Travel reviews by Ms H & Mr F from London

"Where to start?! Our stay at Impala was truly memorable. We arrived at the camp and were met by the very friendly staff and shown round the amazing grounds. The camp is very luxurious.

The main dining area, lounge and bar are all on a stilted platform which allows you to relax and view the surrounding area. The pool area has just been built and is great way to cool off in the afternoon heat. In the evening you can dine in the main dining area or in more secluded spots on the ground with fires and candles burning all around you. It was fantastic to stay in the Selous itself as many other camps are outside the reserve.

We would regularly see animals in the camp but always felt safe as there were lots of staff and Massai around at all times. The setting is fabulous. The camp overlooks the river and so you can see hippos, elephants, crocodiles and a variety of birds on the banks of the river below. Our safari delivered in every way. We had the choice of game drives, boat safaris and walking safaris each day and other activities such as fishing in the Rufuji river. The staff were very flexible in arranging activities to suit our needs and combining activities to ensure that we got the most out of our stay.

We had the same driver and guide throughout most of our stay. This was perfect as it enabled us to build up a rapport with them so that we got the most out of each day as they knew what we wanted to see and what we had seen already. We were mainly interested in game drives (but experienced and enjoyed all of the other activities) and saw everything we wanted to see and more.

The most notable aspects of our safari were spotting a leopard, the African wild dogs and being up close by boat to witness a herd of elephants crossing the river. The food was excellent every day and they have a fully equipped bar and a good wine selection. On the early morning game drives the guide and driver would select a spot and unpack a whole array of breakfast dishes for us to sit and enjoy on the banks of the river. On boat safaris in the evening we enjoyed champagne while watching the sunset!

There were a number of people travelling alone at the camp and it was good to see that the staff (and other guests) made them all feel very welcome. As the camp can only take a small number of guests people tended to chat about their experiences and socialise without it being too forced. Overall our stay was outstanding - the service was incredible and, even though we were there for just a few days, the staff were all so friendly it was hard to say goodbye."

"We arrived at Pongwe Beach Hotel and were greeted and told "Welcome to Paradise" - when we walked out onto the beach we understood what they meant!

The setting is fantastic - the resort is a row of lovely thatched beach bungalows, surrounded by beautiful gardens and palm trees looking out onto a turquoise warm sea and blue sky. There is an infinity pool with a nice sunbathing area scattered thatched umbrellas to provide shade. The beach bungalows are quite simplistic but clean and all that you need for a beach resort. There were nice touches such as providing a beach basket with fresh beach towels everyday and having a green flag system for ordering drinks etc.

There was a range of activities at the hotel such as snorkelling, kayaking etc. and the hotel staff were happy to help arrange other activities through third parties. The food was of a very high quality. Each day a set dinner menu was circulated but the staff seemed very flexible to allowing for dietary requirements and likes/dislikes. They are keen to arrange for a candle lit dinner on the beach at least one night during your stay.

Pongwe is a place for chilling out in lovely surroundings with great service and great food. There are activities to do but it is not a lively resort. We came away feeling well rested and well fed!"

"The hotel is centrally located and set in an old Sultan house. There are quite a lot of stairs but the inside of the hotel has been refurbished to a high standard incorporating traditional decoration into a more modern setting.

We only stayed there one night but the staff were very friendly and helpful and we had dinner on the roof top terrace which which gave a fantastic view over the town.

There are many 5 star establishments around but it was enjoyable and more cost effective to stay in a slightly more simplistic/boutique place than the much more expensive colonial style hotels."