We stayed over a weekend in February. The hotel is very close to the main tourist area Jonker Street, yet is not in the middle of all that activity, so quite an oasis of calm just around the corner.

The rooms were large and well appointed, so it was disappointing to see cobwebs in the corners and on top of the lamp shade of the bedside table, and to see a layer of dust on the wooden sill next to the bathtub. You'd think if they knew you were going to be there and had taken the trouble to leave a welcome note from the GM in your room that they would have checked the room to make sure it was in a welcoming state. Big disappointment there.

Next, the air conditioner thermostat refused to be reset to the temperature we set it to. As we had been out all day, we only discovered this long after dinner when we were too tired to raise a complaint and move to another room.

Also, we stayed in a corner room with a wraparound balcony and there was a large round window facing our bed with a translucent shade that didn't block out the light from outside. It was like sleeping with a huge moon in your room all night!

It is a lovely place and you can see they've tried to make it so but obviously quite a bit more could be done. If they could get their act together, this could be the place to stay when you're in Melaka and don't mind paying a premium for comfort. At over RM700 per room, you should not be expected to put up with these irritating lapses.

A note to the management: I'd love to go back, but only if you can take care of these glitches.

The location is the best - nice river view from the pool, close to the attractions. The lobby is really beautiful and the rooms are fantastic.

The only down side was the food - the River Grill restaurant gave us boring food at pretty expensive rates, but there are several restaurant within walking distance so this is no problem.

Probably one of the best hotels where I have ever stayed in Malaysia. Casa del Rio is a fantastic place where to stay if you want to enjoy your visit to Malacca. It's perfect location allows you to go around the city at your own convinience while enjoying its facilities (infinitive pool, library) during the hottest hours of the day, when temperature can go above 40 degrees. 2 minutes walking from Jonkers street and the historical city center, allows you to visit the city early in the morning, at lunch time and go back for a rest before going out again for dinner.

Service is fantastic and takes cares of every small detail. Rooms are big and confortable and beautifully decorated. Breakfast is superb. the only complain I may have is about one of the hotel bars, which opens until late and is quite noisy at night.

I've stayed in 3 top rated hotels in Melaka, namely The Majestic Hotel, Philea Resort and Casa Del Rio. Even though there are plus points in the first two mentioned, overall Casa Del Rio is still the winner.
Firstly, the ideal the location which is just a stone's throw to the very happening Jonkers Street and historical sites of Melaka which is a must-see for first time tourists.You do not have to spend extra on transport as all these are within a short walking distance from the hotel.
Secondly you'll like the rooms with its nice design and its classic fittings and furnishing.
The facilities I like most in the hotel is the library .Even though there are not much reading materials, you can use the computer and internet there. There's complimentary coffee, tea , tit-bits etc too,
Now the not so nice thing about the hotel is there is a public walkway just beside it and members of the public are seen streaming in to take photos at the lobby and lago areas so there's this lack of exclusivity and privacy for hotel guests.
I have posted a lot of photos and detailed reviews on this hotel in my blog. Do visit it at anythinglily.blogspot.com