tent). The food here is first class nice authentic Khmer cuisine with more western options for those who prefer. They also offer reasonably priced wine by the bottle or glass (yes wine in the jungle). Before dinner there is also the option to see the fireflies. All aboard the boat for a short trip down the river. Then lights out engine off as you drift slowly down stream looking for the fireflies. Really special we did it twice. We spent 3 nights at the lodge and I must say this was the most memorable part of our time in Cambodia. All the staff were amazing and it was an honour to meet them and hear about their lives living and working in this most unspoilt part of the world. Thanks to everyone at 4 Rivers. We wont forget any of you and will cherish our memories. Room Tip: The tents at the end of the row are more private"

Inle Princess Resort: "Gem of the lake"

"We just returned from a four night stay at the Inle Princess Resort. What a treat! This resort, which sits on the northeast corner of Inle Lake, is locally designed, owned and run. And it shows, from the local crafts that are made on site to the quiet efficiency and welcome of the staff. We arrived via Heho airport by road (about 60-90 minutes and ~$50 US). The road entrance is modest, giving no clue of what lies behind the low key security gate. The grounds are spectacularly but sympathetically landscaped, with stands of bamboo framing lotus filled lagoons. The rooms are absolutely unique in design. You might want to avoid the Mountain rooms only because they are a bit smaller with less spectacular views. Any of the other rooms will exceed your expectations. The dining is lakeside, serving a mix of excellent local and Thai style fare and goreng. The views from the restaurant patio are tranquil, with boats approaching the jetty required to row (almost always Inle leg oar style) with engines off. The pool is otherworldly. We spent a good deal of our time exploring the lake. One of the lessons we learned was that the locally sourced goods in the crafts shop at the Inle Princess are not only superior quality but are priced very fairly. I am lucky to travel widely. The spa is the finest with the kindest and most skillful (Shan) therapists I have encountered. The setting alone will draw you out of your highly strung world. A couple of words of caution to high maintenance travelers. The hot water can run out quickly, so shower efficiently (many rooms have private outdoor showers). And service (e.g. by the pool) can be slower than you will find at Four Seasons. They just don't rush. The food and drinks are wonderful. So relax and enjoy. There is simply nowhere remotely like the Inle Princess. If you are looking for a slice of Myanmarese heaven on earth, this is it. If you are looking for chain resort style service, stay somewhere else."

Amata Lanna: "Gorgeous hotel and incredibly helpful staff"

My friends and I stayed at the Amata Alanna recently on our first trip to Chiang Mai, and it was about the nicest stay we've had in quite some time. The property was beautiful, the breakfast service was delicious, and the rooms were incredible! The staff was probably the best part - they suggested places for us to go during both the day and night, and the girl at the front desk was super friendly and knowledgeable (and a fantastic English speaker, so great for those visiting). We are looking forward the next trip back and will definitely stay again.

Rachamankha: "Secret Retreats"

We are so glad choosed Rachamankha for our stay in Chiang Mai, such a elegant and heritage hotel. When arrived hotel, at first sight we thought we are passing by a temple, but its the hotel!!  Just from the entrance we have been wowed.  Architecturally is fusion of Thai and Chinese. Along the way we can see the landscape such as pine tree obviously growth in a chinese aesthetics way and the architectural pattern similar like Chinese quadrangle courtyard(四合院）, but just a turn to another way, we can clearly recognize stong feature of northern thai style, and both are combined harmoniously. Many pantings and art collection you can find anywhere in the hotel, further more above the restautant there is a gallery of the owner. Room was smaller than what I expect, but nicely decorated with chinaware, very classic wardrobe, made me feel pass through to acient, just can't stop take photo of it. Superior room only provide standing shower and its fixed shower head which I feel a bit out dated, amenities is excllent, my partner love the smell made from thai herbs. I will definetly return to Rachamankha when next visit to Chiang Mai, and recommend to my family and friends.

Heritage Suites: "Lovely stay at heritage suites hotel"

"We stayed for 2 nights while visiting the temples. First of all - it was nice to be picked up from the airport. The driver was great and explained things about Cambodia in general and also the town. The hotel is beautiful with a vintage feel, with a nice swimming pool to think about while sweating in the temples all day. Breakfast is delicious- a la carte but you can chose more than one thing so its more than enough. The free 15 min spa treatment is a great touch. I think the best thing though is the heritage adventures package which allowed us to have a different experience. We were really pleased we had chosen it, would definetly recommend."

Tugu Lombok: "Great service & amazing beauty"

A truly wonderful resort with a fabulous sense of style and beach sophistication. A great launching point to climb Rinjani or simply relax on the quite side of Lombok. We didn't get to try the tapas restaurant as it is only open a few nights a week. This was our only disappointment.

The Island Lodge: "Beautiful hidden gem"

A wonderful hotel with a lovely garden and pool. After a drive from Saigon we were warmly welcomed by the owner and some of his staff with refreshing drinks and cakes. The rooms are spacious, clean and nicely decorated. The hotel has a great restaurant and serves lovely food. Because it was low season the restaurant was open just for us. That's how service should be! We loved it here.

Anopura: "Juste ouahhh"

"Magnifique endroit, décoré avec goûts. On se sent Maharadja ou Maharani lorsqu'on passe les portes de cet endroit niché dans les montagnes. Réchauffé le soir par un feu, au bord de la piscine. Remplie de charme et un personnel professionnel, à l'écoute de nos moindres attentes. Accompagné de 3 mousquetaires, le jardin était notre havre de paix. Impossible de décrire notre ressenti, UN GRAND MERCI A ISHWAR et son collègue qui ont été des hôtes agréables. Il faut savoir également que l'hotel est à 1h du centre de jaipur mais faisable. Le retour à l'hotel après une journée est un dépaysement total Stayed January 2017, traveled with family"

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "A Truly Unique And Special Place To Stay"

"The Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion is an incredibly unique hotel. Built in the late 1800’s, the mansion was the family home of Chinese businessman and politician Cheong Fatt Tze. The mansion symbolized his wealth and prosperity, with extraordinary detail given to the original building and restoration. In modern terms, it’s one of the most “Instagrammable” buildings I’ve ever seen! Keep reading to find out why I highly recommend staying at the famous Blue Mansion. THE HISTORY The original version of the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion was built with 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, and 7 staircases, and is one of the largest buildings of its kind outside of China. Feng Shui played an important role in the design of the mansion, and each part of the layout had a specific a purpose. For example, the number of open air courtyards is because water is seen as wealth, so the more rain you have naturally coming into the house the better. Once that water was inside, there are winding drainage pipes to keep the water underneath the house as long as possible before flowing outside. There is so much history behind the building that the Mansion runs daily tours several times a dat so you can learn about the Mansion even if you are not staying there. However, I would still highly recommend booking a room because the tours only cover the common areas and not the guest rooms to maintain guests’ privacy. While the tour is still worth it if that’s your only option, staying in the hotel itself allows you to have the full experience and get better pictures! THE ROOMS The Blue Mansion has 18 rooms, each with its own name and backstory. I was in the Escoy room, named after an old smelting company in Penang. Located on the ground floor, the room had beautiful tall ceilings, detailed gold carvings, and plenty of space to spread out. In addition, there are little heirlooms and authentic 19th century furniture scattered throughout to give it even more personality. The rooms all have amenities that would have made Cheong Fatt Tze himself jealous, including a large HDTV, speedy wi-fi and a heavenly rainfall shower. It was truly a unique experience to stay in a place with such history, while still having full access to luxury amenities! THE FOOD Breakfast is served each day in the central courtyard, which is where the “Feng Shui” is strongest. The staff does a great job transforming the beautiful open air courtyard into a wonderful breakfast spread. There is a self-served area for pastries, toast and fruit, as well as made to order hot dishes from the waiter. You can also choose local flavors to be ready for your day! There is also a wonderful on-site restaurant called Indigo which was also great. Located upstairs above the central courtyard, Indigo fuses Eastern and Western culture in both the food and the ambiance. The in-house chef creates wonderful dishes each night, with each dish looking like a piece of artwork itself. The lamb and fish were especially good, so be sure to make a reservation during your stay! THE LOCATION Once you are well fed, you’ll see the Blue Mansion is perfectly located to many walkable sites. Given that Penang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are countless beautiful buildings and little areas to visit. These include the Clan Jetties, Little India, and Red Garden, a great night food market which is literally next door! One of my favorite parts of the location was is the short walk to many of the famous works of street art dotting the alleyways of Penang. Be sure to grab a map and ask the concierge for the locations of the art because some of them can be tricky to find but worth the effort! CONCLUSION Staying at the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion was one of the highlights of my entire trip to Malaysia. The history behind the building itself is extremely interesting and the hotel itself was beautiful. Be sure to bring a spare memory card when you visit because you will take countless pictures of both the Mansion itself and all the amazing sites nearby. The Blue Mansion is a very special experience and I highly recommend staying with them next time you are in Penang! Stayed January 2017, traveled as a couple"