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Dogster's List of Secret Treasures
Well, it's not exactly MINE. It's ours. But it needs to grow. I KNOW you've all got your own list. If I can share my treasures, so can you.
But they have to be REAL treasures, not just the ones you buy with $$$ at the Oriental or the Pen. [Which are fine by me - but not the exercise] I've left out the obvious: the Oberois and Taj's, I've left out the range of hotels between Pigsty, Groovy Backpacker Hostel, Surfer Hang Out and Hippy Hovel. You can list those if you like. I've left out the truly TOO expensive, outrageous 'only people with too much money go there' hotels These are places I have stayed, or am planning to stay at on the next trip. These are either Doggy places par excellence or with enormous potential. If you want me to explain why they're on the list, just yell. There are Dog rules behind all these selections. One day I'll articulate them. Over to you while I regroup and plan Dogster's tips on travel, drivers, guides and how to train them. |
Homestay/Farmstay
http://www.sikkimhomestay.com/ http://www.yangsumfarm.com/ www.bambooresort.com Rashid Kothi, Indore - see www.ahilyafort.com ‘Boutique’ oddities http://www.galapita.com/ www.helgasfolly.com www.shanghaimansion.com www.dreambkk.com www.panjiminn.com www.siolimhouse.com www.s15hotel.com www.dwarikas.com Boutique www.hotelbeangkor.com www.thekandyhouse.com www.taruvillas.com www.galleforthotel.com |
Destination Hotels:
www.ahilyafort.com http://andbeyond.com/ - Baghvan, Banjaar Tola, Mahua Kothi, Pashan Garh http://www.easternsafaris.com/malikhalodge.html http://www.baiga.in/bjr.php http://www.baiga.in/shantibagh.php www.palaceonriver.com http://www.villa-srilanka.com/apanepal/index.htm www.oberoikolkata.com www.fairlawnhotel.com Tea Plantation hotels http://www.sawdays.co.uk/search/disp...BookID=IND1530 http://www.heritagetourismindia.com/thengal.html http://www.heritagetourismindia.com/sangsua.html www.glenburnteaestate.com www.teatrails.com Heritage Hotels: http://www.audleytravel.com/Destinat...The-forts.aspx http://www.kokoindia.com/main/maharaja.htm http://www.mahoutuk.com/rajasthan.htm www.sawdays.com www.deogarhmahal.com http://www.neemranahotels.com/ There are a million more. Above are the sites I trust. |
These sites give you the info you need to find where they are. Caveat Emptor.
www.heritagehotelsofindia.com/ http://www.heritagehotelsofindia.com...s-gujarat.html www.welcomheritagehotels.com Moving Hotels: Riverboat, train. www.pandaw.com www.assambengalnavigation.com – Assam AND Hoogli www.theluxurytrains.com/india/the-golden-chariot http://www.indianadventureportal.com...at-cruise.html www.asian-oasis.com/Luang.html www.asian-oasis.com/vat.html |
Have fun exploring. Over to you.
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While I'm in the mood. More stuff I'm playing with:
Vicarious Living #1: DOGSTER'S SLO-O-O-OW RURAL MADHYA PRADESH & SOUTH-EASTERN RAJASTHAN TRIP No driving place to place more than 2 hours, max. INDORE: Rashid Kothi, Indore - see www.ahilyafort.com MAHESHWAR: www.ahilyafort.com DHAR/MANDU: http://www.heritagehotelsofindia.com...lace-dhar.html AMLA: www.fortamla.com UJJAIN: www.indiaprofile.com/hotels-india/hotels-ujjain/ UJJAIN to JHALAWAR – 4-6 hours driving. JHALAWAR: www.kokoindia.com/main/maharaja.htm KOTA: www.indianheritagehotels.com/property.asp?id=142 BAINSROGARH: www.bhainsrorgarh.com BUNDI: hotelbundihaveli.com/ BASSI: www.bassifortpalace.com/ KHEMPUR: www.ravlakhempur.com BHINDUR: http://www.heritagehotelsofindia.com...r-udaipur.html KARNI: www.karnihotels.com/kf_about.htm UDAIPUR: still deciding. Most of these places are worth three days. Assuming you want to go there in the first place. lol. You'll have to Google up a map to follow it. Imagine a clock. Indore is in the middle. Maheshwar is 6 o'clock, Dhar is 8, Amla is 10, Ujjain is 12. Then head directly up - you'll find Jhalawar. Then after Bundi you're just heading West and down a bit then up a bit to Udaipur. |
Itchy paws Dogster? I smell a new adventure in the making.
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This is inter-active entertainment, I realise, if you just click on each link and dream.
It's a new internet art form. |
Yup, Femi: crazy, crazy, have to go-o-o-o-o. But not quite yet. But I dream of India. She has me in her grip. Gotta go back. Now... how to do that Doggy-style.
That was an unfortunate analogy, I realise. lol. You get the point. |
Cool posting. Thanks Dogster.
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I know what you mean! ;)
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Wonderful oh supreme dog. This will keep us occupied for days - the planning is almost as good as the doing. Sometimes even better when you know you can't really go or afford some places at least you can look and drool. So much for getting any work done - I'll delegate to the wounded one to start with.
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Drooling here too. I really need to win the lottery or something so I can visit many of these places. Maybe I can ditch my sweet but poor husband and find a rich man! ;)
<i>(Thank goodness sweet but poor husband does not follow Fodors...)</i> Thanks for the list, Dogster! |
What a wonderful list! I'm still browsing the websites - it looks like I could spend a month just on the websites, the actual trip would need to be much longer.
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Maybe this was past your time, Dogster but I was thinking of these lyrics from the moderately successful Australian rock group, The Little River Band, when I read your post today:
"Hey everybody yeah, don't you feel that there's something? Feel it, feel it? Hey everybody yeah, don't you feel that there's something? People on their own are getting nowhere, I am on the road to see, If anything is anywhere and waiting, just for me. Everynight I walk around the city. Seems like I'll never know, That feeling of being together when I go. And it's a long way there, it's a long way to where I'm going, And it's a long way there, it's a long way to where I'm going. Hey everybody, don't you feel that there's something, but you know in a moment it is gone. I live for the day when I can hear people saying that they know and they care for everyone But I feel like I've been here for the whole of my life, never knowing home. It's a long way. It's a long, long, long way there, I'm gonna keep on tryin', I'm gonna keep on tryin', yeah, I'm gonna keep on tryin', I'm gonna keep on tryin', ah! Been away from home for such a long time, And got to know this town, But I don't seem to matter much to anyone, who's around Is there anybody around? Everynight I walk around the city, Seems like I'll never know, The feeling of being together when I go. And it's a long way there, it's a long way to where I'm going, And it's a long way there, it's a long way to where I'm going. Everybody knows it’s a long way there, Oh, everybody knows it’s a long way there. Mmm, it’s a long way Driving around’s kind of getting me down and I know, and I know It’s a long long way there It’s such a long long way, long way Hey everybody yeah, don't you feel that there's something? Feel it, feel it? Hey everybody yeah, don't you feel that there's something?" For some reason I've connected this song with you Dogster and your writings. I'm not completely sure why but it all seems to fit. In any case the tune is a classic frequently played on the "Deep Tracks" satellite radio station here in the USA. As for your list, it will take a while to get through but you can be assured that I will look at all of them. Glad to see Tea Trails and The Kandy House on the list as well as the Oberoi's. I would add the Hotel de la Paix (boutique hotel in Siem Reap) to the list. As you say, there are a million more. |
Ask, I think I'm finally getting the hang of your almost code-like writing style. You could probably write up some trip reports that would make the most worldly of us blush a bright red! :)
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lol Jaya - AskO is the lewdest man in here. All those dots and dashes are code. Just substitute the rudest thing you can think of and all makes sense.
