Travel reviews by DGJM from London
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
3
Excursions taken
2
Unforgettable honeymoon in Tanzania/Zanzibar
Zanzibar and 1 other country between 14 Jul 2019 and 25 Jul 2019
"Our trip as a whole was wonderful. I kept joking that I was worried something would go wrong - but nothing did (much to my relief)! It can feel like you have a lot riding on a big trip like a honeymoon, and we were keen to travel somewhere that neither of us had been before.
Overall, everything was seamless, from flights to transfers to the lodges / hotels / resorts themselves. For the most part, everyone we interacted with on the trip was warm, friendly, and eager to help.
Olivia was great - from initial enquiry to the final booking, she was responsive and clearly very knowledgeable about travelling to Tanzania. She managed to accommodate and re-work our itinerary/quote a few times as our dates changed due to work obligations, but managed to find something that worked within our budget and timeframe. We booked our external flights ourselves, but only because we had air miles available to utilize.
The trip was a great mix of safari / wildlife, short city break with some history, and beach holiday."
Overall, everything was seamless, from flights to transfers to the lodges / hotels / resorts themselves. For the most part, everyone we interacted with on the trip was warm, friendly, and eager to help.
Olivia was great - from initial enquiry to the final booking, she was responsive and clearly very knowledgeable about travelling to Tanzania. She managed to accommodate and re-work our itinerary/quote a few times as our dates changed due to work obligations, but managed to find something that worked within our budget and timeframe. We booked our external flights ourselves, but only because we had air miles available to utilize.
The trip was a great mix of safari / wildlife, short city break with some history, and beach holiday."
Alex Walker's Serian Serengeti
"Amazing safari to catch the migration"
4 nights
Arrived
15 Jul 2019
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
3 sightings
Cheetah
1 sighting
Eland
6 sightings
Elephant
4 sightings
Giraffe
3 sightings
Hippo
4 sightings
Leopard
2 sightings
Lion
4 sightings
Oryx
3 sightings
Spotted Hyena
3 sightings
Wild dog
1 sighting
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Zanzibar Palace Hotel
"Pleasant centrally-located stay in Stone Town"
2 nights
Arrived
19 Jul 2019
"We had a very pleasant stay at Zanzibar Palace Hotel. It has recently changed management, and the new Italian manager welcomed us warmly. She was helpful with local tips for Stone Town, and was able to answer any questions we had.
Our room was very nice and spacious, as we had a suite on the top floor. The room had a mini balcony which we utilized in the evenings when the sun had gone down a bit - provided a nice view of the roofs around Stone Town.
Breakfast was included and very nice each morning, and we especially enjoyed the omelettes. The staff was very friendly and made conversation each day, remembering our names and asking about our experiences around town.
The only other piece of feedback is regarding accessibility - if anyone has difficulty navigating stairs, then the suites at the hotel may not be well-suited, as they are up 3 flights of stairs that are slightly uneven (which is expected given this used to a personal home)."
Our room was very nice and spacious, as we had a suite on the top floor. The room had a mini balcony which we utilized in the evenings when the sun had gone down a bit - provided a nice view of the roofs around Stone Town.
Breakfast was included and very nice each morning, and we especially enjoyed the omelettes. The staff was very friendly and made conversation each day, remembering our names and asking about our experiences around town.
The only other piece of feedback is regarding accessibility - if anyone has difficulty navigating stairs, then the suites at the hotel may not be well-suited, as they are up 3 flights of stairs that are slightly uneven (which is expected given this used to a personal home)."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Stone Town Discovery Tour
"Insiders' Tour of Stone Town"
19 Jul 2019 • All-day excursion
It was an interesting experience to be taken around Stone Town by a local who was born and raised in Zanzibar. He took us through local markets and the winding streets of the town, which could have been confusing to navigate on our own. He also encouraged us to try local foods to enhance the experience (halwa, baobab, coffee).
We enjoyed hearing about his history of the town, but would have been interested to hear more about the interactions of all the various groups that comprise Zanzibar, particularly post-revolution. Still, it was a great introducing to the town.
We enjoyed hearing about his history of the town, but would have been interested to hear more about the interactions of all the various groups that comprise Zanzibar, particularly post-revolution. Still, it was a great introducing to the town.
Princess Salme Spice Tour
"Beautiful scenery on Spice Plantation"
20 Jul 2019 • All-day excursion
The spice plantation tour was very interesting and eye-opening. Trying to identify various everyday spices from the scent of the leaves or the taste of the bark was more difficult than we thought - but also unique and not an experience we could have anywhere. The landscape around the plantation was also beautiful and contrasted with the hustle and bustle of Stone Town and the sandy beaches of the resort areas, with its hills and lush vegetation.
