Looking for somewhere to stay for your visit to Angkor Wat? Most people stay in Siem Reap, the closest town to the temple complex. For that reason, the sheer quantity of lodging options can be pretty overwhelming. If you're looking for something budget friendly with some of the best service we've ever received at a hotel (not to mention an incredibly delicious included breakfast), look no further than Cambana d'Angkor Suites. Think hand carved beds poolside, mouthwatering pastries and freshly squeezed fruit juice each morning, a bathtub that makes you feel like your room is a spa, and the thing that surprised and delighted us most - free laundry service!

A few years ago, we decided to travel to Tulum, Mexico, with my sister and brother-in-law after their wedding to celebrate. After a lot of research, we decided to stay at a wonderful eco friendly boutique called Hotel Nueva Vida de Ramiro. Tulum’s beaches are absolutely stunning, so Nueva Vida's beachfront location was a huge draw for us and we were pleasantly surprised to score decently affordable bungalows at this wonderfully located, chic resort.

Last fall we had the pleasure of visiting Indonesia with my sister and decided to spend the last part of our trip in Lombok and the Gili Islands. Tragically, Indonesia was struck by a serious of earthquakes and subsequent tsunami just prior to our arrival, leading us to cancel our reservation in the Gili’s due to damage to our hotel and travel advisories. However, we kept our reservation at Jeeva Klui on Lombok, and looking back are so grateful we did as we had an amazing stay at what is surely one of the loveliest hotels in Lombok. Apparently other people agree because Jeeva Klui has been awarded as one of the top 25 hotels in Indonesia almost every year since 2012.

Looking for the perfect blend of luxury, budget, and charm in Uluwatu? Look no further than Sal Secret Spot! Nestled just an 8 minute walk from Bingin Beach, Sal Secret Spot is also wonderfully convenient for exploring Uluwatu by foot as we did. Aside from location, our favorite things about Sal's were the stylish white washed bungalows surrounding an intimate garden-like walled interior complete with a beautiful pool, yoga area, free books, and included breakfast in an open air eating area.

Anyone else out there who thinks that finding unique hotels in amazing locations is one of the best aspects of trip planning? We just got back from a trip to Indonesia and our hotel in Uluwatu, The Temple Lodge, really took the cake. In fact, I think it’s my favorite place I’ve ever stayed. Yes, I’ve stayed at places with access to nicer beaches (or right on the beach), a great variety of amenities, and more attentive staff, but the combination of amazing views + incredibly unique rooms won me over.

This February Justin and I took a short trip to Spain and Portugal after scoring an absolute steal on tickets from a travel site we follow. I spent a lot of time researching where we should stay in Lisbon and finally booked at Rossio Prime Suites where we ended up having an exceptional stay. As such, I wanted to write a review for those of you who are like me and have a hard time picking lodging. Sometimes reading a review that's not from, say, TripAdvisor is what you need to make a final decision. 

When Bri and I planned our trip to Thailand, we decided to spend the first part of the trip in hostels and budget hotels and end with something splurgy. Well, two somethings splurgy as it turned out (see Glamping in Thailand post). However, since every fiber of my body rebels against paying exorbitant prices for lodging, we scoured the internet for something that would give us a taste of luxury without the usual painful price tag. Fortunately, most of Asia is a great place to do just that, and when we stumbled upon the Renaissance and saw that it was a great price split two ways, we decided to give it a go and ended up having an incredible experience. 

As some of you know, my sister, Bri, lives in Australia, and this year we decided to have our annual get together in Asia. After a lot of research and indecision, we settled on Thailand and decided to spend some time up north in Chiang Mai, followed by a couple of weeks on the island of Koh Samui. While researching where to stay on Koh Samui, we stumbled across a place called Khwan Beach Resort and were immediately obsessed with the fact that they offer glamping, which is basically super posh camping.

I don't think there are enough descriptors to adequately tell you how incredible the island of Redang is. White sand, clear water - so picture perfect everywhere you look that you get overwhelmed trying to decide what to photograph next. Even better? Getting to stay in a bungalow at Wisana Village steps from the water on one of the most pristine beaches I've ever seen. If you're traveling to Malaysia and looking to experience the islands, we couldn't recommend Redang and Wisana Village more!

Up until India, the fanciest place we'd stayed was a three and a half star hotel in Thailand. However, when I planned our trip to Nepal and India I decided for once we were going to splurge with two days at a luxurious boutique hotel in Delhi called the The Manor. I think some sort of premonition guided me to this decision, because after two weeks of trekking, rafting, a major earthquake, and the chaos of driving around India trying to get in as many sights as possible, The Manor was an extremely welcome end to our trip. This experience was not only relaxing, but also a slightly nerve racking adventure at times because heck - we don't know much about the protocols and expectations of fancy people in fancy places!