Travel reviews by The HBs from London
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
3
Excursions taken
0
Tanzania trip September 2016
Tanzania and 1 other country between 14 Sep 2016 and 26 Sep 2016
"A very well thought out trip for which we received excellent advice from Expert Africa (James Denny). In particular, the order of visiting the camps was perfect in that, had we visited Mwagusi first the sheer volume of game in Ruaha may have led us to be a little disappointed in Selous. That said, our guide at Impala Camp was truly outstanding in that we saw more than others staying at the same time due to his patience and desire that we understood the animal behaviour. By spending time observing the animals with him, we saw the full story of a lion kill from them first being alerted to a wounded wildebeest to the kill itself and the subsequent family hierarchy in action for the "feast". Often we were the only observers of significant wildlife events which made it very special.
In addition the choice of camps suited us much better than, for example, the Serengeti. We wanted quiet and remote and that is exactly what we got, combined with plenty of wildlife action. A nice bonus is that both camps were better than we had expected, from facilities to food to service.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Our whole experience with Expert Africa has been excellent.
Nothing springs to mind as needing improvement which tells you a lot about the service you have provided to us."
In addition the choice of camps suited us much better than, for example, the Serengeti. We wanted quiet and remote and that is exactly what we got, combined with plenty of wildlife action. A nice bonus is that both camps were better than we had expected, from facilities to food to service.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Our whole experience with Expert Africa has been excellent.
Nothing springs to mind as needing improvement which tells you a lot about the service you have provided to us."
Impala Camp
"First safari experience at Selous Impala Camp"
4 nights
Arrived
15 Sep 2016
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Mwagusi Safari Camp
"Second safari experience at Mwagusi"
4 nights
Arrived
19 Sep 2016
"The size, layout and location of the Banda in which we stayed was excellent, overlooking the dry river bed with a variety of wildlife wandering around.
The creative dining arrangements whereby different locations away from the main dining area were used each evening (in the river bed and in the bush) is a brilliant initiative and very atmospheric.
All staff were both friendly and helpful and we liked the initiative whereby staff rotate through several of the front and back of house functions whilst training to be safari guides.
Laundry service was outstanding - very helpful to have and turnaround was extremely quick.
No hot water in the sink although plenty for showers. We understand that the solar power may not be able to cope with the provision of extra hot water to the sinks but it did make shaving slightly less pleasant."
The creative dining arrangements whereby different locations away from the main dining area were used each evening (in the river bed and in the bush) is a brilliant initiative and very atmospheric.
All staff were both friendly and helpful and we liked the initiative whereby staff rotate through several of the front and back of house functions whilst training to be safari guides.
Laundry service was outstanding - very helpful to have and turnaround was extremely quick.
No hot water in the sink although plenty for showers. We understand that the solar power may not be able to cope with the provision of extra hot water to the sinks but it did make shaving slightly less pleasant."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Serena Inn
"Serena Inn"
3 nights
Arrived
23 Sep 2016
"We were expecting 5 star luxury at Serena but we did feel it fell slightly short of our expectations. For example, the bath had chipped enamel and the shower head leaked until we fixed it temporarily. The wine list was limited and much was unavailable whilst we were there.
There were very few guests staying whilst we were there which did mean that the bar and restaurant areas were almost deserted and lacked atmosphere. Music was laid on in the early evenings but we found the wandering minstrels in the restaurant rather intrusive and more suited to a beachside tourist venue than a luxury hotel.
The staff were attentive but we felt a little overwhelmed at times by the sheer number of them. Very few were engaging which may be the culture of the hotel but as a result we did venture to outside venues for some drinks and snacks rather than stay on site.
The location is excellent and the swimming pool area is delightful."
There were very few guests staying whilst we were there which did mean that the bar and restaurant areas were almost deserted and lacked atmosphere. Music was laid on in the early evenings but we found the wandering minstrels in the restaurant rather intrusive and more suited to a beachside tourist venue than a luxury hotel.
The staff were attentive but we felt a little overwhelmed at times by the sheer number of them. Very few were engaging which may be the culture of the hotel but as a result we did venture to outside venues for some drinks and snacks rather than stay on site.
The location is excellent and the swimming pool area is delightful."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Continuity of all the above staff who looked after us throughout our stay was a major factor in our enjoyment here, as was the range of different safari options each day - river, jeep and walking. We took advantage of all of them.
The reliable laundry service helped us keep our luggage to a minimum.
The dining experience was excellent. Moving us to different locations within the camp is a nice idea and the surprise champagne at sundown on our last game drive made it very special."