I think it's a 'man thing'. In my limited experience, woman as a breed, have never really understood this eternal flame that ebbs and flows thru some men's lives. Shameless, priapic, with only one tiny brain, attached to the end of their willy. I, of course, remain as pure a puppy as I was born, have to consult well-thumbed novellas with many pictures and not a lot of text to understand those mysterious dots and dashes - but I have observed many men of my close acquaintance who spend - oh, about forty YEARS riding that lustful Dragon d'Amour through places best NOT recorded in the hallowed annals of Fodor's. It's not AskO's fault. Nor was it mine. Some men are born to [hmmm - how can I end this sentence and NOT get a sweet reminder from Kathie the editor that profanity is not allowed... ] I'll try again - some men need to.. some men HAVE to.. AskO reads between Dogster's lines too. It's a secret code. Craig: yup, I know that song well. It was part of my youth. I saw LRB sing it live once - just to me. It's appropriate. More appropriate, in those days - and probably now - was the Eagles song: 'Desperado...' I can see that you intuit me well, Craig. There probably is a sense of the solitary about it all. But I've always been like that. Let me add to the profundity of the Little River Band with a quote from T.S. Eliot: 'At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless; Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is...' |
I hope that was just a slip of the keyboard, dogster, and you were referring to Katie the editor, rather than seeing me as an editor!
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lol, yup Kathie, of course! Slip of the keyboard.
Apologies to all women with 'Kat..' in their name. |
Dogster, speaking of the rudest things (or thoughts)...long back during your postings of Siem Reap, things were getting a little, well saucy sounding and every now and then you kept referring to "tuk tuks". Given the theme of what was going on and the fact that I did not know what a "tuk tuk" was, I closed my eyes and typed that question to you with NO idea what reply I would possibly get.
So funny to learn they were only the little scooters! |
lol, Jaya, that's so funny!
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Hey Dogster. have you done this for Thailand as well? Looks great.
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Thanks Mang: there are a few boutique BKK hotels in there but there are so many Thailand experts [and opinions] in here it'd be silly. There's so much good info in here re: Thailand with a bit of a search.
I've tried to tell people of the boutique options in BKK, but mostly its a 'stay by the river, stay Oriental, Pen, do like I did,' response. Fair 'nuff - most people are going for their first time, one time trip. That's what they want. Dog is after diamonds - and you have to dig to find diamonds. And take risks. So I concentrated on the sub-continent where the treasures are much harder to find, barely reviewed in Trip Advisor and require copious research to uncover. There are a couple of real beauties hidden in the list. I left a lot of stuff out as being too obvious and only put things on it I KNEW - or think highly enough of to go to next trip. I was stupidly hoping that others might feel moved to add THEIR secret places or be inspired to create their own. lol. Fat chance, I see. So, Mang, let me turn the question round. I'd love to see YOUR list of Secret Treasures. I'll bet you've got some good ones. |
aha! just as I was typing, good 'ol JohnFitz came to the rescue. Thanks J.
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Interested in what you come up with for Udaipur-would love to go back there and not see it in the whirlwind method we used before.
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www.rajputanadiscovery.com
I was thinking of doing an alternate Udaipur. The big places are obvious and ridiculously expensive. Maybe a classy homestay is a good way - that way you're with locals in their home town, instead of just another wallet. Otherwise, it's inevitable you become part of the endless tourist assembly line of Rajasthan. The above site is a bit of a con, given as most of the places are actually small hotels - but it's an interesting selection just the same. The Udaipur place is this: www.udaikothi.com |
I can't help with diamonds in India. But there is one well-off-the track place in Sabah I'd recommend for the adventuresome:
www.borneorainforestlodge.com As you know, we loved the Kandy House and Tea Trails in Sri Lanka. I was glad to see both on your list. |
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Dogster and all, sorry I have nothing interesting to contribute to the lodging list. :(
I'm not holding back, just that I am usually staying with family and you know Asian culture...they'd DIE before letting me stay in a hotel (although just between you and me, that would sometimes be my preference!!!). |
Yes, dogster, I looked into that cruise for this year. It really looks fabulous, but the dates we'd need are booked up. Another year...
