Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs G from Colorado
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
4
Excursions taken
0
My Sep 2023 trip
Tanzania and 1 other country between 30 Sep 2023 and 13 Oct 2023
"Our trip was amazing and Jessica was there to answer any questions and help with any changes we requested.
Suggestions for improvement:
One thing we thought was we almost would have rather done beach then Safari as we were so tired on the Safari from traveling. But we didn’t want to miss anything. This is probably only an issue for people coming from the US though!"
Suggestions for improvement:
One thing we thought was we almost would have rather done beach then Safari as we were so tired on the Safari from traveling. But we didn’t want to miss anything. This is probably only an issue for people coming from the US though!"
Arranged By Jessica Plumb
Hyatt Regency Hotel
"Hotel was very nice"
1 night
Arrived
30 Sep 2023
"We were only there for about a few hours to sleep and have breakfast after a flight but the hotel was very nice."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Ikuka Safari Camp
"Ikuka Safari Camp review"
4 nights
Arrived
1 Oct 2023
"The most amazing place we have ever been!
The team at Ikuka thought of every detail, always anticipating what you might need before you did. The food was fantastic, the accommodation was beautiful, and of course the safari was great.
We went to Ruaha as we wanted to see leopards and ended up with 6 sightings of them!
Every member of the staff from our guide, Luka, to Seif in the restaurant and Chavie and all the guys who helped us walk to and from the room were so friendly and welcoming (and knowledgable about the area and wildlife).
We definitely want to go back!"
The team at Ikuka thought of every detail, always anticipating what you might need before you did. The food was fantastic, the accommodation was beautiful, and of course the safari was great.
We went to Ruaha as we wanted to see leopards and ended up with 6 sightings of them!
Every member of the staff from our guide, Luka, to Seif in the restaurant and Chavie and all the guys who helped us walk to and from the room were so friendly and welcoming (and knowledgable about the area and wildlife).
We definitely want to go back!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
3 sightings
Elephant
5 sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Hippo
2 sightings
Leopard
6 sightings
Lion
5 sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Zebra
10+ sightings
Manta Resort
"Manta Resort review"
6 nights
Arrived
5 Oct 2023
"Beautiful resort with staff that go above and beyond to make your trip special. Haji B helped us every day from making sure we had our meals and activities scheduled to packing coolers of drinks for our outings. We loved the eco-friendly air conditioning that just cooled down the bed. The food was also very good!
We did 7 dives while there and while we aren’t very experienced we thought they were pretty good. We saw tons of fish, octopus and a turtle. The dive shop was very flexible to accommodate whatever we wanted.
In terms of activities, I would recommend Manta give a menu of options with more details on each. They just call them things like “forest walk” and “sunset cruise” that don’t give you an idea of the length, what to wear/bring, what to expect, etc. For example, we did the forest walk one day and the guide told us it would have been better to do in the morning (but we didn’t know)."
We did 7 dives while there and while we aren’t very experienced we thought they were pretty good. We saw tons of fish, octopus and a turtle. The dive shop was very flexible to accommodate whatever we wanted.
In terms of activities, I would recommend Manta give a menu of options with more details on each. They just call them things like “forest walk” and “sunset cruise” that don’t give you an idea of the length, what to wear/bring, what to expect, etc. For example, we did the forest walk one day and the guide told us it would have been better to do in the morning (but we didn’t know)."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Average
Emerson Spice
"Emerson Spice review"
2 nights
Arrived
11 Oct 2023
"The rooms and hotel design are very cool, and the front desk staff are welcoming and eager to help. However, we didn’t love this place for a few reasons.
The biggest being that there were a bunch of rats running around the rooftop at dinner (which is supposed to be one of the top local restaurants). I understand that rats are normal in a city but these rats were bold and running under the table - one even brushed my husbands leg. It was hard to enjoy the meal when you were on alert for the rats (and the meal took 3+ hours). We also ate at the other restaurant and found the food to be not very good, but we didn’t see rats there.
