Travel reviews by Dr & Mr D from Esher

"Excellent hotel. Could do with a lift as stairs tiring if you are on the top floor. Pleasant room with excellent bathroom and sitting area. Rooms are too dark with no reading light. I had to use a head torch in bed! We couldn't see very much in the bedroom.

Fisherman's Tours charged much more for trips to the Spice Farm than we organised ourselves using Big Joe, the doorman. Our taxi also gave us a tour of the city and waited for us outside the cathedral and market while we explored for just over half the price Fisherman's Tours were going to charge. Fisherman's Tours would have been picking other people up on the way and leaving very early in the morning. Would therefore recommend organising one's own tour contrary to advice we were given.

The tea in the afternoon was very pleasant and we enjoyed watching the sunset from the terrace."

"Excellent room but again, insufficient light for reading in the bedroom. I had to use my head torch here as well. No TV. Bathroom was a little tired and not the standard I would expect in this category room. Lighting poor again in bathroom. Air con was incredibly noisy and kept me awake at night. Lovely balcony but unfortunately the better rooms have no view of the beach or sea although the gardens are pleasant. Difficult to navigate back to our room at night as rooms not very well signed and very dark!

Gym could do with refurbishment as one machine moved across the room while you were walking on it and another had broken controls. No light barbells.

Internet is charged which is a pity as it should be free. Only available right in the centre of the hotel and a little patchy.

Food excellent and service good especially Catherine. Dining room dark and sometimes too warm if you couldn't sit outside - and we never could!

Mostly German and French guests and everyone went to bed very early so entertainments played to very few guests although we enjoyed them. Absolutely dead in this resort after 10pm and most people disappeared after dinner.

Massive beach at low tide. Sea urchins here so protective shoes needed if you try to walk out to the reef. These shoes and a walking stick can be hired from water sports."

"Stayed in CT one night at the Vineyard Hotel which is really excellent. Beautiful gardens and spa and pool. Venue for Sunday lunch for the locals with the family. Food delicious.

Stayed with friends in Betty's Bay."

"Because we missed our flight to Victoria Falls we only spent one night here which was a blessing. Had to queue for over an hour for immigration as we didn't have a visa like everyone else who arrived on our plane. We would definitely recommend getting visas in advance of the trip. Toilets at airport dirty and lacking in soap and towels. Unwelcoming staff except for one female receptionist who had an impossible name to remember and dried our shoes for us after they were soaked at the Falls!

Internet absolutely useless - difficult to connect and only lasted a few minutes.

Dated hotel which needs money spent on it. Room like rooms were 30 years ago. Bathroom dated. No mosquito nets around beds. Had two single beds so not ideal for honeymooners!
Food adequate but rather spartan breakfast with tinned fruits. Not a lot of choice in the Continental breakfast. Swimming pool was cloudy and needed "shocking" so I was reluctant to use it.

Bar was really pleasant and airy. We had cocktails at The Victoria Falls Hotel and wished we had stayed there!

Wilderness Safaris organised our tour of the Falls which was very good albeit an expensive $60 each for 2 hours walking and a one minute bus ride. (Abiot was the guide)

When we asked for a late check-out the next day at 12.30 we were told that the latest was 11.30 - eventually we managed to negotiate 12 midday! We were a little peeved as we had only stayed one night anyway so they could have let our room the night before as they had adequate notice from Expert Africa. We returned to our room at 11.50 and were locked out. This was the last straw and this ranks as the worst hotel on our holiday.

Surrounding area is not very nice to walk around as you are accosted by locals and one man even tried to bargain for my husband's M and S deck shoes! Wilderness Safari drivers very good and pleasant."

"Bumi Air pilot Mike Schuil flew over the Falls at our request which was wonderful as we hadn't had time to do the helicopter ride. Brilliant welcome from Natalie and Denise. Game drive with Wilhem who was very informative and passionate about wildlife. Also did another game drive and several boat trips including a fishing trip with Rogers and sunset cruise. Advantage of Bumi is that you can see the animals very close when you go on the water. The Big 5 are not here and people should realise that when they book. No giraffes or leopards or rhinos. Staff were happy to do anything we wished and prepare meals as and when we wanted them when we arrived and left.

We were given a free room upgrade because the lodge was really quiet. 3 things we reported were wrong in our room were fixed immediately so no complaints there. Rather surprised that there was no power between 9am and 6pm and air con went off at 5am. It didn't worry us and we charged our appliances in the office.

Slightly limited breakfast with tinned fruit again but we had cooked breakfasts and the waiter, Sheckie, was the best waiter we had all holiday - and Jaison was good too. The diffidence of the waiters at Ilala was not present at all here. Food very good although the difficulty of getting supplies to the Lodge was apparent but we were prepared to overlook this. A little annoying to have to keep signing for the inclusive drinks - wine and beer and soft drinks. Would be better just to make this an all inclusive resort.

All in all we felt part of the family. The entire staff turned out to see us off by plane again and waved goodbye. This was the hotel that we were not expecting to enjoy so much but it surpassed our expectations. Internet excellent around the reception area.

Spa therapist very capable and pleasant.

My husband was a little concerned by the age of the tiny planes that Bumi Air use - a 1968 Cessna with one engine returned us to Harare. No complaints with the flights and they fitted in with our plans when we requested an earlier flight to Harare."

"Stayed at Amanzi Lodge. Would recommend this hotel. Excellent gym and tennis court and small pool. Food at restaurant excellent but breakfast at the Lodge was disappointing with very little choice in the continental breakfast.

They forgot to top up the milk cartons I requested"