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Thanks Dogster. I'll try to whip up a list, but I'll be going to Thailand in April and will have a better idea of things then. We're doing BKK-KKC-Phuket/Krabi-BKK, btw. Talk soon..
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Hi Dogster - your list is SO impressive I think everyone else is a bit worried to put up theirs!!!
Anyway a couple of little ones from me http://www.asian-oasis.com -Both their boat trips are worthwhile. http://www.tadfane.com - hotel itself is pretty rough (and cheap) but spectacular location http://www.alilahotels.com/3nagas/ - loved this place a number of years ago but I think its a bit pricy now although so is everywhere else in Luang Prabang. http://www.salalao.com/Sala_Inpeng/Content/Inpeng.htm - Little place in the middle of Vientiane that feels like its not in town. Very personal hands on owner - part of a chain in lao that seem to be owned by different members of the family - the one in Luang Prabang is the architect. All of these lao ones have very hard beds as does nearly all of Lao so be warned. Most of my Thailand ones are the usual brew - lovely but nothing unusual. However a few odd ones - in Udon Thani there is http://www.irishclock.com/ a small bar/restaurant/guesthouse that is great. Also somewhere I'd like to try up there is http://www.geckovilla.com/ and also http://www.thaivillas.com/indexflash.html (the site for Chakrabongse House in Bangkok and Mekong villas in the north which is the one that appeals to me) In Bangkok a small gem is http://www.theatlantahotelbangkok.com/ |
Have you done the Luang Say Lodge/river trip? That looked very appealing to me.
Enjoying the time and space travel - ty !! |
Jenskar - I did the Vat Phou cruise this year, My very good friend did the Luang Say both this year and last and really liked it. He's in top end hospitality so if he says the lodge is good I'd trust his judgement - of course its not claiming to be 5 star. Vat Phou cruise was good with just the reservation that they need to do something about the little boats at the start. They don't come near the rest of the trip.
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Thanks Mary for your contribution. How excellent. I've been trying to do that Vat Phou cruise for ages. I went on Luang Say, plus the lodge - yup, it's a cool way to get from L.P. to [ultimately] Chiang Mai. Yup, not 5 star - but, really, nothing in these lists IS 5 star. Which is good. I spent my working life staying in swizz hotels - now I'm looking for the oddities.
How's your bloke? Will he have a Kanga scar to show the grandchildren? I've been puzzling where you might be. I'll take a punt on Western Australia. Margaret River? Or North. Jaya: that's cool. Just send me your folk's email and I'll go stay with THEM next time. If they are anywhere as nice as you seem to be, I'll be happy. And I bet the food'll be good! And I can't wait for Mang's list. Coming up soon [probably in a separate post] for weekend delectation:- a supremely juicy itinerary for Darjeeling and Sikkim, Doggy style. I think we can refine this armchair travel. I sense a new Fodor's art-form: Vicarious Travels. |
Thanks Dogster - Dan is doing extremely well - he wasn't going fast as on a dirt track at the time - badly sprained foot (well, both really) and fairly purple and yellow all over - the kanga was fine, the bike pretty good as it landed on top of Dan - as they say save the bike first. We are between Denmark and Walpole - Dan works out at the Tree Top Walk hence the back tracks to get there. No grandchildren or children to show scars to. We lived until just recently with a greyhound - a much better companion. If you are heading this way anytime please get in touch - promise not to expose you to the masses! email is [email protected]
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Denmark WA of course - good wine country.
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Mary -- don't want to digress but curious about timing that trip -- thinking fly into Chiang Mai drive to Chiang Rai or try to fly into Chiang Rai? I've heard smoke can be a problem with cancelled flights in January.
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January to March is slash and burn season. I know there have been a couple of years when its been very bad but also that its been unusual cold patterns coming through which hold down the smoke. Its not always like that. Can't say if it would upset your trip - I tend to go in wet season as its the best time for me.
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