Bensley Collection Shinta Mani Wild

I visited Shinta Mani Wild in their opening week. Despite the fact that one would expect there still to be teething problems so early on, the whole experience was seamless and truly special. The "tents" are in fact more luxurious than most 5* hotel suites: enormous, beautifully and thoughtfully designed, with a wide terraces on which there is a dining table, sofas, fully-stocked bar, and a delightful outdoor bath from which you can watch the sunrise or sunset, surrounded by the peace of the jung... I visited Shinta Mani Wild in their opening week. Despite the fact that one would expect there still to be teething problems so early on, the whole experience was seamless and truly special. The "tents" are in fact more luxurious than most 5* hotel suites: enormous, beautifully and thoughtfully designed, with a wide terraces on which there is a dining table, sofas, fully-stocked bar, and a delightful outdoor bath from which you can watch the sunrise or sunset, surrounded by the peace of the jungle. The bedrooms have a huge bed, large double sinks, and individually enclosed rainforest shower and toilet. The restaurant is a particular highlight, thanks to the skills of the talented Patricia Yeo. From my first night I enjoyed delights such as tempura green beans and hours-long slow-cooked lamb shank with a rich jus and courgette crisps. There are relaxation areas overlooking the waterfall, which makes up the central focus of the hotel. I spent my afternoons on the edge of this waterfall, surrounded by butterflies, whilst reading my book. I enjoyed activities including fly-fishing (every fish I caught was gently released back into the water), foraging for dinner produce, and beautiful motorbike trips through the local countryside en route to jungle walks, where we learnt from the hotel's rangers about the damaging effect of poachers, and dismantled traps set by those poachers for wild animals. One morning we released back into the wild a slow loris and bag of turtles, which the hotel's own Wildlife Alliance had rescued off poachers. The infinity swimming pool is a magnificent black edifice from whose depths you can gaze upon the jungle, suspended somewhere between water and foliage. A special mention must be made to the General Manager Sangjay Choegyal, whose impressive knowledge of nature hotels spans the Four Seasons and Aman Hotel Groups, across Bhutan, Chiang Mai, and his own hotel in the Sri Lankan jungle. His charm, knowledge, and inherent respect for the surrounding ecology, not to mention his approachability and ability to share intriguing stories over one of the many unique cocktails in the unusually designed bar, are a great asset to the experience. I came away from my stay with a deep sense of peace and integrity. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a replenishing and valuable holiday. As someone who has previously lived and worked in Cambodia, I would also suggest that any travellers visit the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh upon landing; a humbling but important historical experience.

My wife and I stayed at Shinta Mani Wild for 3 days in Feb. 2019 and loved it. This resort is unlike any resort we have stayed in. First of all you zip line into the resort to find a drink waiting for you at the bar. The luxurious tent was awaiting unlike any tent you might expect. Beautiful interiors in the room and on the decking. The Butler took extra care of us on our stay. There was a kayak, mountain bike and boat excursion we wish we could have done. The other guests raved about it. Sonjay... My wife and I stayed at Shinta Mani Wild for 3 days in Feb. 2019 and loved it. This resort is unlike any resort we have stayed in. First of all you zip line into the resort to find a drink waiting for you at the bar. The luxurious tent was awaiting unlike any tent you might expect. Beautiful interiors in the room and on the decking. The Butler took extra care of us on our stay. There was a kayak, mountain bike and boat excursion we wish we could have done. The other guests raved about it. Sonjay (the manager) was wonderful and the meals with entertainment were out of this world. The unique steel pool, the massages, and the waterfalls also added to our stay. We loved this place and next time our stay will be for 5 days. The owners of the resort are dedicated to the preservation of the forestry and animals. They do have guards to keep the poachers out. While we were there they caught 2 poachers and rescued 3 civit cats.

We stayed at this resort for 3 nights and had a wonderful time. I am 74 years old and zip lined into the resort which was an adventure in itself for me. I did it again the next day just for fun. There are activities for the very young and fit and the not so young and fit. This resort is a combination of adventure and pure luxury. What a fun time we had. They are committed to the preservation of nature with total comfort for the guests. There is so much to do and so many adventures to chose from ... We stayed at this resort for 3 nights and had a wonderful time. I am 74 years old and zip lined into the resort which was an adventure in itself for me. I did it again the next day just for fun. There are activities for the very young and fit and the not so young and fit. This resort is a combination of adventure and pure luxury. What a fun time we had. They are committed to the preservation of nature with total comfort for the guests. There is so much to do and so many adventures to chose from we did not even make a dent in it. The meals are amazing and so is the spa. The natural resources will take your breath away. Wonderful, accommodating, and friendly staff. Thank you for the experience Shinta Mani Wild