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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by R & C from England

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

2

Countries visited

2

Lodges stayed in

6

Excursions taken

0

My Sep 2023 trip

Namibia between 14 Sep 2023 and 2 Oct 2023

Trip rating: Excellent
"Amazing country.
Great landscape & wildlife.
Very good itinerary.
Service hit and miss - suggests that some places are struggling with quality of management."

Arranged By Tom Morris


Weinberg Hotel

Weinberg Hotel

"Weinberg Hotel review"

2 nights Arrived 29 Sep 2023
"As initial comments."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

My Feb 2020 trip

South Africa between 29 Feb 2020 and 11 Mar 2020

Trip rating: Excellent
"Excellent trip! To be honest, I can't recall an Expert Africa trip that wasn't, but this was right up there.

Both Lucy and your properties worked brilliantly with respect to Making it easy for Sheila's limited mobility. I think every property managed to put give us the closest room/suite/villa to keep distance down, and Sanbona allocated the front passenger suite in the land cruiser to Sheila.

Great combination of properties locations scenery etc. By the way, Bontebok Reserve was worth the visit - not lots of animals, but lived up to its bontebok moniker with plenty of good views of them.

I know Sanbona isn't one of your regular properties. So here's my perspective (having visited a wide range in the past - Addo, Kariega, Etosha, Selous etc).
Ok, so it doesn't compete with these for scale.
The scenery was great, if you like your geology on the surface (I do).
Limited numbers of antelope visible - a few kudu and not much else.
Great views of the big beasts (elephants, rhino, giraffe - and the white lions are truly special).
The guide was very good, and I think did a great job with a group of people who were only there overnight and therefore a focus on seeing the big ones. I'm sure we would have seen more of the smaller animals if we'd been there longer. We also didn't have time to spend around the dam and lake, so there would be plenty to see over a longer stay.
It's very dry, and unsurprisingly it's some time since they've operated boat trips (still showing on their publicity) - not a problem but worth noting in case someone's heart was set on it.
The accommodation/suite was fabulous. I imagine the Dwyka Tentedd camp would be similarly amazing.

So, pretty much as we'd discussed with Lucy, if you'd more time and the inclination to head to the Eastern Cape, the Addo / Kariega option is the better bet. But if not, Sanbona is definitely worth one or two nights for anyone interested in a safari (and even for those who've visited much bigger safari areas).

Ok I think that's about it for feedback - other than a huge thank you to Lucy and everyone's go contributed for putting together a great trip.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Nah, it's brilliant.

I hope the current virus problems don't impact you and your partners/properties too severely, and indeed you all keep safe."

Arranged By Lucy Copson


Vineyard Hotel

Vineyard Hotel

"Vineyard Hotel review"

2 nights Arrived 1 Mar 2020
"Brilliant hotel. Stayed there before and it's every bit as good now.

Great service, food, location, views etc. Exceptionally helpful staff."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Galenia Estate

Galenia Estate

"Galenia Estate review"

2 nights Arrived 3 Mar 2020
"Lovely place, great views, great food and very helpful capable staff."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Image alt

Sanbona Wildlife Reserve (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)

"Sanbona Wildlife Reserve review"

1 night Arrived 5 Mar 2020
"We stayed at Tilney Manor.

Great Safari experience even though Sanbona is not on the scale of some others, attentive guide, and fabulous room/suite."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Schoone Oordt Country House

Schoone Oordt Country House

"Schoone Oordt Country House review"

2 nights Arrived 6 Mar 2020
"Just brilliant all round!

Particularly excellent service - can't imagine better."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Victoria & Alfred Hotel

Victoria & Alfred Hotel

"Victoria & Alfred Hotel review"

2 nights Arrived 8 Mar 2020
"A strange and complete contrast from all our other stops.

Staff (especially reception and initial contact when first arrived) quite offhand. Perhaps it's a bit complacent on account of its undeniably great location.

Very few facilities at the hotel - most (pool, spa etc) are at the sister hotel, though that wasn't initially clear. Directions to these were pretty useless.

In fairness, the room was great, with fabulous views. So maybe Poor is a bit unkind as an overall rating.

But having stayed previously at the Radisson waterfront, the Radisson would win hands down for us."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location
Excellent
Service
Poor
Facilities
Poor
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Average

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