Travel reviews by Serval family from Essex

"A basic camp but only in a relative sense (compared to Impala). Even so we felt it was a wonderful place to spend our first few nights on safari.

The accommodation was excellent and the staff (all of them - guides, drivers, management) were really superb. We felt we could ask to do anything we wanted and there was always lots of expert advice available if we had any doubts. The food was good whether it was dinner or a safari lunch.

The great thing about Manze was the wildlife - we saw so much in our short stay there - and the nature of the terrain made viewing so easy."

"A step up from Maze camp. Obviously a more well established camp in a truly superb location.

As with Manze, the staff were excellent from our first moment to the last. Slightly more formal than Manze but still very relaxed. The accommodation was lovely with excellent views over the river. The pool was a great place to go after a long day out and the food was great!!

We were given every opportunity to decide what we wanted to do and the mixture of driving, walking, sailing and fishing gave us real variety.

Two specific comments (not negative, just observations): firstly the terrain around Impala is less open than Manze so it is a bit more difficult to spot wildlife, secondly the tracks are fairly rutted. Mind you, a day in a Landrover going along muddy tracks in great fun in itself!"

"So relaxed it is almost horizontal! A great place to unwind after the rigours of a safari. No activities on site but if you want to top up the tan, eat great food and enjoy the view then this is the place.

Accommodation, layout and location were superb. The food was excellent - lots of local produce (particularly seafood) - the barbequed lobster and parrot fish on Christmas day were a real treat.

Echo Beach had only just opened. In some respects this showed - the odd defective light fitting, stiff doors, the very odd hiccough with service, etc, but nothing to detract from the overall experience.

Unlike Manze and Impala camps there was no written information in the rooms or the bar/restaurant area. We did mention this and we were told that this was being addressed. However. verbal advice was freely available and trips easily arranged.

Again, the staff and management were incredibly polite and helpful."

"We only had one night in Stonetown which was a real shame and we would have liked to have stayed longer.

The Zanzibar Coffee House is an excellent budget hotel with a fairly central location. The rooms are basic but full of character. The top floor "gallery" is a great place to enjoy a coffee and snack in a cooling breeze while taking in a panoramic view.

The staff were all very helpful, even the nightwatchman who made us fresh coffee at 5am on the day we left.

One point to note : there is no direct vehicle access to the hotel (unless you are on a scooter!) - taxis need to park about 50 yards away."