Hotels
Group tour hotels are mainly 3½ – 4 star, located conveniently in the city, near markets or shops. Double beds are not common; please note that we cannot guarantee their availability. All beds in Southeast Asia have hard mattresses.
Hotel rooms will usually have private western bathroom facilities, television, air-conditioning and a telephone (unless stated otherwise). Some hotels may have hot water restrictions, operating for only a few hours at a time, usually in the mornings/evenings. It is not customary for hotels in Southeast Asia to have in-room fridges, tea/coffee making facilities or a safe deposit box. Most hotel rooms do not have irons or boards, but most will offer a laundry service
that can wash your clothes (typically in 24 hours).
Most hotels throughout Southeast Asia are still required to register all guests with the local police. Reception staff will collect your passports each time you check-in and the hotel will keep them safely for a few hours or overnight. Please keep this in mind if you need to exchange money or get a credit advance at the bank.
In Southeast Asia, check-out time is usually 12 midday and check-in time is usually 2pm. Please keep this in mind on the days when you are travelling between cities as it may result in a delay of access to your room or a change of itinerary. Hotels in this region cannot guarantee late check-out. At many hotels, the reception staff speak very little English. If you require help, please
contact your tour guide.
Double beds are subject to hotel inventory and cannot be guaranteed.
Hotel List - You will receive your hotel list with final documents sent to you 2-3 weeks prior to travel. A sample list of hotels can be found on each tour's website.
Hotel ratings
Worldwide star ratings identify the standard of quality for hotels, however not all star rating systems are created equal. Countries throughout the world adopt various classification systems for hotels in accordance to their chain name and the type of hotel. No international classification system exists. Typically, a three-star Southeast Asian rated hotel cannot be compared to a three-star Australian/New Zealand rated hotel. Attempts at unifying the classification system have been made so that it becomes an internationally recognised and reliable standard. However, differences do exist in the quality of accommodation which plays an integral part in defining which hotel category the specific accommodation fits into. All hotels used by Wendy Wu Tours are regularly inspected by our staff and our operators so that high standards of quality and safety are maintained.
Please be aware that hotels in Laos and in regional areas of Vietnam and Cambodia may not always have the same quality standards and infrastructure that you will find in the bigger, more developed areas. In these regions, Wendy Wu Tours endeavours to provide the best quality available within the 3½ – 4 star range.
Myanmar
Hotels in Myanmar are generally ‘medium range’ and can vary greatly between one area to the next. In remote areas we utilise properties that are the best available which can accommodate the size of our groups. At each hotel your National Escort will try to organise the rooming arrangements to suit everyone’s requirements. If you are travelling as a couple please note that we cannot guarantee the availability of double beds.
Rangoon and Mandalay offer a good choice of accommodation; however in Bagan and the Inle Lake region, travellers should not expect the same standard, but instead a selection of more traditional accommodation, which is simple and basic in décor and design.
Halong Bay Cruise
Accommodation is in a twin berth cabin with private western facilities. Single cabins are available at a supplement on request.
Mekong Delta Homestay – Vietnam
Accommodation is at the home of a local farmer, which has a river view. Your bedding is an individual soft camp bed with a mosquito net in a dormitory of up to ten people. There are showers and western toilets in an outside block; similar to caravan parks. Usually there is only cold water for showers but most people do not mind this at all due to the hot weather all year-round in the Mekong.