The homemade lunch was also really tasty and one of the highlights - being able to the try the local cuisine that used many of the spices we saw on the tour was great.
The only complaint was that the guide was not fully engaged - he was often on his mobile phone and rushed us a bit at the end of lunch as he had another tour starting immediately afterwards. It can be difficult to strike the right balance between an authentic and tourist experience, and seeing numerous others tourists walking around Stone Town with the same woven crowns and headbands was a little disappointing.
The homemade lunch was also really tasty and one of the highlights - being able to the try the local cuisine that used many of the spices we saw on the tour was great.
The only complaint was that the guide was not fully engaged - he was often on his mobile phone and rushed us a bit at the end of lunch as he had another tour starting immediately afterwards. It can be difficult to strike the right balance between an authentic and tourist experience, and seeing numerous others tourists walking around Stone Town with the same woven crowns and headbands was a little disappointing.
Qambani
"Gorgeous beach resort end to trip"
3 nights
Arrived
21 Jul 2019
"Qambani is a beautiful resort with access to beaches but also a few great pools on-site. Our villa was the most secluded and looked different from the others, with its Moorish architecture - but was also great as this was the conclusion to our honeymoon. This may not be the best spot for travellers who don't wish to be far away from the rest of the resort, or who have difficulty with steps.
I was a bit concerned when we were not greeted immediately upon our arrival - but we soon realized that this is because there is no official "front desk" or "check-in area". The whole resort is meant to feel like home for guests, and they have basically access to all the areas for lounging, etc. For the most part, we did not have difficulty finding staff if we needed anything during our stay.
The villa itself was well maintained, and any issues we ran into were solved very quickly. I especially loved the toiletries provided! We also had a private plunge pool, which had beautiful views of sunsets each evening. We were also able to utilize a roof deck for meals and spa treatments.
The staff was very friendly and always greeted us with a smile. Meals were very well-done, and even though we were told that we could make special requests, we were pretty much always open and happy to take the lunch and dinner meals as suggested. It is a nice touch to be able to have your meals at a time and location of your choosing, and luckily the staff was flexible if we had not made up our minds in the morning.
We weren't sure what to expect after reading that the tide goes out ~1.5km during low tide, and that the beach in front of the resort is essentially tide pools - but we enjoyed utilizing that time to take a walk out and check out the marine life, or lounge in our villa or at one of the resort's main pools. Indeed, the infinity pool with the swing is a standout! Going for morning and evening swims during high tide was also wonderful. We utilized the resort's kayaks, snorkel masks and aqua shoes.
We were especially appreciative of the personalized touches during our stay - complimentary champagne to help us celebrate our honeymoon, and a private dinner set up for our last night at the resort."
I was a bit concerned when we were not greeted immediately upon our arrival - but we soon realized that this is because there is no official "front desk" or "check-in area". The whole resort is meant to feel like home for guests, and they have basically access to all the areas for lounging, etc. For the most part, we did not have difficulty finding staff if we needed anything during our stay.
The villa itself was well maintained, and any issues we ran into were solved very quickly. I especially loved the toiletries provided! We also had a private plunge pool, which had beautiful views of sunsets each evening. We were also able to utilize a roof deck for meals and spa treatments.
The staff was very friendly and always greeted us with a smile. Meals were very well-done, and even though we were told that we could make special requests, we were pretty much always open and happy to take the lunch and dinner meals as suggested. It is a nice touch to be able to have your meals at a time and location of your choosing, and luckily the staff was flexible if we had not made up our minds in the morning.
We weren't sure what to expect after reading that the tide goes out ~1.5km during low tide, and that the beach in front of the resort is essentially tide pools - but we enjoyed utilizing that time to take a walk out and check out the marine life, or lounge in our villa or at one of the resort's main pools. Indeed, the infinity pool with the swing is a standout! Going for morning and evening swims during high tide was also wonderful. We utilized the resort's kayaks, snorkel masks and aqua shoes.
We were especially appreciative of the personalized touches during our stay - complimentary champagne to help us celebrate our honeymoon, and a private dinner set up for our last night at the resort."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
The facilities at the camp themselves were also very nice. While very comfortable, they weren't "opulent" but rather very functional. I was a bit unsure about the bucket shower at first, but it was a great reminder of how much water we probably waste at home every day! It was nice to be woken up to a cup of coffee delivered to the room each morning, and fascinating to hear the wildebeest right outside of our tent each night.
The staff at the camp were very friendly and attentive, and the meals were all good. We especially enjoyed speaking with Ainslie about her experiences - she is very warm and straightforward but a great ambassador for Serian. Our guide and spotter were also very helpful, with a focus on the first two days of trying to see as much as we could, and the last two a bit more on what we'd like to see more of. Having a vehicle to yourself is a real luxury that not every camp provides."