Travel reviews by Nikos from Greece
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
5
Excursions taken
0
My Aug 2012 trip
Tanzania and 1 other country between 2 Aug 2012 and 20 Aug 2012
"The trip was excellent experience a lifetime experience I would easily say. Everything was planned excellent by Expert Africa and I would like to thank you about.
I have one minor issue with your instructions where nowhere I could see that the USDs accepted in Tanzania had to be issued after 2000 and in Mozambique after 2006 I think. This created some friction and uncentanty when I was paying in cash and it made me feel uncomfortable close to the end of the trip when I was running low in cash that it was accepted.
Aside that congratulations to your planning, but I would like you to inform everybody about the small extra costs like departure taxes from Mozambiqual airports as well as transit visas to Tanzania and so on.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Apply as much pressure as you can to the hotels for value for money as well as to the governments to reduce visa costs. A USA visa costs 30 euros a Tanzanian one 50 (one entry) and a Mozambiquan 80 and if you wanted a transit you had to another 30 for Tanzania. Again I had the feeling that all of the government agencies that I had to deal with were trying to rip me off as a tourist."
I have one minor issue with your instructions where nowhere I could see that the USDs accepted in Tanzania had to be issued after 2000 and in Mozambique after 2006 I think. This created some friction and uncentanty when I was paying in cash and it made me feel uncomfortable close to the end of the trip when I was running low in cash that it was accepted.
Aside that congratulations to your planning, but I would like you to inform everybody about the small extra costs like departure taxes from Mozambiqual airports as well as transit visas to Tanzania and so on.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Apply as much pressure as you can to the hotels for value for money as well as to the governments to reduce visa costs. A USA visa costs 30 euros a Tanzanian one 50 (one entry) and a Mozambiquan 80 and if you wanted a transit you had to another 30 for Tanzania. Again I had the feeling that all of the government agencies that I had to deal with were trying to rip me off as a tourist."
Feedback response
Our travellers will find information on what currency to take and what US dollar notes are accepted, in our Notes for Travellers. This is a booklet with some pre-departure information which we send out once a booking with us is confirmed.
Serena Hotel Dar
"Good and clean Hotel we stayed for few hours"
1 night
Arrived
3 Aug 2012
"Good hotel I wish it was closer to Airport so we did not have to lose sleep / rest time"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Siwandu
"Lifetime experience to say the least"
4 nights
Arrived
4 Aug 2012
"Lifetime experience we enjoyed every moment of it.
Location is excellent we were able to see great number and variety of game. Furthermore, we were able to witness live the hunting of Lions to buffaloes. Concerning the accommodations and the stuff we need to say a big thank you to Ricus nd Beatris to Said and Onesimo last but not least to Mpoto a perfect guide and a knowledgeable guard.
I would recommend the place and the people with no reservation whatsoever"
Location is excellent we were able to see great number and variety of game. Furthermore, we were able to witness live the hunting of Lions to buffaloes. Concerning the accommodations and the stuff we need to say a big thank you to Ricus nd Beatris to Said and Onesimo last but not least to Mpoto a perfect guide and a knowledgeable guard.
I would recommend the place and the people with no reservation whatsoever"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Vamizi Lodge
"Good Location great dive spots"
7 nights
Arrived
8 Aug 2012
"Well the big whole in our trip was what we thought would have been the greatest pleasure of all. Everything started perfectly and the scenery was perfect the managers are great and really helpfull and the stuff is the same way.
The trouble started when we had rats in our villa and one them woke me up one night because it was on the bed around my left shoulder. From then on we were not able to sleep properly since I had to escort Maria to the bathroom during night. They suggested they change the villa we hav given to another villa, when we were gathering our things, I found a snake in the closet, a harmless one nevertheless a snake and I hate snakes. In the new villa we were given there still was a rat problem but fewer of them and smaller. Again we had a bat problem and we could not sit and relax on our veranda after dark.
Aside the rat, bat, snake problem the accomodation is nice but I believe they could do a better job maintaining, like the showers need to be decalsified more often and some new refrigirators will not hurt nobody, especially with the amount paid per / night.
I have marked food average because I did not want to be mean and mark it as poor and because breakfast and service were adequate. Most of the dishes served were tasteless despite the fact that ingredients were fresh and good.
I have to admit people were really nice and organized a really nice pic nic for us at the light house with all the nicest food and wine, regreatfully we dozed for 10 minutes before we had lunch and we found a rat snacking on our table when we woke up, the effort from their side still remains the effort and it was a really great prepared pic nic.
What it was great was the diving and the diving center where I had 5 dives the only comment I have is that since they saw I really liked diving they should have informed about taking the course to become a PADI certified open water diver.
Overall and considering the value for money factor it was low average stay and I would consider suggesting or going back there only if I was assured that they have taken care of their rat and bat problem. Last but not least I would like to distinguish the rat, bat snake problesms at Vamizi from the high quality stuff and management services, they are really great but sometimes problems you have not foreseen might left you exposed."
