Guest Reviews

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Bucket list experience – a must do."

"We recently spend 2 nights at Noel Rodrigo's Leopard Safari on the absolute edge of Yala. (The park is across the road) This experience was fantastic from start to finish in every way. Prior to arrival staff were in contact with our driver in Sri Lanka to ensure our meeting point and timing was coordinated with safari staff. Upon arrival we were warmly greeted and immediately given a guided tour of the camp. Lunch was served not long after our arrival and it heralded a standard that continued for the 2 days we were there. We had been to 4 different resorts/hotels prior to Leopard safaris and the food here was up there with the best. Fresh, locally produced, plentiful and absolutely delicious. The accommodation was amazing. Definitely glamping. Service was at all times en pointe. The safaris themselves were amazing. Having waited most of my life for an experience like this I was not disappointed. Our guides Sam and Praneeth were enthusiastic, passionate, experienced and very knowledgeable. We were able to see (with luck, patience and their guiding) leopards, sloth bears, incredible bird life, elephants, crocs, mongoose and much more. This was definitely a highlight of our three weeks in Sri Lanka. Many thanks to all staff who made this trip so memorable."

Jing’s Residence: "Really fine small hotel located in the Ancient walled City of Pingyao"

My wife and I stayed in this marvelous hotel within the Ancient walled City of Pingyao. The staff were exceedingly gracious in service and even helped translate for us with some local teenage girls who wanted to have their picture taken with Westerners. The room was very nice and we had fresh honey soaked dates when returning from our day's exploring. Breakfast (included in our tour) was expansive and was off a menu and not a buffet - the food both Chinese & European was excellent. We ate dinner one evening and the food and service were outstanding. We couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Locavore: "We were very satisfied"

Restaurant looks fabousous, employes care about you from your entering the restaurant till you leave...food was just perfectly tasty. We orderred 7 courses dishes but got maybe 14? courses. Portions were very small but after all courses we were full. I recomend it, you wont regret it.

Neeleshwar Hermitage: "Paradise on Earth!"

"A wonderful place, a true Paradise away from it all by the Arabian Sea. Our little cottage overlooking the sea could not have been more perfect. The bed was really comfortable.The spacious semi-open bathroom, with a palm tree growing out of it was a wow! Showering sort of “in the open” in those temperatures was wonderful. Plenty of drinking water was provided, fresh fruit and coffee when you wanted it. We didn't eat in the main restaurant but chose to eat at the beachside. Freshly caught fish cooked in your choice of style, we could never tire of such delicious food and the service was amazing. Even mentioned something we fancied that wasn't on the menu and later that day they got it in for us and said would cook it just as we liked. We even tried yoga for the first time, a session before a relaxed breakfast on the beach – try it! We went for long walks along the sandy beach and didn't see another person, just birds at the edge of the sea, fishing. The sun, the sea breeze, the quietness – truly magical. A dip in the lovely pool, then back to our cottage to lie in the hammock- this is the life! Check out the little shop, and the tailor is brilliant if you want something made in quick time. Jayan and all the staff were so friendly and made us really welcome, they were always there to help. We really hope to return to Neeleshwar – Paradise on Earth..."

Rachamankha: "Absolutely stunning"

"This is a relatively new hotel built in traditional Thai style. It is beautiful - everything about it is beautiful, the architecture, the furniture, the fittings, the ornaments, the swimming pool. Best of all is its location - easily accessible to the main temples in Chiang Mai and within walking distance of the main shopping streets. A small hotel , with friendly staff and comfortable beds. try it - I am sure you cannot fail to be impressed!"

Villa Song Saigon: "A haven in Saigon"

A great quiet riverside property in district 3 only a short boat ride (complimentary) to the centre. Great attentive service and great food all round. Breakfast was inclusive a la carte and available all day which we thought was a really nice touch. We really liked our room (206) with its terrace and views. We would definately recommend and stay here again.

