Fassai Resort and Spa - Thailand

"This is the perfect place to relax after the bustle of Bangkok, or to unwind at the start of a holiday. The resort is only about three hours drive from Bangkok, but feels a world away from the city and from the more populated beaches of the peninsula. There's no Starbucks and no nightclubbing, and that's a good thing. What there is a beautiful garden setting, gorgeous rooms and decks to sit with a Singha and watch the light fading on the hills in the evening, fantastic local food and the most divine Thai massages in the poolside spa. The staff are all lovely and will help you do as much or as little as you want to do. I'm recommending this one to all my friends."

"After the tourist-laden centres of Bangkok, Koh Samui and Chang Mai, it was relaxing to be in an area where the locals are curious about you, rather than trying to sell you things. Faasai Resort, located off the cliched tourist loop, was the most refreshing place I have ever had the pleasure of staying at. The scenery of the area was absolutely beautiful, and the quality of the facilities was suburb, but what truly made Faasai special was the family environment. Our hosts, Bronwen and Surin, went out of their way to make us feel welcome...

I would recommend Faasai to anyone who wants to relax and experience 'real' Thailand- where the people are friendly and laid back, and the most strenuous activity that you do in a day is choose between a swim, a stroll by the beach, or a little nap."

“My husband and I along with our 3 year old daughter travelled to Thailand for 5 weeks. We constantly were looking for something special that would give us a taste of Thai life while at the same time allowing us the comforts and service of an intimate resort. Well boy did we find it at the Faasai resort in Chanthaburi… From the second we entered the big gates of the Faasai resort we knew we had found it. Everything was perfect.

It was low season and we were the only guests and we were treated like royalty. Games on hand for our little girl at every needed opportunity… Breakfast is included and the best we had had in thailand and trips were laid on at reasonable prices… Thailand at its best”

Fridays Place - India

“…the lodge has four teak cottages and a brand-new (in 2007) honeymoon suite, all surrounded by canals to ensure minimal intrusion on the environment and maximum privacy for guests. It feels remote yet it's only a 40 minute drive from Trivandrum airport, and a short and delightful boat ride to Poovar Beach perfect for stunning sunsets and walking to fishing villages.

Organic produce from the local market is bought daily and fishermen haggle over huge crabs and fish at the jetty. This is the heart of Ayurveda and Yoga country so ensure you enjoy a rejuvenating massage. At night, under crystal evening skies gaze at the wonders of the cosmos through the astronomical telescope. By day, spy kingfisher and black necked stork.”

“… Friday's Place in Kerala State… is the place to wake up to bird song and be dazzled by the greens and scarlets of the gardens. Spend the early hours on the verandah of the cottage listening and watching , and looking at life on the river.

Friday's Place is an eco friendly place to recharge. Its carbon footprint is miniscule drawing power from the sun, water by osmosis from the surroundings and disposing through a septic field. It supports the local scene by providing training and employment in hospitality and eco stewardship, and purchasing in on the local markets.

The place is clean and safe, the food is of excellent quality and in quantity and provided with smiling, gentle kindness.”

Hickatee Cottages - Belize

“We picked Hickatee because of their rave reviews. . .and were rewarded! Ian and Kate could not be nicer hosts, just the kind of people you hope you'll find. GREAT food (breakfast AND dinner are available) , comfortable, very clean rooms, and lots of little extras like extra fluffy towels, insulated water bottles available to take on trips, lots of nice, big umbrellas, and two trails cut through the jungle right behind the cottages.

Visitors are serenaded by howler monkeys, chukalukas (sp?), parrots, toucans, woodpeckers etc etc. Ian and Kate really know the area and people, and went the extra mile to set up tours, special events (like visits to the butterfly farm), and knowing where to eat (and not). Sitting on the veranda of the lodge, listening to local music CDs, sharing beers with other guests is a great way to end the day.

For those of us older than 18 who don't sleep on the floor anymore, but still want to experience something other than a swingin' resort… this is a great option.”

“Hickatee Cottages was, for us, the perfect mix of jungle, wildlife and birds with the familiar comforts that make us feel at home. After four previous trips to Belize, we decided to venture further south, to the Toledo District. We chose Hickatee Cottages primarily because of the location and guest reviews. The owners, Ian and Kate, have thoroughly blended a secluded jungle hideaway with a safe jumping-off point to the many other sites southern Belize has to offer. They were the most gracious hosts and enjoyable company of all the people we’ve met over the years while visiting Belize.

Yes, it rained while we were there, a LOT. Every night, in fact. We may have been lucky in that we never saw rain from about 9am to 6pm…during the “rainy season” no less. The rain never interfered with our tours or plans, though, and listening to it was incredibly soothing at night.

Insects were a surprising non-issue. We both had a few mosquito and sand-flea bites, most of which occurred while visiting Punta Gorda town, but nothing like we expected. We used 30% DEET lotion one night; that was it.

Pros: One of the best “birding” sites in the area, if not the country. Troops of howler monkeys called out at least once a day. Parrots and parakeets perched in trees overhead, what a ruckus! The landscaping, jungle trails and splash pool are second-to-none in the area. Ian is a font of information when it comes to butterflies, hummingbirds, orchids and sting-less orchid bees. You’d never guess how eco-friendly this place is. They don’t green-wash it; they do it. They offer to deliver coffee to your veranda every morning, but we enjoyed it more sitting and talking on the veranda with them. And, Kate's cooking...wow!

Cons: No air-conditioners, radios, televisions or mini-fridges in the rooms. However, their wi-fi access is pretty reliable, and guests are welcome to use their computer, so obtaining news and weather reports isn’t an issue. My husband really likes his A/C, but the nights were cool enough that we usually slept with even the fan off. 24/7 electricity isn’t a guarantee (Hey, welcome to Belize!), but they've identified the problem, and are currently working to solve it.

All in all, the accommodations and the area fit us so well that we extended our time at Hickatee from four to eight days, and we still left knowing we’d have to come back again.”

“Hickatee Cottages is certainly one of the best accommodations we have visited anywhere. The food is great, too. Best of all, it all happens on your schedule, even the early morning coffee served on the porch of your cottage (are you listening, Costa Rica?). We only had to ask, and they were immediately onto whatever we needed. That, to me, is first class service.

OK, it's not on the beach... it's in the forest. Very quiet at night. The generator hums along for a while, but it makes a lot less noise than a lot of air conditioners in a lot of American motels I've suffered in. OK, there's no AC in the rooms (want 65 degree rooms? go to Seattle, or Dallas in August). But the cottages were well ventilated and the fans did their job. And, they have just installed a small spa-sized pool to cool off in.

The owners, Ian and Kate, seem very well informed about - and involved with - the community, both natural and human, and this translated into finding activities that suited these visitors quite well.

Birders will love the location, from the trails that start at the door step to the roadsides nearby. Try to book a birding trip with a local birder named George, even if you are not a birder, but especially if you are.. the guy is amazing. We also did a custom day tour with Bruno, an ex-pat German who is now a Belizean citizen and licenced tour guide, who did a fine job on short notice of showing us around the Mayan sites, Blue Creek cave, and other odds and ends that caught our attention.

We recommend Hickatee Cottages to anyone, and hope we can get back soon.”

Lomalagi Resort - Fiji

"The resort was beautiful, your staff very attentive and the food was wonderful. We enjoyed snorkeling and dolphins, lounging, swimming and most of all the trip to the school."

Matava - Fiji

"The dive at the Naigoro Pass was great; in fact Kadavu lived up to it’s reputation as one of the best dive areas in Fiji and just about anywhere else actually."