The trouble started when we had rats in our villa and one them woke me up one night because it was on the bed around my left shoulder. From then on we were not able to sleep properly since I had to escort Maria to the bathroom during night. They suggested they change the villa we hav given to another villa, when we were gathering our things, I found a snake in the closet, a harmless one nevertheless a snake and I hate snakes. In the new villa we were given there still was a rat problem but fewer of them and smaller. Again we had a bat problem and we could not sit and relax on our veranda after dark.
Aside the rat, bat, snake problem the accomodation is nice but I believe they could do a better job maintaining, like the showers need to be decalsified more often and some new refrigirators will not hurt nobody, especially with the amount paid per / night.
I have marked food average because I did not want to be mean and mark it as poor and because breakfast and service were adequate. Most of the dishes served were tasteless despite the fact that ingredients were fresh and good.
I have to admit people were really nice and organized a really nice pic nic for us at the light house with all the nicest food and wine, regreatfully we dozed for 10 minutes before we had lunch and we found a rat snacking on our table when we woke up, the effort from their side still remains the effort and it was a really great prepared pic nic.
What it was great was the diving and the diving center where I had 5 dives the only comment I have is that since they saw I really liked diving they should have informed about taking the course to become a PADI certified open water diver.
Overall and considering the value for money factor it was low average stay and I would consider suggesting or going back there only if I was assured that they have taken care of their rat and bat problem. Last but not least I would like to distinguish the rat, bat snake problesms at Vamizi from the high quality stuff and management services, they are really great but sometimes problems you have not foreseen might left you exposed."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Facilities
Average
Feedback response
Vamizi expressed their deep regret to us that this holiday did not meet and exceed our travellers expectations. They told us that they are passionate about providing guests with the best possible experience and are looking into the complaint and how to rectify the issues raised.
Unfortunately due to un-seasonal rains which have affected much of southern and east Africa this year, the islands small rodent population increased unexpectedly. The close quarter experiences that these travellers had were far from normal, and Vamizi are taking this very seriously. They are now introducing ultrasonic deterrence devices around guest areas as well as successfully controlling the population at the source.
The team at Vamizi also commented: Bats play an important role in the ecology of the island (controlling the insect population) and are always noticeable in the evenings as they fly around. They do sometimes enter into the villas and the lodge has operated for many years without this being an issue for our guests. Regardless, we are in the process of putting extra netting in the villas to help reduce this.
They were especially sorry to hear that these travellers did not enjoy the food. The Executive Chefs are highly experienced and the majority of the feedback received about the food is overwhelmingly positive. Vamizi highlight that they are very flexible and always happy to cook off menu to suit individual tastes. We would always emphasize that travellers discuss any issues such as these directly with the lodge. It is the only way to get anything resolved during the course of your stay and this will invariably lead to an immediate improvement.
Unfortunately due to un-seasonal rains which have affected much of southern and east Africa this year, the islands small rodent population increased unexpectedly. The close quarter experiences that these travellers had were far from normal, and Vamizi are taking this very seriously. They are now introducing ultrasonic deterrence devices around guest areas as well as successfully controlling the population at the source.
The team at Vamizi also commented: Bats play an important role in the ecology of the island (controlling the insect population) and are always noticeable in the evenings as they fly around. They do sometimes enter into the villas and the lodge has operated for many years without this being an issue for our guests. Regardless, we are in the process of putting extra netting in the villas to help reduce this.
They were especially sorry to hear that these travellers did not enjoy the food. The Executive Chefs are highly experienced and the majority of the feedback received about the food is overwhelmingly positive. Vamizi highlight that they are very flexible and always happy to cook off menu to suit individual tastes. We would always emphasize that travellers discuss any issues such as these directly with the lodge. It is the only way to get anything resolved during the course of your stay and this will invariably lead to an immediate improvement.
Azura at Quilalea
"Excellent location people at Quilalea"
4 nights
Arrived
15 Aug 2012
"Quilalea is an excellent spot where it combines everything. The service is great and I need to applaud all of them for their proffesionalism and level of service. Everything was planned close to perfection by them every small detail, from the moment they picked us up at Pemba (where instead of letting stay at the aorport waiting for 3 hours they took us to a nice hotel to have some lunch and relax) to the last moment when we were transported by boat to Queriba to the plane and we had to walk due to a low tide where the dad bottles of water so we could rinse off our feet.
The place is really great for snokerling where you can just 2 metters in the sea, something you could not do in Vamizi, but you have to be cautious of currents. They have really good dive sites and excellent dive instructors (Heilke and Paul) a big thank you to both of them for my PADI Certification and training.
It a really nice cozy resort that we would certainly return and suggest other people to visit and stay. The only thing we regret is that we did not have more days to stay."
The place is really great for snokerling where you can just 2 metters in the sea, something you could not do in Vamizi, but you have to be cautious of currents. They have really good dive sites and excellent dive instructors (Heilke and Paul) a big thank you to both of them for my PADI Certification and training.
It a really nice cozy resort that we would certainly return and suggest other people to visit and stay. The only thing we regret is that we did not have more days to stay."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Serena Hotel Dar
"Royal Palm Hotel review"
1 night
Arrived
19 Aug 2012
"same as previous"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent