Guest Reviews

Le Du Wine Bar & Restaurant: "Hard to find, worth the search"

"The restaurant space is clean, comfortable and a bit minimalist in design. The food is creative an superb. We like to select wines that do not typically appear on wine lists and we chose a glass of Cremant de Jura to start. Dishes of note included large river prawns with pork belly jam and shrimp paste, an incredible sous-vide pork jawl and an aged beef tenderloin. We finshed by sharing a duck egg custard with rice powder. All presented as creative interpetations and generally suggestive Thai flavors. Chef Ton oversees all and appeared to inspect every dish before they went to the table. Despite his resume, Chef Ton is quite young and should be heard from in the future. A tip to find Le Du if you go: when you turn off Silom Road onto Silom 7 Alley go to the end of the alley, to the T and you will find Le Du on the kleft."

Mie Cafe: "Creative, delicious vegan set"

"We weren't expecting a vegan option when we booked this place on friends' recommendation. But when we arrived, the vegan menu looked so delicious, we had to order it. The cute chef is very talented, taking common Cambodian ingredients (eggplant, tomatoes, herbs) and combining them in new ways. The vegetable curry was divine, and the open-air setting a delight. "

Slow Private Pool Villas: "Wow and wow"

It’s hard to explain Slow in so few words. We landed with busy city brains and two kids and we left two weeks later as islanders. The staff at Slow were amazing. I felt like they took us into this cosy family. It’s been three weeks since we left and I still miss the breakfasts. The rooms were a blend of modern luxury and traditional design. All day long the sun shone and we splashed in our own private pool. After dinner there was usually a rainstorm which the kids loved. We spent our evenings listening to the tokay gecko chiming and the crickets chirping while we played cards. We will return again and again to this island paradise.

Maison Polanka: "Heaven"

After trekking around Asia we were ready to unwind and relax while visiting Angkor Wat. Came across Polanka online, and it was highly praised so we thought it was worth a try. Well after weeks of dodgy rooms and supposed 5 star hotels we finally found heaven. The rooms are stellar and the location exactly what we wanted, away from the crowds. The garden and the grounds are amazing. Kalimantan the dog and tin tin the rabbit are playing around at breakfast time and hundreds of colorful butterflies surround you. The hotel was the highlight of our trip

Locavore: "World Class Food"

"Several people recommended Locavore but I was surprised with how good it was. My partner is Vegetarian so we both decided to have the herbivore menu with matched drinks. It was simply the best Vegetarian food I have ever eaten. The work that went into each dish combined with an amazing understanding of flavours just blew us away. As other people have mentioned the 5 or 7 courses morph into about 15 with all of the extra complimentary courses. They are small but I couldnt have eaten anymore. At around $300 AUD ($225 usd) including drinks tax tip etc it was a very expensive meal for Bali but comparatively cheap by Western standards. One of the great meals of my life. It deserves to be recognised as one of the best in the world. Treat yourself you won't regret it."

Talabgaon Castle Heritage Resort: "oasis of a hotel"

"This hotel was used on a recent Travelsphere tour. Fantastic place,like stepping back in time, but with all the mod cons. Everything has been thought of in this comfortable hotel, with a touch of the 'marigold hotel' in its appearance. A lovely touch of times gone by, with lovely comfortable rooms, and beautiful food. It sits on the edge of a village , where we visited the local school on a visit, and met villagers. We were made so welcome, and the owner joined us for Indian dancing and a barbecue by the lovely pool."

Rahai’i Pangun: "Great crew"

"This was my first time traveling alone, and I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived for this portion. But I absolutely loved it. The crew was great, the guide Tri was fantastic, and the trip itself was so relaxing and interesting. We saw many orangutans in the forest (including a baby!), visited Dayak villages, and had delicious meals three times a day- and that's coming from someone who considers herself a picky eater. I absolutely recommend this tour group (and especially the boat and staff I had). I'd also suggest you go while you can- you could see gold prospecting in quite a few spots. In order for them to get at the gold, they need to burn the forest down. It also leaves large mounds of white sand along the river. It's very sad, but perhaps with an up-tick in tourism, there will be a greater push for putting a stop to this? I'd like to add while it was disturbing to see, it did not make the trip less enjoyable. Rather, it just makes me want to get more involved."

Samanea Beach Resort: "Cambodia 6.17"

Had a great time, staff and hotel facilities excellent. The breakfast was very good and the dining facility was lovely and breezy. The room was spacious and comfortable and loved the outdoor shower. Pool also good.

Cheong Fatt Tze – Blue Mansion: "Walk into amazing history! Most excelent"

"Most amazing history and architecture; a truly east meets west in a unique blend that worked in C19th and is a place which has a feeling that has to be experienced to be believed. The current owners restored this place with meticulous detail to the most miniscule of reproduced effects, having to seek out craftsmen to work with a lost art. External feature details are fashioned from broken and shaped especially fired porcelain bowls. Colourfast beauty that will last potentially for centuries. The world should thank people with this level of vision to preserve such magnificent history. The history of the original owner, Cheong Fatt Tze is as fascinating as the building itself. We had the great privilege to meet and talk with owner, architect and one of the visionaries behind the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion renovation which won the UNESCO Most Excellent Project, Lin Lee Loh-Lim. Passion personified! Check when Lin Lee Loh-Lim is conducting tours. Having stayed for several nights I can say the place and the staff are the most amazing I have ever encountered. Oh that we should all take so much pride in our work and enjoy it so much. The Restaurant with French fusion dishes is great value for money and excellent quality. This one liner is a total understatement. Yes I'm besotted with the Blue Mansion, its has been one of those experiences I will treasure and talk about for the rest of my life! Something I must say is that some of the surrounding property owners appear to have little respect for what the Blue Mansion represents and the leadership that properties of this calibre offer the future of Georgetown and Penang as a world class destination. I can only hope that the Penang City Council and Chamber of Commerce can work with all accommodation providers and landowners in the area to put sustainable noise abatement in place to enhance the experience and vision that has been so delightfully preserved in the Blue Mansion and the surrounding area. I'll be back to experience the charming ambiance of the Blue Mansion in the future. I wish the owners and staff every continuing success."

Heritage Suites Hotel: "Perfect location"

Wonderful small hotel, excellent service, nice pool and very good bedrooms.Picked up at the airport in classic Mercedes which is great. Very good tour operators in hotel for trips to Angkor temples etc