Holiday Reviews
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same trip can have different views!
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Zanzibar beach holiday accommodation, independent reviews
 Reviewed 23 Apr 2008 by Marian Jolin |  |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All memorable, we loved every minute.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take extra sun protection etc. as there are no local shops.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was everything we wanted plus more. The beach, hotel staff, food and accommodation were fantastic and we will definitely be returning.
| Reviewed 27 Nov 2008 by George Hammett | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Peace, tranquillity. Really a beautiful spot. Helpfulness and friendliness of the staff.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take a torch.
If you have to be entertained or surrounded by people this is not the place for you. Take some pens and exercise books for the local village school.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes in the sense that it pumped money into the economy.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent.
| Reviewed 16 Aug 2007 by Austen Roberts | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The views, the sights, the sounds, and the people so friendly.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take more suntan cream and enjoy it to the max.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
At this accommodation yes. Definitely happy staff and happy people all round. No worries, nothing too much of a problem. Heaven!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
11/10.
| Reviewed 5 Jun 2007 by Chris Ayres | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Getting engaged! and the fact that you lie awake in bed listening to the waves just outside the window.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book early. Don't expect jet skis, windsurfers, mopeds, night clubs - wrong place. Go for beautiful surroundings, peace and quiet, exceptional customer services from all staff members from top down, wonderful food, deserted beach and all set on a lush green tropical island!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Sustainable buildings, recycled water (not for drinking), locally sourced food, local staff (who are given weekly english lessons), strong ties to local community... so yes
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. Stunning setting made even better by incredible quality of food and service from all staff. Everything seems to have been thought of. The only reason I wouldn't tell people to go is so that I could keep it a secret for us next year.
| Reviewed 30 Jan 2007 by Janet Crewe | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable part of the holiday was the moment we arrived at the beach resort and glanced through reception to the Indian Ocean, a few paces away from our Bungalow. Fabulous. The most exciting part was hiring a car and venturing into Stonetown on our own.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Travellers going this accommodation - travel light, you really don't need your shoes!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We visited the local school and have pledged to send them some supplies, so I hope the local people will benefit from this. This resort does seem relatively removed from mass tourism, thank God!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We rated our holiday 5*. 10 out of 10, truly paradise and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending the beach resort to any of my friends.
| Reviewed 7 Jan 2008 by Carolynn Dyson | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
An amazing seafood platter for Christmas Day lunch eaten on the powdery white sands looking at the most perfect turquoise seas.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The hotel is very quiet and secluded so great for a total chill-out and best combined with something exciting - like a mainland safari. There is an extensive library so no need to take a suitcase full of paperbacks!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the hotel employed over 60 staff nearly all of whom were Tanzanian and we did feel that the construction and running of the hotel was as far as possible designed to minimise environmental impact - e.g. no air conditioning, pre-ordering of the day's meals to avoid over-preparation etc.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Wonderful. A lovely hotel with warm and friendly staff.
| Reviewed 7 Nov 2007 by Fred Pietersen | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The relaxed atmosphere at the hotel.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book a minimum of five nights, and do not try the delectable seafood platter alone!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the sustainable methods of recycling and general respect for natural resources and the employment of local people from management to support staff was encouraging. This practice permeated the entire value chain from the suppliers of fresh produce to the resort to the support of local entrepreneurs.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A great resort with attentive and professional staff to cater for your every whim, in a very relaxed and professional manner. Composed, youthful and experienced management team....overall, a fantastic holiday!
| Reviewed 19 Aug 2005 by Judy Bird | |
We booked part of our holiday through you and it worked out really well.
We went to the Zanzibar beach resort hotel - a fantastic place which we are already recommending to anyone who'll listen! Very small, definitely low impact - run by an English guy (who couldn't have been nicer) so not directly benefitting locals in that way, but staff were all local and obviously happy in their work, not exploited.
Most memorable part was the idyllic setting, wonderful food and sense of relaxation. Tip for future travellers would be to book transfers in advance - we were pretty amazed that taxis picked us up to/from hotel like clockwork, thank you for organising that.
So yes, a great holiday - honeymoon actually - they say they're meant to be the best holidays and ours certainly was. Thanks for your help. Saving for the next trip now!
We went to the Zanzibar beach resort hotel - a fantastic place which we are already recommending to anyone who'll listen! Very small, definitely low impact - run by an English guy (who couldn't have been nicer) so not directly benefitting locals in that way, but staff were all local and obviously happy in their work, not exploited.
Most memorable part was the idyllic setting, wonderful food and sense of relaxation. Tip for future travellers would be to book transfers in advance - we were pretty amazed that taxis picked us up to/from hotel like clockwork, thank you for organising that.
So yes, a great holiday - honeymoon actually - they say they're meant to be the best holidays and ours certainly was. Thanks for your help. Saving for the next trip now!
| Reviewed 12 Jul 2005 by Gillian and Koen Wijnhoven | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
So many things to choose from! We had a really special honeymoon room with a beautiful view, the people were great, we saw a lot, the food was fantastic and it was incredibly peaceful.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go there if you want to relax, and you want some privacy - there is really not much in the way of structured social contact amongst the guests, so as a place to recover in peace it's perfect - you don't have to speak to anyone else unless you really want to - and if you do want to socialise, you can, you just need to strike up conversation with someone at the bar. If you're really looking for sociable though this is not the place. It's quite remote so if you're staying there more than a couple of nights you might want to take a trip out somewhere, so bring some cash to do that - we paid US$100 for a day trip taking in Jozani forest, lunch in Stone Town, and a spice tour. We stayed there for 6 nights; if we did it again though we'd make it 4. The food is amazing, although you need to keep reminding them if you have allergies - if you do remind them then they'll go to the ends of the earth to accommodate you. Also there is a reef and you can go out snorkelling but the sea was too rough the whole time we were there (July). The beach is beautiful, perfect for relaxing in a hammock, and you really do not need to think for yourself at all. The staff are absolutely great.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
In this resort it was not so obvious - we understood that the place had been built using natural materials, and that all the food was bought locally (apart from the meat which was imported from Kenya...), and they did a lot to save electricity, which was all great. The tipping system (having a tip box so that all staff got tipped rather than just the ones you see, which we encountered everywhere) was really emphasised to us, so the approach to the local staff was very egalitarian. We were a little surprised that the management was not local here but don't really feel qualified to form an opinion on this. Apart from sourcing produce locally relations with the local village weren't obviously good or obviously destructive but again, not sure we're in a position to comment - the only thing that makes me say this is the obvious good relations with the village at Sable Mountain, the next place we stayed - there was a very evident interaction there. I think my major concern about this accommodation is that there was at least one more hotel being built, and I hope that the beach resort manage to keep up their good work in the face of the increasing tourism to the area, and that the new place does not come to the detriment of the local people.
4. Any other comments?
I think we'd rate it at somewhere between **** and *****; it really was the best honeymoon we could have hoped for and exceeded our expectations in many ways. James, who our initial enquiry was directed to, was really really helpful as well. All in all, the honeymoon was fantastic. We'd do it all again in a second.