Le Passe-Temps: "Back to human values"

"This place is just a little paradise in a busy life time. The hosts are sinceres, human, warm, smiling and dedicated. Their team is their mirror, they make you feel home without being intrusive. A large choice of activities and amenities are offered, you can enjoy the time passes on the beach with book and drink, or a trip in their private boat..... At night you can drink fantastic cocktails and meet your neighbours to share your life, book, movie, emotional experiences. In the ""Passe temps"" the best human behaviors can be rediscovered!"

Amata Lanna: "Best place to stay in Chiang Mai"

We loved this hotel!!! We booked it because it looked "Thai" in it's decoration etc. It did not disappoint! It is on a quieter street, but still so close to the night market and good restaurants. The pool is smaller, but located inside the hotel's peaceful courtyard. The staff were so kind and attentive. Honestly, this is such a great hotel. I would book immediately if you can. It is smaller, so I'm guessing as word gets out how wonderful it is, that it will sell out fast. Take my advice and stay here when you are in Chiang Mai!!

The Apsara Rive Droite: "Classic Modern"

"Well, may not look busy but great menu with fusion of traditional and western influences. Don't be put off by what may appear to be lack of patronage. Staff are well trained and friendly. Try, Fish Cakes, Pumpkin Curry, Buffalo Cheeks (Yummy) etc., Manager, Chris can discuss any special requirements. This is also a highly regarded boutique hotel on the Historic Peninsula over looking the Nam Kahn river. Stayed January 2017"

Noel Rodrigo’s Leopard Safaris: "Ethical safari company and wonderful staff; game safaris are a bonus! A++++"