Also, the water pressure was SO low sometimes the shower was just a trickle. Overall this place seems more about the aesthetics than the quality. For the price, we expected more.
Lastly, on our way there and out, our drivers got lost. We were particularly nervous wandering the streets with all our stuff for the flight home at midnight as everything is closed and it’s very dark. Plus it was very hot so we got all sweaty right before 26 hours of travel. Maybe the hotel should offer the guard to walk guests to their taxi instead? Or provide a map with directions to drivers? This was not necessarily the hotel’s fault but must be a common experience."
The biggest being that there were a bunch of rats running around the rooftop at dinner (which is supposed to be one of the top local restaurants). I understand that rats are normal in a city but these rats were bold and running under the table - one even brushed my husbands leg. It was hard to enjoy the meal when you were on alert for the rats (and the meal took 3+ hours). We also ate at the other restaurant and found the food to be not very good, but we didn’t see rats there.
Also, the water pressure was SO low sometimes the shower was just a trickle. Overall this place seems more about the aesthetics than the quality. For the price, we expected more.
Lastly, on our way there and out, our drivers got lost. We were particularly nervous wandering the streets with all our stuff for the flight home at midnight as everything is closed and it’s very dark. Plus it was very hot so we got all sweaty right before 26 hours of travel. Maybe the hotel should offer the guard to walk guests to their taxi instead? Or provide a map with directions to drivers? This was not necessarily the hotel’s fault but must be a common experience."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Poor
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Poor
Feedback response
We were pleased that these travellers liked the design of Emerson Spice and found the staff helpful and friendly, but were concerned once again to read about a number of shortfalls they experienced during their stay. We immediately sent these comments to the property who were very sorry to hear that they experienced these issues and sent their sincere apologies.
The Emerson general manager explained that the city was experiencing an increase of rats due to recent wet weather. He assured us that they have control methods in place, but it can take time for these to take effect due to the open nature of buildings in Stone Town.
The usual duration of the five-course evening meal at the teahouse is two hours, and the first hour before the meal begins is often spent enjoying cocktails and the sunset. The manager was sorry to hear that these guests felt it was too long and slow. The restaurant manager spoke with the kitchen regarding the feedback that the food was not enjoyed by these guests.
With regards to poor water pressure, the manager commented that this can occur in the morning and is due to air trapped in the system. It can easily be remedied, and he was sorry not to have been alerted about the problem at the time so that this issue could have been resolved.
The Emerson have door staff and security personal who are available to escort guests, as well as maps for those who want to explore more independently. We are taking these comments up with our Stone Town ground handlers to ensure that their drivers are fully briefed on hotel directions and this does not happen again.
Emerson Spice has long been a favourite property of Expert Africa, and we were particularly disappointed to read about these poor standards. We continue to closely monitor feedback received from our travellers staying at this property, and we hope it resolves these problems and takes proactive measures to ensure guest’s stays are as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
The Emerson general manager explained that the city was experiencing an increase of rats due to recent wet weather. He assured us that they have control methods in place, but it can take time for these to take effect due to the open nature of buildings in Stone Town.
The usual duration of the five-course evening meal at the teahouse is two hours, and the first hour before the meal begins is often spent enjoying cocktails and the sunset. The manager was sorry to hear that these guests felt it was too long and slow. The restaurant manager spoke with the kitchen regarding the feedback that the food was not enjoyed by these guests.
With regards to poor water pressure, the manager commented that this can occur in the morning and is due to air trapped in the system. It can easily be remedied, and he was sorry not to have been alerted about the problem at the time so that this issue could have been resolved.
The Emerson have door staff and security personal who are available to escort guests, as well as maps for those who want to explore more independently. We are taking these comments up with our Stone Town ground handlers to ensure that their drivers are fully briefed on hotel directions and this does not happen again.
Emerson Spice has long been a favourite property of Expert Africa, and we were particularly disappointed to read about these poor standards. We continue to closely monitor feedback received from our travellers staying at this property, and we hope it resolves these problems and takes proactive measures to ensure guest’s stays are as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Senior Africa Specialist | East Africa