"Summary: If you want a unique and special experience – come and stay here! Seeing a leopard is just a bonus! The safaris, the camp, and the team are brilliant. The company is ethical, environmentally-minded and the staff is knowledgeable, professional and passionate. You will not regret glamping, going on safari and generally having a brilliant time. I would recommend Noel Rodrigos Leopard Safaris to anyone and everyone! We went on a few safaris during our time in Yala but Leopard Safaris was so superior in every sense of the word! My only regret was not staying longer!!! I recently stayed with my husband and 8-year-old son. After a short drive from the pick area, we got received with a warm welcome and a cold towel. Well, Noel Roderigo’s Leopard Safaris, you had me at cold towel.... it continued to get better and better from there. We got a fresh coconut drink and then shown to our tent. The tent Hailing from Australia we are very used to camping. Often, we just throw down a swag or a very thin mattress on the ground. Glamping is the ultimate in camping – you get a real bed and awesome amenities. You get the excitement of camping with the creature comforts. It makes the entire experience so special. The fact that everything is ecological friendly makes this experience even more unique. The fact they have NO plastic made me so proud of them! What a wonderful thing to do and it just shows that Noel walks the talk of eco-tourism! I would say that getting the tent with the a/c is probably a good idea during hot times of the year. We got the unairconditioned tent and we did sweat a bit. Each ‘bedroom’ and the main area did have a small fan and you did get some air flowing through the tent too. If I had to have one criticism, it was the tent zips. I can see how this would be a hard thing to maintain. Sometimes when you closed the tent the zip would pop open. You could do it but you had to have a few goes. Cuisine Wow, just wow! The meals were some of the best we had during our 2.5 months in Sri Lanka. The chef also made a non-spicy variety for our super fussy son. Our son didn’t eat it but that is no reflection on his cooking ability, as our son doesn’t eat much other than bread! Following each meal, there was an interesting explanation of the ingredients or the meals. They were all traditional Sri Lankan meals and utterly delicious. If you do not cope with spice, as one of the other visitors didn’t, you might want to mention this. It was hot and spicy but that is the way we love it! Each meal was different and the selection interesting. The amount of food was generous. They also source all food locally. Each meal was set up at a different location within the camp and it was beautifully decorated each time. Our son absolutely loved making the string hoppers with the traditional press. You do need to realise you are eating under the stars, literally, and I had bugs come say hello. I am not sure why they decided I was the most exciting. But if you fear bugs, I would say maybe you need to go to a more sterile environment! The camp The entire camp was rustic, practical but also gorgeous. There were many areas just to relax and wind down. At night, it was utterly beautiful - You had small lights guiding you everywhere in the camp at night. The lounge/bar area was beyond beautiful during the day but at night, it was light up with candles and was perfect. We got some light snacks, again delicious and wound down with a wine or beer. Its a really nice way to relax prior to dinner. My husband did open the portable A/C unit in this area and did end up jumping about 10 feet into the air when a small brown snake sprung out of the unit at great speed! It was just exciting and great to see that nature was so chilled it popped in for a swim. It could be free and wild even in the camp! The snake was not dangerous. They were building a new addition - a pool! That will be an unreal addition! I can imagine how relaxing that will be. Ecological and ethically minded tourism Everything about Leopard Safaris is well thought out and has a purpose, yet looked awesome too! You can feel good about staying here. Often I feel a little sick when I see water in plastic bottles, here they stored in glass bottles in the camp and in metal bottles on game drives! What a novel idea! It really should be the NORM!! Electricity is from solar panels and a dual battery system in their safari jeeps. When they are driving it will recharge a battery, how cool is that?! I looked around and everywhere was “reduce, reuse and recycle”. You drink from jars, the basins are upcycled from pots, the fences and bridges are from fallen branches etc. etc.I could go on and on about these examples. As I said before, there is no plastic anywhere! You even had a sink that filtered the tooth paste you spat into the small basin! Our son also got to plant a tree in the camp. It was a lovely touch and great to teach kids about carbon footprint in a practical sense. Plus in the future, you can come visit ‘your’ tree. The company also funds a number of environmental and community programs. Just prior to our safari I was reading about them giving aid to those affected by the 2017 floods - transporting supplies. Again, they walk the talk! It is so refreshing to see! We did have one somewhat unnerving experience. The farmer next door used a VERY loud firework to scare away the elephants 4 or 5 times. We had a mobile to call the team but I think maybe they should have called us to say, “don’t worry the world is not ending”. It was so loud! Plus, I could hear the elephant breaking the trees and I am unsure how close it got but the farmer needed to set off way too many to scare the elephant away. It added to the excitement but I am not sure how great that is for the elephants. We got told it was an unusual occurrence though, as the fence near the camp had been broken a few days earlier. Safaris As I said, the safaris are just the bonus! Even though the leopard did elude us, I know we were very close a number of times. It didn't matter though (well I did want to see one!) but we saw countless other animals and birds, and we had an utterly wonderful experience. A highlight was a crocodile trying to climb a tree to get away from an angry buffalo! The Jeep – was very comfortable, drink bottles, cold drinks in an Esky, snacks, guide books and binoculars. It was well maintained and comfortable. Our Naturalist/Guide – Saamera He is a wonderful person and guide. He is so passionate about wildlife conservation and it really showed. He is very engaging and has excellent English. He is well versed and well educated about wildlife. I really enjoyed talking to him at length about conservation during our meals. He has the world’s most sensitive ears and was constantly on the lookout for signs of leopards and all other wildlife. It was great that he also didn’t talk all the time. Silence is golden at times. He had the mix right. If we asked a question, he answered with knowledgeable answers. Again, comparing to other “guides” we met who clearly made up the answers. The driver – Praneeth He was such a great driver. Actually, he was amazing! He drove at a reliable speed and it was comfortable. I felt like he could have a lot to offer in terms of guiding too, he clearly knew his stuff. He heard so many noises and looked for tracks, and knew all the cues. Other jeeps you can just see screaming around the place with no purpose. The team Saamera and Praneeth worked together and would discuss where to go next if they heard a noise that meant leopards were near. You could tell they liked working together. I feel bad I do not know everyone’s name but everyone was great! I guess my only criticism is – where are the chicks at? Maybe they are a distraction? Haha. Either way! I think having some females around the camp would be great! All that said, I would have loved to have met the “Master” himself, Noel! In his absence, his team does a great job. Conclusion We did a 1-night safari with 2 game drives and I really wish we did 2 nights. 1 night was just not enough! I cannot wait to return to see the leopards that did elude us! We were so close several times hearing many warning calls. I would love to return one day soon and even try out the Wilpattu glamping location you offer. I already know the level of care, service, and diligence will be sensational. Thank you, Noel, Saamera and the entire Leopard Safaris team! You are head and shoulder above 99% of the other operators out there. Please do not ever change your spots!"